Vienne (city)

Vienne is a small city in the department of Isère in the region Rhône-Alpes. Vienne is 20 miles (32 km) south of Lyon, on the Rhône River.

Understand

The French Ministry of Culture and Communication has classified Vienne as a city of art and history (ville d'art et d'histoire).

Get in

By rail, there are several trains daily between Vienne and the Lyon railway stations: Part-Dieu and Perrache. The railway station in Vienne is within walking distance of most of the sites of interest.

Get around

Because of the small size of the city, walking is the best way to get around.

See

Museums
  • Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'Archéologie
  • Musée archéologique Saint-Pierre
  • Musée du cloître de Saint-André-le-Bas
  • Musée de la Draperie: Textile museum

Sites from antiquity
  • 🌍 Temple d'Auguste et de Livie. A well-preserved Roman temple. 
  • Jardin de Cybèle: Archeological garden including terrasses, arcades of a forum and remains of other old structures.
  • Théâtre antique de Vienne: Ancient Roman theatre seating 13,000 personnes.
  • Pyramide: obelisk from a Roman arena.
  • Musée gallo-romain et site archéologique de Vienne: In Saint-Romain-en-Gal across the river.
  • Roman aqueduct.

Sites from the middle ages
  • Cathédrale Saint-Maurice. Started in the 12th century and finished at the beginning of the 16th century. (updated Oct 2016)
  • Abbaye Saint-Pierre. 5th century; today the musée archéologique Saint-Pierre. (updated Oct 2016)
  • 🌍 Château de La Bâtie on Mount Salomon. built in 1225 and ceased being used in 1633. (updated Oct 2016)
  • Saint-André-le-Bas de Vienne. Abbey, church and cloister (cloître) (6th century) (updated Oct 2016)
  • Abbey of Saint-André-le-Haut de Vienne. 6th century monastery (updated Oct 2016)

The old town

Walk the narrow store-lined streets in the old town (la vielle ville):

  • Rue Boson. If you are lucky, bakery staff will leave the delivery door open onto this street so you can peer into the kitchen of a boulangerie/patisserie.
  • Rue de Bourgogne: The French Communist Party (Parti communiste francais) has a store-front office on this street.
  • Rue des Clercs: narrow street for pedestrians only
  • Place du Palais Charles de Gaulle with the Roman Temple d'Auguste et de Livie.
  • Rue Marchande: narrow shopping street for pedestrians only

There are other similar streets in the area.

Do

The annual jazz festival in July takes place in the Roman théâtre antique in Vienne.

Go next
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