4 Best Sights in Lyon and the Alps, France

Musée de Valence

Fodor's choice
The luminous Valence Museum offers plenty of art throughout the ages, from prehistory and Roman times to the present. Its fine collection of Roman artifacts includes several superb mosaic floors excavated in the area, as well as marbles and other objects. The painting collection includes notable works from the Dutch, Flemish, and European schools and the contemporary collection highlights the works of local artist André Lhote and French artist Sophie Calle. The museum's two outdoor terraces offer splendid views of Valence and the Rhône River.

Centre d'Histoire de la Résistance et de la Déportation

Part-Dieu

During World War II, Lyon played an important role in the Resistance movement against the German occupation of France. Displays include equipment, such as radios and printing presses, photographs, and exhibits re-creating the clandestine lives and heroic exploits of Resistance fighters.

History Museum
14 av. Berthelot, Lyon, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, 69003, France
04–78–72–23–11
www.chrd.lyon.fr
Sights Details
Rate Includes: From €8, Closed Mon. and Tues.

Maison des Canuts

La Croix Rousse

Old-time Jacquard looms are still in action at this historic house in La Croix Rousse, and the weavers are happy to show children how the process works. The boutique is a great place to stock up on a colorful range of silk, wool, and linen scarves—all made in Lyon.

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Musée de Grenoble

Place de Lavalette—on the south side of the river, where most of Grenoble is concentrated—is where you'll find the Musée de Grenoble. Founded in 1796, it's one of France's oldest museums and was the first to concentrate on modern art (Picasso donated his Femme Lisant in 1921). An addition incorporates the medieval Tour de l'Isle (Island Tower), a Grenoble landmark. The collection includes 4,000 paintings and 5,500 drawings, among them works by Impressionists such as Renoir and Monet, and 20th-century masters like Matisse, Signac, Derain, Vlaminck, Magritte, Ernst, Miró, and Dubuffet. Artists from the Italian Renaissance and Flemish School are also represented.