Pubs & Bars, Lyon

## Vieux Lyon

This area has plenty to offer. The most well known bars are the british pubs. From south to North, here they are. Get down at the "Vieux Lyon" Metro station. Southward you have plenty of little bars/clubs, probably the best one is the Johnny Walshes, warm and nice, a bit overpacked sometimes with live music and quizz on Sunday night. If you're hungry, there's the Johnny's kitchen just next to it. Northward, walk up past the church and there you go. The first significant one would be the St James, with darts, pool on the under floor and a giant screen for football games. A bit beneath is the Cavern, a bar under ground with different rooms. The Smoking Dog is probably the most well known, not really smoky anymore because of the ban on smoking in bars, clubs and restaurants. The decoration is made of books (French and English) on shelves. You can play darts in the back. Two main screens for football games. At this point if you go further north on the Saone docks, there is the Wallace, classy and with a wide range of drinks, but a bit more expensive (5E50 for a pint after happy hours).

## Hotel de ville.
The Leffe café has a good selection of beers but, nothing like the "Palais de la biere" a bit beneath. If you want a bar/clubbing atmosphere, go to the Ayer's Rock. Don't forget to pass through the Rue Ste Catherine where there's plenty of bars. If they are closed, there is a night shop selling alcohol until 3AM (illegal though so be discreet). If you go up the hill, there is a nice live music bar called the Phoebus, a bit hard to find but good and once you get out, you can still gather at the "Bec de Jazz" to chill out with a last drink in a jazzy atmosphere.

## Bellecour
Despite there's no real bar scene there, the Café de la République is generally full of people and it's cocktails are nice enought.

## Boats
Along the Rhone and it's freshly arranged docks, there are bars on boat. The Marquise, the Sirius and the Passagere are quite the same, hippie-alternative atmosphere. For the posh, there's the Q-Boat, but dress classy. Otherwise, you can just hang out with drinks on the docks, there's plenty of people to meet there. Be sure to remain calm and chilled out though because the French police is hanging around, distributing fines for public drinking (70E). To avoid that, keep your bottles in a bag and pour them down in plastic cups. The skate park side is generally packed with hippies jamming with accoustic guitars and weirder instruments. The otherside is generally more chilled out.

Voilà, remember that when the time to leave comes, you have three night buses (bus pleine lune) available every hour (from 1PM to 4PM) from the Opera (just next to Hotel de Ville). Just check that you go in the right one. And of course the free bicycles, the Velov's. Just check if you're able to drive first... ;)

4 more images

Our night out at the Oz bar in Lyon (a pub I knew of while still in Australia) was one of several gatherings I planned with website community friends during our 5 week journey around France. I knew it was an Oz pub, but just how Australian it actually looked when I arrived still took me by surprise - the huge map of Oz on the wall, the road signs, the decorations, the neon Fosters sign - quite amazing there are almost a dozen of these kind of Oz pubs around France now.
Seemed to be a popular spot too, for listening to recorded music (unfortunately no Oz music, live or otherwise) and watching the soccer (not an aussie thing either) and by midnight, it was so noisy in there we decided to leave and take a walk through Old Lyon by night.

Dress Code: neat casual, I think. Security at the door seems rather thorough.

This Australian bar turns into a nightclub in the weekends. Great ambiance from 22h and on with dancing on the tables and bartenders that tries to imitate Tom Cruise in the movie Cocktail. Frequented by a mixed crowd of young lyonnais and lyonnaises as well as exchange students. Wide variety of cocktails and beers.
Strict door policy so get there as early as possible before the place fills up.

Dress Code: Even if it is not needed since it is a bar you will increase your chances, not only with the doorman, but also with the ladies by making a small effort.

Whilst in Lyon in July 2004, we stumbled upon a local music festival on the banks of the river.

It was a truly gret night as people partied away.

However, there was also a great nightclub on a barge.

All the drinks, all the music and heaps of places to sit and chat.

A great night out - hope it is still there for you!!

Dress Code: Pretty relaxed

Situated in "Vieux Lyon". This small english pub has one wall with different kinds of books. Laidback atmosphere during the day. On evenings the place is ideal for having a few beers before going to a nightclub.
One can hang out or watch soccer mathces (Premier League and UEFA Champions League).
Frequented mostly by exchange students, english and locals. Tuesday is pub quiz-time and the place get's crowded very early.
Well known for it's "soirées à thème" (Halloween, St. Georges etc.)
Nice terrace infront during summer.

Dress Code: Casual preferrably with a football shirt to top it

“La Clef de Voute” (The Keystone) is a great jazz place in Lyon.
It is housed in an ancient (18th century) arced cellar on the “croix rousse” quarter.
The place was a nelected, concrete covered, cellar, full of garbage and spider webs before.

Stéphane Vincenza and Stéphane Rivero, where working two years with their own hands, to restore the place and give it back the lovely ancient look it has now.
Stéphane Vincenza and Stéphane Rivero are also the home pianist and bassist.
Together with Grégory Jouandon (drums) they form the “La Clef de Voute” trio.

The “Clef de Voute” was formed as an a non profitable association.
The people involved are passionate musicians who love to play together.
The bar at the place is very basic (and cheap!).
The atmosphere is very friendly and open, and the music is excellent.
Usually there are excellent guest musicians performing together with the “Clef de voute” trio.
The jazz concerts take place on the weekends (Friday and Saturday, 21.30) but it's better to check before coming (see telephone and website below) because there are weekends without a concert as well.
The concerts usually have a theme, like a homage for a particular musician, period or jazz style.
During the days the place serves as a music school where the people mentioned above are the teachers.

Personally I like very much to visit the place, and i hope those passionate guys will continue to have the energy and the money necessary to continue running the place.

Entry costs 6 to 8 Euros

Dress Code: As you like

I only went to one club and that's Ambassade Club because it was very close to the hotel.
It's a small club,great music, great people and free entrance, except on special nights. Drinks aren't cheap, alcohol 6 or 8euro.

Dress Code: Jeans are allowed, but pls make an effort;

I'm living in Lyon since very long and I can tell you that nightlife in Lyon often sucks for young people. The policy of the nightclubs is scandalous. If you're a guy and you're not accompanied with some girls, it will be very difficult even impossible to enter a club. If your skin isn't white, expect that it will be very difficult to enter a club even if you're accompanied with some pretty girls. The mentality of many clubs and bars owners really sucks. And the prices are scandalous : expect to pay between 12 and 15 euros to enter a club (one drink included). The prices of the drinks are crazy too : one coke will cost you approximately 3 euros in a bar and between 4 and 5 euros in a club.
The price is high and the music is often bad. Moreover, there isn't a lot of space in many bars and clubs. And I know what I'm talking about because I'm often going to the Netherlands or Montreal (Canada) where there's a good entry policy, good music and good prices. For example, in Hengelo (Netherlands), there's a great club named New York : entry price 6 Euros on Saturday, price of a beer or coke 1,25 Euros !!

To enjoy their night many people go to the Macumba (aproximately 100km from Lyon, near the Swiss border). I never went there but it seems that this club is much better than what we can find in Lyon.

So Lyon isn't the place for nightlife in clubs of bars. But at night, you can better take a walk in Lyon on the bridge over the Rhone. Lyon at night is very well illuminated.

Dress Code: It depends on the place