Lyon WWII & Resistance Full-Day Walking Tour

At 9 Cours Gambetta, six young Resistance leaders were arrested by the Gestapo in 1944. Their courage ended in execution, but their legacy lives on as symbols of youthful defiance and sacrifice.

The CHRD honors Lyon’s role in the Resistance, housed in the former Gestapo HQ. It preserves testimonies, artifacts, and stories of courage, defiance, and the fight for justice during WWII.

Pont Gallieni spans the Rhône, a silent witness to wartime crossings and Resistance efforts. Once a lifeline for secret missions, it now flows peacefully through Lyon’s living history.

Place Carnot’s Monument aux Morts honors Lyon’s fallen heroes of both World Wars and the Resistance. A site of remembrance, it’s central to Liberation Day and VE Day commemorations.

Rue Victor-Hugo, now a lively shopping street, was once a vital artery for the Resistance where secret messages, whispered plans, and quiet courage helped fight Nazi occupation in the heart of Lyon.

Place Bellecour, Lyon’s central square, was once a key site of WWII occupation, arrests, and secret Resistance activity. Today, it stands as a vibrant tribute to the city’s enduring fight for freedom.

Le Veilleur de Pierre honors five Resistance fighters executed in 1944. A powerful memorial to Lyon’s courage and sacrifice, it stands as a symbol of remembrance and unbroken spirit.

Place des Jacobins: once a Resistance hub, now a peaceful square honoring secret wartime bravery, underground presses, and heroic acts of rescue and defiance in Lyon’s Ainay Quarter.

Saint-Nizier Church, a Gothic landmark in Lyon, holds deep roots in history and defiance sheltering relics, surviving war, and even hosting a 1975 protest that echoed the spirit of Resistance.

Place des Terreaux blends beauty with history, once a covert hub for Resistance fighters, now a vibrant square echoing Lyon’s past of courage, secret presses, and silent defiance.

Lyon’s City Hall, a grand symbol of civic pride, became a silent witness to WWII Resistance efforts and the city’s liberation. A place where history, defiance, and celebration all met.

A hidden Resistance letterbox where General Delestraint was arrested in 1943, marking a turning point in Lyon's fight against Nazi occupation. Quiet walls with echoes of courage and betrayal.

A quiet fountain with wartime scars, honoring Auguste Burdeau and Lyon’s resilience, where even a missing statue tells a story of memory, loss, and the city’s enduring spirit.

Klaus Barbie's 1987 trial in Lyon brought justice for WWII crimes, honoring victims and reaffirming the city’s role as a symbol of Resistance and remembrance.