Further up the River Rhone, the Opera House offers musical delights. Shopping The main shopping area in town, centred between the Rhone and Saone, is the Presqu'ile where a full range of shops are interspersed with loads of bars, cafes and theatres. The Auguste Compte quarter, also in the centre, lures many antique collectors and has a high concentration of art galleries. Nightlife Lyon is renown for having more restaurants per square metre than any other European City. Its gastronomic specialities can be found clustered in the Part-Dieu quarter while in Vieux Lyon, traditional bistros are more the order of the day.
Variety is the name of the game on the non-food agenda.
Clubs are also strongly represented, with special mention for trendiness going to the aquatically-monikered Fish, drumming up a neat selection of House and Garage at the weekends. A thriving business centre means that hotels are often full during the week and as a result even budget accommodation can cost the earth. To avoid trawling the streets it's a good idea to book in advance. Lots of hotels, especially in Vieux Lyon have bucket loads of character, but few can beat the Cour des Loges, a beautifully converted renaissance mansion. Essential Info Currency - The Franc.