Lyon--Travel Infrastructure for English-Speaking Visitors

We rented an Airbnb apartment for a week last October. We really enjoyed Lyon and would return. We took two walking tours, one was a general walking tour of the city and the second focused on Lyon's food heritage ... we loved both tours. Both tours were primarily English and US people and both tour guides spoke excellent English. No problems in restaurants, although it helps to have google translator to help understand some of the nuances of the item descriptions. The train station signage was clear and we had no problem with the mass transit system. BTW, you don't have to buy bus tickets in advance ... simply use Apple Pay at the reader as you board the bus. I'm glad you're visiting Lyon ... it's a wonderful city.

We were there exactly a month ago. If you go directly to the Lyon TI and get a Lyon City Card, it will include a free tour in English--they will issue tickets. The card also covers use of the metro and buses, and a river cruise, as well as museum entries. Go to visiterlyon.com, and find the language icon at top right and switch to English to see everything included in the card.

The Gallo-Roman museum does have English on most of the signage.

At the Resistance and Deportation center, be sure to get the English audioguide. They have notebooks with written info, but they are too cumbersome and the audioguide is extensive and in my opinion, necessary. Pace yourself at the museum. You might want to look at the Lyon part of my trip report at https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/trip-report-paris-lyon-dordogne-lot-toulouse

Edited to add that the free tour from the TI was excellent.

I happen to be in the train on my way home from Lyon at this moment. We had a wonderful tour of the traboules, old Lyon, and archeology.
I looked for a private guide who could give a tour in English and found Isabelle Massé who did an excellent job. Our offspring, visiting from the US, who normally never do tours, loved Isabelle’s tour.
I found her when I searched in French. In English, it was impossible to get past the viat@r and get my guide pages to find the independent licensed guides. I found several who spoke English when I searched in French and chose Isabelle. Search using “Les visites d’Isabelle.”

I see that Bob has deleted his good response to Fred's impression, which is just below. Nonetheless, I'll add that we were very impressed with the city and all it had to offer. Bob mentioned the Parc Tête d'Or, where our kids spent several enjoyable hours. We had a good visit at the Lumière museum complex and on a previous visit spent several hours in the Gallo-Roman museum. The variety of architecture is fascinating. The cuisine in the touristic restaurants where we went, which had plenty of locals, too, is a throwback to old-fashion French cooking with delicious sauces. However, at one bouchon, it was set up in such a way that our offspring (who speak medium and low-level French) said they would have been lost with the family style servings and unusual menu offerings if they hadn't been with us. My husband and I will definitely return for another stay. No pink beret on our heads.

Thanks to all for your comments.

Bets, I have looked at Isabelle's website. Her pricing seems reasonable. I have sent her a message seeing whether she can possibly help me.

I have been in Lyon twice, in 1997 and 1999, didn't particularly care for the place both times in spite of the beautiful landscape view.

The language factor had nothing to do with my opinion of the city (so what), as my level French then was next to zero. Whether I found the travel infrastructure adequate for visitors with my non-existent language skill there or totally lacking , ie no help at all, I am the one who has that problem. Whether Lyon has improved in that respect is irrelevant if I decide after all these years to pay the city one more visit.

Just got back from Lyon. Had a very enjoyable stay. Speak no French and Google translate was my friend. Did not do museums but did do the hop on hop off bus in English. Many of the shopkeepers in the old city and other major tourist areas spoke English.