Amphitheater of the Three Gauls — Attraction in Lyon

Skip this one!

There’s nothing (anymore) worth seeing here; it’s not just ruins, it’s the ruins of ruins.

To make things even less appealing, the whole site is wrapped in a metal fence. Unless you happen to travel with a drone, the only “immersive experience” you’ll get is sticking your hand through the bars like a desperate paparazzo and snapping a few sad photos.

Meanwhile, online you’ll find all sorts of pompous reviews — “a place full of history,” “vestiges of a glorious past,” “a perfectly preserved Roman amphitheater” — clearly written either by overzealous romantics or by people simply looking for an excuse to show off their English, rather than by actual tourists who’ve set foot here.

And here’s the cherry on top: if you visit the Lugdunum Museum (and bother to read the information boards), you’ll discover that it isn’t even certain that the Amphitheater of the Three Gauls was located here at all. The claim rests mostly on a plaque found back in the 16th century (see attached picture). So yes, you might actually be staring at a fenced-off pile of rocks… in the...

Tucked into the Croix-Rousse district, the Amphitheater of the Three Gauls is a quiet but powerful reminder of Lyon’s ancient Roman roots. Built in the 1st century AD, this historic site once hosted gladiator fights, wild animal shows, and other public spectacles during the Roman Empire.

Though only part of the structure remains today, the atmosphere is still palpable. Standing in the stone steps, you can almost hear the roar of ancient crowds and the clash of weapons. It originally seated thousands and served as the central arena for gatherings of the three Gallic provinces—hence the name.

The site is free to visit and open to the public, making it an easy and meaningful stop for anyone interested in history or archaeology. It’s less polished than Lyon’s Fourvière Roman theatre, but that rawness adds to its...

Probably one of the biggest let downs in Lyon. Very poorly maintained and does not even look like anyone was interested in preserving it. It is all locked up, so you cannot go inside. You need to look at it from the outside, and does not even look like an amphitheater. Was it not for the board outside providing history, we would have assumed this was a garbage dump! Skip this place, you will not miss much. There is a park immediately surrounding the amphitheater where very shady people hang around and we saw a few of them will a joint! They did not bother us in anyway, but gives you an idea that it may not be the place to visit with family, especially small kids. Give this place a miss, you will not be missing anything. Instead visit the other Roman ruins, they...