The young man who welcomed me invited me to join a talk about the history of silk manufacturing in Lyon he was doing for a class. It was in French, but I was able to understand it well, I just can't respond in French when it's sort of technical! The talk included how Francois I created the trade and how Lyon had at its hight over 5,000 small manufacturers. This store is well known for their loomed designs, where the silk is woven with colors and more. The work is absolutely stunning and I wish I could have bought so much more! I picked two amazing jacquard shawls, a silk square with a tulip design for my sister, a beautiful jacquard tie for my cousin and a hand painted silk scarf. I truly loved the selection, and it was VERY hard to choose. The prices seemed extremely fair for the work that goes into the pieces. If I bought them in the US, they'd be triple the price or more. The store is small and adorable, but the best part was the learning about the manufacturing of such stunning things. I'm glad I bought what I did, but I could have bought so many more pieces! read more

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This little shop tucked back behind what looked like an ally was recommended by a local. It took me FOREVER to find it but it was worth the trek. First off, there is a long tradition behind the silk industry in Lyon and I was seeking as special gift that could be found no where else but Lyon. This is THE place for such a thing. The employees were friendly, helpful, funny, interactive... and every positive adjective I can think of. I kept picking things and thinking "too old for a twenty something?" and finally I just told the charming employee what I was looking for, a bit about the person's taste, why I was buying and she immediately plucked off the display EXACTLY what I had envisioned in my mind! If you haven't visited, they do tours (good for kids) on hand silk screening, you can buy silk ready to "do it yourself" and they just have some beautiful stuff. I'm not a big scarf person but if I had the money to buy several of the big velvet and silk scarfs, they would have been a stunning valance in one of my rooms at home! I hope you go and enjoy their products and genuine charm as much as I did! read more

Disclaimer: I last visited the Atelier de Soierie in 2003. As part of my first summer in Lyon, our professor introduced us to the history of the city. In case you don't know, Lyon as a city was a center of silk working. We visited the AdS to see the traditional screen printing techniques employed for printing on silks, particularly scarves. One of the pieces that this workshop is known for is a 10-screen print of Lyon at night. The demonstration showed us how the screen are made, with each one being for a different color, and the order in which they are applied to make the beautiful designs. They also demonstrated other decorative techniques such as hand painting and flocking. The explanation of the demonstration was in French. Even if you don't understand the language, you can watch the silks being printed, so it's worth the visit. And if you're in a hurry, at least visit this gift shop, full of hand-crafted beautiful treasures, right in the heart of the city. It's a perfect spot for something special to take to those who can't travel with you. Being a textiles major, and having fallen in love with the city, I purchased one of the nightscape of Lyon scarves for around 100€. The gift shop was full of beautiful pieces, but this is the one that really spoke to me. It hangs proudly in my house today to remind me of the real City of Light. #Yelp365 - 189/365 read more

Lyon is famous for its silk and here is the one of the old factories. On display are the old instruments and machines used and a brief history. Only problem is that is all in French. However, I thought this would would be bigger and have more interactive displays, but I was disappointed, especially because of the trek up four flights of steep steps. It is not a massive shop and you can do it all comprehensively in about 20-25 minutes to fully look around and explore. Despite my low rating, I think it is still worth seeing. I found out that there are more than one silk factories around Lyon, so take the time to pick the right one. On the plus side, they have beautiful silk scarves and ties for sale but do not come cheap. Good place to get presents for close friends or a memorable souvenir. read more

One of the students in our food microbiology class visiting Lyon from America read of this gem in a pamphlet at our hotel. We had no idea that we were to learn so much (now in English, to address one of the other reviewer's concerns), be so inspired, or have so much fun! Girard the artisan, the lovely ladies, and, of course, Leala took such good care of us! We look forward to receiving our scarf in the mail once it's completed, and to staying in touch. We highly recommend L'Atelier de Soierie! read more

While I was in the midst of getting lost in Lyon, I stumbled upon this somewhat hidden silk workshop. Lyon is known for its silk work so you will see a lot of these workshops across the city. This place is pretty small but very fascinating to see how people make silk products, like scarves, ties and robes. There was lady who explained to tourists on how they started the workshop eons ago and how each silk work gets processed from beginning to end. They have one area where you can purchase their products. I couldn't stop myself from buying the silk scarves for my mom and grandma. They are not cheap at all..probably $30-$40 a piece at the time. But if you're in Lyon, these are one of the attractions that are must see! read more

Neat little place. It's not easy to find, but was worth the search. They demonstrate the silk screening process and there is no pressure whatsoever to buy anything. They have a great selection of goods that are made in the shop. The staff is helpful and friendly. The saleswoman I met spoke English and was very nice. read more