Théâtre des Célestins is one of Lyon's loveliest performance buildings, set on a quiet square between the Presqu'île shopping streets and the Saône. The present nineteenth-century theatre replaced earlier stages on land once occupied by the Celestine order, and the result is a polished Italian-style auditorium with a long municipal theatre tradition.
If you understand French, check the programme; the theatre mixes classics and contemporary work. Even without a ticket, the building and square are worth seeking out while walking central Lyon, especially in the evening when the façade and surrounding arcades feel much calmer than nearby Bellecour.