LYON - JEWEL OF A CITY!
Lyon is a jewel! Turn off the autoroute, pierce the industrial chimney and tower block-studded necklace that encircles it and Lyon reveals itself as a grand, elegant City. Lyon is France’s second largest city, dramatically sited on the banks of the Rhone and the Soane Rivers although some say a third river – the Beaujolais – courses through it! The heart of Lyon is Presqui’ile, the narrow peninsula of land between the two rivers, which boasts a close weave of Gothic and Renaissance buildings. We were struck by how much Lyon is like a smaller version of Paris in its imposing architecture and grand scale layout. Known as France’s centre of gastronomy, there are so many opportunities to step back in time and dine in wonderful old world bistros. The city has much more to offer, however, than a full stomach! Lyon’s Musee des Beaux Arts rivals that of the Musee d’Orsay in Paris and its city centre is very people friendly, with pedestrian bridges across the two rivers. The shops present a visual feast, the Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourviere’s byzantine interior is overwhelming exquisite and the City’s traboules – a warren of covered passageways and stairs through the old weaving district - are unique and fun to explore. It takes only an hour and fifteen minutes by train to reach Lyon from Roanne, so it will be one of our regular destinations for a “Big City Day Trip”!