Lyon - France's "Second City"

My first visit to Lyon (sometimes spelled Lyons) was several years ago, when my husband and I spent 9 days using it as a "home base" for the southeast. Since then I've returned several times for a night or two, en route to other places. Lyon has long been known as a major food city, and in France that's saying a lot. A number of top chefs were born and/or trained in Lyon. But Lyon has more going for it than just food.

The city itself has many interesting sights, and it is just a couple of hours by train to Arles, Avignon, Orange and even Geneva. We found a day trip to each of these places, using our hotel in Lyon as a base, made for a great vacation.

Quick Tips:

Don't miss Bernachon, a world-famous chocolate and pastry store. Located at 42 cours Franklin Roosevelt (tel. 04-78-24-37-98), it has the most exquisite sweets in town, and maybe in all France (except perhaps Paris!) The chocolate eclairs shouldn't be missed. If you can't wait to eat the goodies, there's a fancy tearoom right next door.

Best Way To Get Around:

Lyon has a small but very fine, modern subway system. Individual tickets are 8FF (about .25) and an all- day pass is 24FF (about 3.50). There is also a bus system, but we have always relied exclusively on the subway to get around.

If you are arriving or leaving by train, be sure to note which station -- Lyon has three, including the airport out of town. If you arrive at the airport, you will have to take a shuttle bus into Lyon. The other two are centrally located. Also, be sure to read all the fine-print notes on the train timetable if you are doing day-trips. We almost got stranded in Arles because we didn't note that the train went from Lyon, but not back, on the day we traveled. (We ended up taking a roundabout route, which delivered us to the airport, from which we took the shuttle into downtown Lyon.)

We stayed at this hotel on two previous trips when it was a Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza. We liked it well enough to return. Mercure bought it within the past year and, from what we could see, have done nothing other than change the name. The decor is getting a little tired and the beds are not as firm as they once were. Nevertheless, for about $130 for an "executive" room, it was a good deal. For some reason, hotel rooms in the $85-140 price range were extremely scarce when we were there. The rooms here have king-size beds and are large by European standards. The bathrooms are also large, and even have a bidet. There is a hair dryer in the bathroom, but it is not a very good one. Towels are standard bath-size but thin.

The hotel is a short walk from the metro station. It is not far from Part Dieu train station, but not walking distance. I believe the hotel has a free shuttle service from the train station, but we preferred not to wait and took the metro. Being close to the metro gives you access to all of Lyon. If you are looking for a predictable, clean, hotel with a comfortable bed, this is a good choice. In our experience, the front desk staff always included someone who speaks English.

Fleur de Sel was so delightful on our first trip that we returned on a subsequent trip to Lyon. We found it just as wonderful. By the way, fleur de sel is a fancy sea salt that is "harvested" only in certain parts of Brittany only at certain times of the year (supposedly only by women, who have the delicate touch necessary to harvest it). It is usually sprinkled on food after cooking, as the heat of cooking would spoil its delicate flavor. But I digress.

On this visit, my husband and I started our prix fixe dinner with what we laughingly now refer to as fish sorbet -- frozen fish quenelles. The fish flavor was not overwhelming, and it was a light, refreshing start to our dinner. Next we had foie gras, perfectly done so it was crisp outside and meltingly rich inside. A small portion of lobster followed. Then, as the main course, squab, again perfectly cooked. We remembered out first meal there, where the lamb was overdone to our tastes and we cautioned the server that we wanted it cooked in the French manner -- medium rare -- and NOT the English manner. It apparently did the trick. Selections from the cheese cart followed. Then we were served a complementary "pre-dessert" of a small portion of pear mousse. As with the first dinner, my husband ordered crème brulée (3 dishes again) -- he had been talking about it ever since our first visit. I had a light dessert of "red fruits" (fresh berries and currants) with fromage blanc sorbet. Coffee, cookies and chocolates ended the splendid meal. The restaurant is easily accessible by subway and a short walk.

Visit 3 On a visit a year later, May 2001, we found the food and service to be just as delightful. The restaurant has been "dressed down" a bit, and is no longer as dressy and formal as it was. This is not a negative thing. Customers no longer wear ties; in fact several men and women were in cotton pants and shirts or sweaters. I felt overdressed in my evening pants and pearls. The elegant service table, with its towering flower arrangement, which had been in the center of the dining room, is no more. Extra tables have been put in place instead. The waiters wear white shirts and blackpants instead of tuxedo-type jackets. The rest is the same, and still excellent.

We've been here three times for lunch. The first time, we merely stumbled upon the place -- we had been to the Basilique de Notre Dame de Fourviere and had walked all the way down the hill. It was about 1 p.m. on a Sunday, we were starving, and we were afraid nothing would be open for lunch, as Sunday is a common closing-day for restaurants. And there we encountered Le Bouchon Lyonnais. It is not a fancy place -- it looks like a local's neighborhood bistro. In fact, the walls are covered with 8x10 B&W glossies of local celebrities. Needless to say, we recognized none of them. The menu changes with what is available at the market and features Lyonnais specialties. My husband and I still sigh over the incredible mussel cream soup, with a touch of saffron we had one time. Unfortunately, it was not on the menu the other times. Another time, he had the perfect salade Lyonnaise (frisee, lardons --thick bacon chunks -- and a poached egg) and a good bavette (skirt steak). I had a large salad of avocado, sardine, shrimp and lettuce, with a nicely sautéed sea trout (like a baby salmon). Tarte tatin (rustic apple tarte) and crème brulée were fine traditional desserts. This is not a fancy place, nor is it fancy food, but it has great atmosphere and "down-home" cooking at a reasonable price. Service is a bit harried when it is crowded, which it always has been when we are there. Make a reservation to be assured of being seated.

I love this restaurant! The atmosphere is very classy, with heavy drapery on the large windows and elegant table settings. Yet it is not stuffy. On this first visit, as soon as our server realized we spoke English, he sent over another server who spoke English to make sure we understood the French menu. We ordered foie gras as our appetizer choice on the prix fixe menu, and the server solicitously explained that it was "like eating butter" to make sure we knew what we were ordering! This was not a condescending gesture -- there was a genuine concern that we should enjoy ourselves. My only criticism of the dinner was the lamb, ordered "rose" (medium rare) was more like medium (and on the tan side of pink) -- apparently the kitchen was cooking for English tastes, not French. My husband ordered crème brulée for dessert and was delighted when he was presented with THREE dishes of it. (We sneaked glances at the other tables to make sure this was not a mistake or a comment on how much we appeared to enjoy the food!) The cost for the dinner (800 FF for a 6-course dinner for 2, including wine and 2 glasses of champagne) was much less than we had paid in Paris for similar quality. Reservations required.

Lugdunum, as this area was known, was officially recognized by the Roman senate in 43 BC. Parts of it live on today on Fourvière hill, and can be reached by a funicular or on foot. There is a large theater (oldest in France), which is still used for events today. The remnants of part of the city (the craftsman's quarter) and some mosaics give a hint of the civilization centuries ago. It is quite interesting to wander around. I am amazed that even parts still exist after all these centuries and that we can walk where the ancient Romans once did. Entry is free.

You can also visit an ancient Roman amphitheater on Croix Rousse hill, across the Saone river.

Personally, I like the amphitheater and arena in Arles better because I think they give a better flavor of Roman civilization and because these ancient ruins seem to dominate the small town of Arles. However, the ruins in Lyon are certainly spectacular.

Lyon also has a Gallo-Roman Museum near the theater, which is recommended by the Michelin green guide, but I have not been in it. Give it a try if you are an ancient history buff.

This mock-Byzantine structure dominates the nighttime skyline of Lyon, its four octagonal white towers lit up against the darkness. It is worth a trip up the hill to see its ostentatious interior, with mosaics, gilt and marble. We were told (either here or in the cathedral at the Palace de Papes in Avignon) that the churches were so ornately decorated to give the peasants a hint of what heaven was like; this basilica is a fine example of this philosophy. Admission is free and it is open daily but closed for 2 hours during lunch. The hill itself provides a panoramic view, but for about $1.50, you can climb up to the observatory for an even better view of the entire area. (Personally, there are too many steps for me!)

Every region of France is known for some specialty foods and Lyon -- a foodie city -- is certainly no exception. Using a dictionary won't help decipher cervelle de canut, which would translate as silkworker's brains. It is a cheese dish, served at the end of the meal like any other cheese course, made from fromage blanc (like a mild yogurt) mixed with chives or shallots and garlic and sometimes other herbs. Saucisson sec -- dry sausage -- is also a Lyonnaise specialty. There are more varieties than I can list. If you are familiar with Louisiana andouille sausage, you might expect andouillette to be little andouilles. Wrong. It is sausage made from tripe and is considered a real delicacy. Personally, I do not like tripe, so I have not tried them. Of course, Lyon is also famous for Lyonnaise potatoes, which are sliced potatoes that are fried in goose fat with onions -- a real hearty bistro dish. And finally, the salade Lyonnaise, which is made with frisée (curly endive/chicory), lardons (thick chunks of crisp bacon) and a poached egg. It is dressed with a vinaigrette. You break the egg yolk and mix it with the lettuce to make a delicious creamy dressing with the vinaigrette. St. Marcellin cheese may be the best-known regional cheese. Originally a goat cheese, it is now made from cow's milk, and it is creamy when fresh and so soft when ripe that when you cut into it, it might run all over the plate. It is sometimes served in a small bowl, to be eaten with a spoon.