Between 2005 and 2010 I lived in China. During this period, I spent a lot of time travelling both for work and for fun. As I travelled more and more around the Middle Kingdom, one of the things that continued to astound me was the…Read More

Between 2005 and 2010 I lived in China. During this period, I spent a lot of time travelling both for work and for fun. As I travelled more and more around the Middle Kingdom, one of the things that continued to astound me was the distance between the most Chinese cities and the airports that serve them. In my adopted Tianjin, it was around 30km and a 45 minute journey between the terminal and the downtown area of the city. In Guangzhou, I once spent almost two hours wending my way from airport to city. In both Xian and Chengdu there was vast tracts of open countryside to be covered after landing.

Having relocated to Europe, I presumed my scenic journeys through the countryside to a distant airport were well and truly over. For example, whilst Liverpool and Manchester are not close to the city centre, they are not massively far. And, in my new hometown of Nice, the airport is just at the end of the promenade. However, when I took a trip to Lyon, my mind was suddenly transported back to my years in China. The airport that serves France's second city was outrageously remote and dislocated from the city.

We arrived at around 19h00 and landed at Terminal 3 (which handles budget airlines such as EasyJet). We then had a 20 minute walk past Terminals 1 and 2 before we reached the SNCF railway station. The station was a huge architecturally stunning creation that echoed with the sound of just a handful of travellers. There are rail services to Paris and beyond. However, the majority of people who pass through take the Rhone Express, the light-rail service that links the airport and the city.

When I did a bit of research before the trip, I was surprised to see that a return ticket was 23 Euros, which I thought seemed rather steep considering the same price would buy you unlimited travel for the day in Paris and it costs just 4 Euros. I was even more disappointed to find that 23 was the advance price and at the machine it was 25 Euros. However, the price of the journey was sadly appropriate to the length of the journey. It took well over 30 minutes to reach the centre of Lyon. The trip was like being back in China. For the first ten minutes of the trip, the train pushes through open countryside complete with ramblers, orchards and wandering deer.

The Rhone Express takes just over 30 minutes to reach the centre of the city. At 25 Euro return, it is expensive. However, the only other option is to take a taxi (50 Euros). It is also clean and runs every twenty minutes.   Close

The weather was very warm for February as well as very bright and sunny. I enjoyed visiting the market along the river Saone on Saturday morning where people were selling meats, produce, flowers etc. Walked from Place Bellecour all the way to Croix Rousse. An…Read More

The weather was very warm for February as well as very bright and sunny.

I enjoyed visiting the market along the river Saone on Saturday morning where people were selling meats, produce, flowers etc. Walked from Place Bellecour all the way to Croix Rousse. An uphill climb but along the way I marvelled at the Trompe L'Oeil painted on the sides of the buildings. From my photos the people look like they are real. Uphill past Roman ruins and the local neighbourhoods ending up at Croix Rousse subway station where I enjoyed food and wine at a sidewalk cafe and people watched as well as explored another market.

Late Sunday morning there is a very good arts and crafts market with good quality items at reasonable prices along the banks of the river next to Old Town. Enjoyed taking the Furnicular to Fourviere to see the Cathedral and enjoy a panoramic view of the city below. Took the furnicular down one stop to visit the Roman theatres and Hauters Park. Walking the streets of Old Town is very interesting with many little alleys and shops to explore. Just wandering the streets all around Place Bellecour was an trip back in time and very interesting. Two days is not enough time for seeing Lyon, I could have stayed a week I'm sure.    Close

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…Read More

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.   Close

Lyon is the second biggest city in France. It is situated in the Rhone Valley near the Alps. As Lyon is a big town, you can find several things in this city. Lyon is divided into two parts, the old town and the new town.…Read More

Lyon is the second biggest city in France. It is situated in the Rhone Valley near the Alps. As Lyon is a big town, you can find several things in this city. Lyon is divided into two parts, the old town and the new town. In the old town, you can find Lyon as it was a long time ago. Little streets and beautiful cathedrals and museums. From the old town, you have a fantastic view over the city and its region.

If you prefer shopping and restaurants, then the new town is your place, with big shopping boulevards like Rue Victor Hugo or Place Bellecour. In the centre, you also find many restaurants of any price range. The centre is divided in several squares where you can find the 'Lyonnais' sitting and enjoying life.

You can find a big shopping centre in La Part Dieu (not the train station). Here you find three floors of shops, like sports, clothes, shoes, and many more.

Lyon is divided by two rivers, the Rhone and the Saone. If you like a picnic, then you can do this next to these rivers that cross the city centre.

In the evening, you will find many bars and restaurants in the centre. It is not hard to find a hotel, as there are plenty to find.

Lyon is the other way to see France, so if you have seen Paris, then you must see Lyon.

One tip; visit Lyon on the 14th of July, so you can enjoy a fireworks show that you have never seen before.

Fete des Lumieres - a festival of light and fire, held in Lyon in honor of the Virgin Mary. It is believed that in the XVII century, the Virgin heard the pleas liontsev protect them from the looming epidemic of plague, disease and spared the…Read More

Fete des Lumieres - a festival of light and fire, held in Lyon in honor of the Virgin Mary. It is believed that in the XVII century, the Virgin heard the pleas liontsev protect them from the looming epidemic of plague, disease and spared the city side. Since then, the grateful descendants each year in early December suit in bright and unusual presentation. This year's festival was held from 5 to 8 December, the story is just about the last, climactic day of the holiday. If you decide to go there, I hope this overview will help you navigate in a festive city.

Introduction to the festival appearance in Lyon, we started on the square near the cathedral St Jean. All of it was filled with people, all the noise, Gulde, but nothing happens. I raised my eyes to the hill and Fourviere ahayu - all Basilica Notre-Dame glows bright purple, and the tower TDF, is fully lit, climbs a huge green digital people. Ibid, at the top, on the observation platform, burning huge letters the main slogan of the holiday - "Merci Maria!". It seems that we can stand for hours and look at this beauty, but here the crowd fell silent - broke out over an area of great music. Everyone turned to the cathedral, right on the front of which the organizers staged the show, telling about the process of its creation. First drawing - great hands put the candle on one of the towers to be lighter, and start designing. Further, construction - a horse pulling a cart with goods, people lay bricks, mechanical engineering works, cathedral, step by step growing up. Then again, paper - decorators think through jewelry, sculpture, stained glass paint. And here we are again at the site, which already set the glass in the towers, and the process of painting. This is perhaps the most spectacular part - stained-glass windows shimmer in all possible colors, as is the choice of optimal scale. At the finale of the cathedral is literally burning in the spotlight, and then everything freezes, and now off again drown the music loud applause from appreciative viewers.

From the area of St Jean, we crossed the peninsula Sonu Presqu'ile, where large part of the submissions. On the square Bellecour found a huge ferris wheel with a circular white cloth in the center. At the wheel, in open cubicles riding people, and pictures were broadcast on canvas masterpieces of the Museum of Fine Arts in Lyon. In principle, a very nice, but in my opinion, not enough music. All streets extending from the square Bellecour, were decorated with various illuminations, we have chosen for further walk the street rue E. Zola, over which was stretched a garland of glowing fir. By the way the entire peninsula at the festival has become a pedestrian zone, so that you can walk there was quite calm. About five minutes later we came to the square Place des Celestins, on which action is carried out - each for 2 Euros could put a candle in a common wall, turned out very nicely. And there are beautiful trees decorated with lights in a silver-blue palette, this New Forest.

Further our path lay in the area of the Jacobins, where right on the walls of adjoining houses broadcast snippets of film Dolce vita, and the music played from the movie. And there are already quite close to Place St Nizier, the area where we waited another catholic end of the world. Spotlight one by one all gorgulenkov on the tower, and huge their images appear on the facade of the cathedral. And then went to play with different colors, church stained alternately in different colors, sometimes entirely, sometimes often, faster and faster. Overall, a very dynamic and beautiful. When the presentation ended, we went inside - despite the late hour, all the doors were open and everyone could hear the church choir and organ.

Next we got to the Place des Terreaux, where he demonstrated, perhaps most important show of the festival - Games with time. It was just gorgeous. At City Hall and adjacent to it will be a huge metronome and watch, they put the rhythm of everything happening on the walls. And the following occurred - first winter came, there were icicles, snow fell, then winter, this has turned into something more sinister, and now the building begin to crumble. It is very likely fall to the ground loose pieces of facade, and nothing remained of the buildings, and in this new black background poured heavy rain. He walked and walked, while all around are not filled with water and floating in her jellyfish. And then there are people, and one of them hung on the clock and began to push it in the opposite direction. And the ruins of buildings gradually began returning to their seats, and again started the winter. And then came the rain again, and the fire, but after all it's buildings began to sprout green fence with beautiful flowers. And so on without end - an instant change in the weather, the game elements. All this was just a light projections on the walls, but it looked very, very naturally, still breathtaking.

Of the more places you visit may be noted Rue de la Republique, in which over its entire length were hung with lanterns, springs, ice sculptures illuminated close to the metro Hotel de ville, and of course the garden at Place Louis-Pradel. There right through the asphalt sprouted a variety of glowing flowers, grass, reeds.
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We love Roman Ruins. And Lyon has some very lovely ones, up on Fourviere not a long walk from Notre Dame, the large church up there. There's a large amphitheater where concerts are still held; it originally seated about 11,000 people and now…Read More

We love Roman Ruins. And Lyon has some very lovely ones, up on Fourviere not a long walk from Notre Dame, the large church up there. There's a large amphitheater where concerts are still held; it originally seated about 11,000 people and now holds about 4,500. Next to it is the smaller and more intimate Odeon where the Romans held musical concerts. The setting, high above the city of Lyon, is magnificent.   Close

Several friends had told us, when they heard we would visit Lyon, that we must go up to Perouges so we planned an outing for Easter Sunday. It's a charming medieval town with its Church of Mary Madeleine built in 1440 and well-maintained shops…Read More

Several friends had told us, when they heard we would visit Lyon, that we must go up to Perouges so we planned an outing for Easter Sunday. It's a charming medieval town with its Church of Mary Madeleine built in 1440 and well-maintained shops and restaurants.    Close

We were staying a bit to the west of the main part of town, so we bought a carnet (booklet) of tickets which worked on the buses and trolleys. The first day in town we took the HOHO tour which really helped to orient…Read More

We were staying a bit to the west of the main part of town, so we bought a carnet (booklet) of tickets which worked on the buses and trolleys.

The first day in town we took the HOHO tour which really helped to orient us to the city which is split by two major rivers, the Rhone and the Saone. The main part of the city is located on Presqu'Ile (literally, "Almost an Island") formed where the two rivers meet. This is where you will find the Tourist Office in the main square, Place Bellecour. Across a bridge is the Old Town with Fourviere, one of the main churches, looming above. We found the HOHO tour to be quite helpful here.

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