01._Panorama_de_Lyon_pris_depuis_le_toit_de_la_Basilique_de_Fourvière

Lyon is a city in east-central France, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. The correct spelling in French is Lyon, but the spelling Lyons is sometimes specified in English, particularly in newspaper style guides. Lyon is located about 470 km (292 mi) from Paris, 320 km (199 mi) from Marseille, 420 km (261 mi) from Strasbourg, 160 km (99 mi) from Geneva, and 280 km (174 mi) from Turin. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais.

Blason_LyonThe municipality of Lyon has a population of 500,715 (2013)[1] and is France’s third-largest city after Paris and Marseille. Lyon is the seat of the metropolis of Lyon, and the capital of both the department of Rhône and the region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The greater metropolitan area of Lyon, a concept for statistical purposes that is not an administrative division, has a population of 2,214,068 (2012), which makes it the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Île-de-France (Paris).

The city is known for its historical and architectural landmarks and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It reflects 2,000 years of history, with a Roman amphitheater in Fourvière, medieval and Renaissance architecture in Vieux Lyon, and the modern, redeveloped Confluence district on the Presqu’île peninsula between the two rivers. Lyon was historically known as an important area for the production and weaving of silk. It has developed a reputation as the capital of gastronomy in France and in the world (click here for more on gastronomy and cuisine lyonnaise).

It has a significant role in the history of cinema due to Auguste and Louis Lumière, who invented the cinematographe in Lyon. The city is also known for its famous light festival, Fête des Lumières, which occurs every 8 December and lasts for four days, earning Lyon the title of Capital of Lights.

Economically, Lyon is a major centre for banking, as well as for the chemical, pharmaceutical, and biotech industries. The city contains a significant software industry with a particular focus on video games, and in recent years has fostered a growing local start-up sector. Lyon hosts the international headquarters of InterpolEuronews, and International Agency for Research on Cancer. Lyon was ranked 19th globally and second in France for innovation in 2011. It ranked second in France and 39th globally in Mercer’s 2015 liveability rankings. (source Wikipedia)

What to do in Lyon?

The following are recommendations by Prof. Olivier Moréteau, a native of Lyon, who lived there and in the region for nearly fifty years and visits twice a year now that he lives in Louisiana. Make sure you share on your own experience!

  • Train your taste buds in local restaurants

Most of us cannot afford a dinner at Paul Bocuse, the finest restaurant in the country. Yet you can have a treat at one of the Bocuse brasserie restaurants, Le Sud, Le Nord, L’Est or l’Ouest.

quenelles_de_brochetGo informal and visit the many bouchons, which are informal restaurants serving traditional family food: do not miss the quenelles, assiette de chacuterie, salade lyonnaise, poulet au vinaigre, boudin aux deux pommes… Make sure you try the local cheese and do not miss the Saint Marcellin, Saint Félicien, and Reblochon. Bouchons can be found all along rue des Marronniers, rue Mercière, rue du Garet (restaurant Le restaurant-lyon2Garet is one of the most typical). I recommend Le Poelon d’Or, rue des Remparts d’Ainay.

Your professor’s favorite: Restaurant Le Vivarais, Place Gailleton, right across the river from the University building. When visiting Université Jean Moulin, your professor also has lunch at Café Librairie (8 Quai Claude Bernard) and La Fourmilière (15 Rue Salomon Reinach).

pot-lyonnais-juilletWhat wine to drink on your meal? On special occasions, your prof. orders a Saint Veran (Chardonnay) or Saint Joseph (red Rhône wine combining syrah with roussanne or marsanne), which are his ubiquitous white and red, that may accompany any food. On a daily basis, he feasts on the “pot lyonnais,” served open in a 46 cl heavy glass bottle, much cheaper than bottled wine. Reds include Beaujolais, côteaux du Lyonnais, and Côtes du Rhône, and white is typically Mâcon blanc (Chardonnay).

  • Favorite walks in the City

Traboule_in_Lyon,_France_1The Vieux Lyon and Croix-Rousse traboules: the Traboules (from Latin transambulare via vulgar Latin trabulare, meaning “to cross”) are a type of passageway primarily associated with the city of Lyon and also to be found in other cities in the region. You enter a building from a street, walk the hallway, cross a courtyard, find the hallway through the building at the other end of the courtyard, and exit in a parallel street. Oftentimes, these800px-Traboule_8 courtyards are beautiful samples of Renaissance architecture, with magnificent galleries. The Lyon traboules were originally used by silk manufacturers and other merchants to transport their products, crossing the Vieux Lyon or the Croix-Rousse districts barely using the streets. When traboules are on a hill side, you may have to climb or descend one or two flight of stairs to reach the parallel street uphill or downhill. Recommendation: take a walking tour of Vieux Lyon, with an English-speaking guide.

The river banks: walks along the river Saône (quais de Saône) are particularly beautiful between Pont Bonaparte and Pont de l’Homme de la Roche (go at least up to Passerelle Saint-Vincent). On Sunday mornings, do not miss the Marché de la création (art and craftsmanship market) all along Quai Romain Rolland. There is a lovely and very attractive openair foodmarket Quai Saint Antoine, every morning: if you come early, you will see the chefs of great restaurants shop for the best and freshest products. If you come late, you can get lovely fruit and vegetable at bargain price. Along the river Rhône, you will enjoy the pedestrian and bike path directly along the river between Pont de la Guillotière and Pont Morand.

Quais de saone

  • Time for a drink
  • Fabulous museums
  • Nightlife
  • Afternoon trips around Lyon

Check out Derby Willis’ blog “Lyon Livin'” for more tips and ideas for things to do around Lyon as well as other places to travel around Europe. Derby went to Lyon in summer 2016, and her blog has generated a huge fan base!




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