In Lyon the Saône river joins the Rhône. Just before the point where they merge, that’s where it all happens, within a few square kilometers. From west to east the Fourvière hill with its enormous basilica and at the foot the old city district of Vieux Lyon, then the Saône with its promenades, then the Presqu’Ile (the peninsula) full of shops and museums.
General info:
- The distance Utrecht – Lyon is 900 kilometers. From Brussels you can get there in less than four hours by TGV.
- KLM/Air France flies to Lyon from Amsterdam.
- Tourist information: information point on the large square Bellecour.
Love goes through the stomach
Lyon and hearty food are synonyms in France. Local favorites are the cervelas (boiled sausage), museu (sour sausage) and andouilette (a long-cooked mixture of pieces of intestine and stomach). The restaurants that serve local dishes are called bouchons and can mainly be found in Vieux. Lyon’s culinary fame is best represented by Paul Bocuse, the top chef who runs a three-star restaurant on the outskirts of the city. He is a French hero. His menu features dishes such as the famous truffle soup for eighty euros per cup.
For those who cook their own meals in Lyon, finding ingredients is no problem. Every day you can go to a market in several places, such as on Saturday morning on the elevated boulevard de la Croix-Rousse. What beautiful stalls! Cherries, apricots, melons, green beans, new potatoes: the most beautiful red, orange, green and yellow in the world are here for the taking. The goat cheeses, sausages and breads will make your mouth water.
Exciting alleys and streets
The Office du Tourisme has mapped out a nice walking route for the return journey through the Croix-Rousse district. It takes you through narrow streets, via endless stairs and past intimate parks with benches and views. The blocks and streets are often interconnected with ‘traboules’, exciting passages through alleys and stairwells, like a labyrinth. On the route you can visit old weaving workshops where silk is still made and processed.
Downstairs, on the flat Presq’Ile, shoppers will get their money’s worth: in addition to all kinds of fashion shops, you will find all kinds of specialized shops. Whether your hobby is antiques, music, cooking or art, or whether you are looking for scarves, shoes or bags, you will find it in Lyon!
‘An elephant on its back’
The iconic basilica is not very old (late nineteenth century) but is located on a site where the Romans already had a temple. The church was built after a deal with the Virgin Mary: if she ensured that Lyon would not become involved in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870, she would receive a new church. The Blessed Virgin did her best and Lyon remained peaceful.
The foundation stone of the current structure was therefore laid in 1872. The design of the church caused another war, because many Lyonnais found the architecture terrible. A journalist at the time described the church as an ‘elephant lying on its back’. Someone else saw a ‘luxurious woman whose bosom bulges from a corset’ in the basilica, but this statement testifies to a very rich fantasy. Nowadays you are more likely to be surprised by the enormous telecom antenna that has been erected a few hundred meters next to the basilica.
Back in time in sleek concrete
A few hundred meters from the basilica are the remains of a Roman theater. In the summer there are performances here as part of the annual festival. A great environment and atmosphere. In addition to all those old stones, a museum about the Roman period has been set up in simple, sleek concrete. On Thursdays you can enter for free, but on all other days it is worth the entrance fee of a few euros just for the beautiful mosaic floors: do it!
Then it goes down again, on foot, now through Vieux Lyon. Truly typical of this neighborhood are the private courtyards, or the cours, between the high-piled blocks of houses. A beautiful example can be found on Rue du Boeuf, one of the oldest streets in Lyon. At number 6, the luxury hotel Cour des Loges was created in what were originally four different houses, around an intimate courtyard. In principle, this courtyard is only accessible to hotel guests, but the receptionist will probably let you take a look. Or book a night there, if it costs something; this is a gem of a hotel, comparable in style to many Spanish paradors.
Tips
- Local aperitif: order a Communard: that is Crème de Cassis supplemented with a fresh Beaujolais
- The terrace of the Maison Villemanzy restaurant high up has the most beautiful view of Lyon. You will find it on Montée St-Sébastien in the Croix Rousse district.
- The beautiful town hall is located on the Place des Terreaux, but it is especially famous for its elegant water ballet. Thick jets of water spout at every opportunity from 69 built-in fountains. Also fun for children and dogs.
- The Kalverstraat is called Rue Victor Hugo here. For the more unusual boutiques and major brands, head to Place des Célestins and Rue des Archers.
- Covering over six hectares, Place Bellecour is impressive and always busy.