08.00: An early start can yield dividends in Lyon. From the banks of the Saône (one of two rivers that bisect the city, the other is the Rhône) you can look across to the old town and the dramatic basilica of Notre Dame de Fourvière that stands above it. The golden virgin statue on top catches the rays of the morning sun. Very dramatic.
09.30: After breakfast, stroll the streets of the old town. It’s hard to believe these days, but 20 years ago this was a rather down-at-heel neighbourhood. A unique feature of the district are the traboules – passageways that run through and under buildings – which can trace their origins back to the Renaissance. Originally built to give workers a shorter commute to their riverside workplaces, they were also used by French Resistance fighters in World War II so they could move through the city undetected. The best of the traboules are marked and can be accessed by visitors.
10.30: From Vieux Lyon Métro take the funicular railway, la Ficelle, to the top of the hill (Fourvière heights). Looking out from the Basilica you can see just what a low-rise city Lyon is. Fans of colourful (overblown?) interiors should take a look inside the cathedral.
11.00: Lyon was once called Lugdunum, capital of Roman-occupied Gaul and the remains of the city’s two massive theatres are still clearly visible a few minutes’ walk from the Basilica. Set into the hill above them is the Gallo-Roman Museum, which contains many finds from the region and tells the story of the ancient city. The Bernard Zehrfuss-designed building is a triumph of 1970s concrete functionalism, and, like a bunker, is almost invisible from the outside.
12.30: Stroll back down the hill to Le Comptoir du Boeuf (3 Place Neuve). A traditional Lyonnais restaurant (or bouchon), it offers set menus at €13,80 ($18); €19.50 and €24.50 and features many local specialities such as tête de veau, warm sausage in wine sauce and andouillette – a coarse, strong flavoured sausage of pork and pig intestines served with mustard. Also worth trying is cervelle de canut, a relatively innocuous soft cheese with chives, whose name translates as ‘silk weaver’s brain’ after the industry that flourished in Lyon in former times.
14.00: Avail yourself of Lyon’s Vélo’v cycle hire scheme (www.velov.grandlyon.com) and travel from the old town across the Saône river to the Musée des Beaux Arts on Place des Terreaux. A vast repository of all things artistic, a visit here could take days but time is short so it’s worth checking the museum’s website before your vist to see what you’re interested in.
15.00: From the museum, you can cycle along the banks of the Rhône to the Halles de Lyon-Paul Bocuse. This covered market, named after the famous chef, is a cathedral to food and, in particular, local produce. Prepare to find your mouth watering at the sight of a wide selection of wine, honey, chocolate, seafood, sausages and paté. halledelyon.free.fr
18.00: Lyon has plenty of cultural focal points and it’s worth checking out what is on at the likes of the Opéra (www.opera-lyon.com) or the Theatre de la Croix-Rousse (www.croix-rousse.com). The city normally has a range of the classic and contemporary to choose from and it’s worth booking in advance to avoid disappointment.
21.00: Dinner at La Machonnerie at 36 Rue Trammasac. Situated in the Old Town, close to the cathedral of St Jean, this traditional restaurant is a delight. Amid paintings of the region and in a general air of comfort, owner Felix Guerin provides amiable advice on the locally inspired menu, which includes dishes such as pike soufflé, calf’s cheek in cream and mushroom sauce and poulet de Bresse www.lamachonnerie.com
23.00: Replete, take a stroll through the narrow streets of the Old Town. Lyon has a large student population that’s not averse to the occasional late night, and there are several bars between the Cathedral of St Jean and the banks of the Saône that provide a tempting venue for a verre or two of Côtes de Rhône.
Most recent comments