As soon as we arrive in Lyon I decide I love the place. It’s bigger than I had imagined and with a greater wealth of history than expected. Once again we drop our bags at the hotel and head off to see the sights.
Not surprising, the girls are keen to make the most of their last day of shopping so they go to a local mall where they are treated to an unexpected yet wonderful light show at a large fountain inside the shopping centre in Part Dieu. Totally random!
Hearing about the old part of town and eager to stretch our legs the boys negotiate the metro in order to get to the top of the hill overlooking Lyon. From there we’re treated to a bird’s-eye view of the city that looks even more magical at night.
Up here too is the imposing Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière overlooking the city from this incredible vantage point.
After a brief tour of the basilica we return to the cobble-stone alleyways of the old town close to the Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Lyon.
Having read about the traboules we want to see them for ourselves. Essentially passageways running between apartment blocks connecting streets to one another, they’re not necessarily underground but they are covered and thus a terrific means of getting around during inclement weather. Used primarily by silk merchants many centuries ago now they’re popular with tourists although the one we use between 54 rue St Jean and 27 rue du Boeuf (the longest in Lyon) is deserted.
In a very Harry Potter-like fashion we emerge in another street a couple of blocks away, a little bit like finding oneself in Diagon Alley.
To our left is an intriguing shop selling absinthe called Le Chat Fou that beckons us in.
We later stumble across a miniature museum and shop that is delightfully fascinating.
Content with some of our own last-minute purchases we return to the hotel to share with the girls our discoveries and discuss dinner plans.
It’s agreed that the restaurant we saw earlier next door to Le Chat Fou is a good plan so we head out for our last night in France.
Kim*
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So pleased you loved Lyon as much as I did! I am really glad I decided to go during the annual ‘fetes des lumieres’ as there were light shows, installations and performances all over Lyon for 3 days running! The view from the hill on Croix Rousse was amazing that weekend – I didn’t get to see as much of the old town as you did – but will definitely go back in the Spring to see more 😉
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Thanks. I’ve heard about the annual light show in early December and would love to see it. It’s a shame we couldn’t catch up whilst you were in Paris. I guess we’ll just have to visit Spain.
Kim*