Don’t forget about Lyon, France
Categories: Europe, France, Lyon
Jan 31st
Lyon, France, lies between two hills, the Fourviere (the “hill of prayer”) and the CroixRousses (the “hill of work”), that are divided by rivers and a peninsula. This town is second to Paris as a French city when it comes to size and significance. Though some may forget Lyon when traveling to Europe, the city began pushing for tourism in 1998, when its city center earned UNESCO World Heritage status. This city is not only popular for its recent standing as a Heritage site, but it offers beautiful architecture, with unknown pasts, museums with rich with history, and fine dining.
The largest Roman amphitheater in Gaul still hosts live music and theater on summer nights, and the history comes alive when you walk through the city, among the European architecture that ranges from the Classical to the Renaissance. You can visit the antique chateaux and the adjoining cinema on the Tue du Premier-Film, where the first film was shot. And you can go to the Lumiere Museum, which is the previous 1902 home to the Lumiere Brothers who invented the Cinematograph, which was used to shoot that first film. This museum has much to admire, such as the Art elements and an airy winter garden. This is where the moving picture was developed. Or you can visit the Museum of the French Resistance, which is located in the former Gestapo headquarters of Klaus Barbi, and which tells the story of how many ordinary people became the front that sabotages the Nazi occupation. You can hear the story of silk in Lyon at La Maison des Canuts, or the City Hall, which was built in 1646 and has played host to the G7 Meeting. Or see the fountain on the Place des Terreaux, located behind the City Hall, and was designed by Frederic Bartholdi only a few years after he built the Statue of Liberty.
The dining in Lyon is something to be jealous of as well, as local farms produce fresh vegetables and meat and most food prepared by the chefs and cooks in the local kitchens is fresh. Also, Lyon is just outside the two major wine regions: the Beaujolais and the Cotes du Rhone. The nearby Rhone-Alpes are known for their cheeses. The city houses more than 4,000 eateries, four of which – the Nord, the Sud, the Est and the Ouest - are owned by Chef Paul Bocouse, who prides himself in having reasonable prices for his delicious food. Also among Lyon’s proudest culinary stops are the Atelier d’Yvonne, the Bistro de Lyon, and Le Cazenove. Wine tours and walking tours are very popular for this destination.
This entry was posted on Thursday, January 31st, 2008 at 9:52 am and is filed under Europe, France, Lyon. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
