Lyon, also known as the City of Lights for many reasons, always intrigued and made an eye. So when the opportunity to go presented itself, I jumped on it. My mother being trained for her business, I asked to accompany her to do some sightseeing. And this is how I ended up in Lyon!
I do not hide from you that the journey to go was not very easy, our plane from Bordeaux having been cancelled, and the railway lines to cross France from West to East being almost non-existent, this did not facilitate our journey.
A tedious beginning
So we took the train from Bordeaux to Paris Montparnasse, before changing train station in Paris and arriving in Lyon. I might as well tell you that the weekend started well.. But we don't let each other down. I took advantage of these 6 hours of train to optimize the program of my somewhat shortened weekend, then we finally arrived around 7:15 pm (instead of 13h originally planned...).
We were staying in a hotel next to the Palais des Congrès whose name I would keep, because I don't really recommend it. On the other hand, we had dinner at Carmelo Trattoria And I recommend it. If you plan to eat in one of the restaurants of the Big Mamma group, I strongly advise you to book in advance because they are very often complete.
That night, we were lucky to be able to go home without reservation, but we ate on a table shared with other people in the same case as us, so it's not really ideal if you come on date for example, but it's also opportunity to discuss and meet new people. In addition, our table was placed right next to the open kitchen, so we could see the cooks at work and I found it a little bit more to see them activated next to us.
The restaurants of this group are still very decorated and colorful which makes them warm and friendly. The dishes and cocktails have original names, and the decorative objects are as bland as well as funny.
We eat there very well, I have never been disappointed by their kitchen that it is Lyon, Paris or Bordeaux !
Special mention for truffle pasta that are excellent, I recommend them with closed eyes !
Visits and discoveries
I started my day of visits and discoveries with the Golden Head Park Because he was pretty close to our hotel.
I walked along the lake with only the sportsmen doing their morning jogging and the few ducks and swans that are in the park. Then I went out to go to Wall of Canuts.
Culture point : Wall of the Canuts
It is a question of mural in trompe-l'oeil of 1200 m2 located in the district of Red Cross and which represents the atmosphere and the life of the neighborhood. This fresco is not the only one in the city, because we count it about 25 scattered in the different neighborhoods.
More seats!
I continued my walk through the Place Bellevue then the Place du Gros Caillou before reaching the street Grognard with his stairs. These three places offer beautiful views of the city and are the opportunity to make beautiful photos, especially at Grognard Street.
I went through the street of the claudian tables to get to theAmphitheatre of the Three Gauls and see what's left of it. From this place, we have a beautiful view of Notre-Dame de Fourvière on the other side of the Saône. My walk in the Croix-Rousse district was prolonged by the discovery of the Fresque de Lyonnais, which is probably one of the best known in Lyon with the Wall of the Canuts.
This mural represents, 31 historical characters and contemporary from the city, like the Enlightenment brothers, Paul Bocuse or Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and the Little Prince. Although it is smaller than the Wall of the Canuts (800 m2 against 1200 m2), it is no less impressive.
It is painted on 2 facades of a building and staged characters on several levels as if they lived in the same building.
I continued my visit to the city by going to the Place des Terreaux with its fountain, but also the Town Hall and the garden of Museum of Fine Arts right across the street where I went to take a look.
After a little break in a café to regain strength and recharge the batteries (in all senses of terms), I continued my journey towards the Republic Square before arriving in the Jacobin place with its superb fountain and the Place Bellecour with his statues of Louis XIV and Saint-Exupéry. I continued crossing the Bonaparte bridge to reach the Basilica Saint-Jean-Baptiste. I then passed the garden of the Cinema and Miniature Museum to go to the Mount of the Carmes-Unshoes.
My visit to the Old Lyon continued by the Pink Tower and a few traboules, then I crossed again the Saône and the Rhône to go to the Palace of Justice and walk around.
Culture point: Traffic
One traffic is a narrow passage which crosses a block of houses or courtyards of buildings and which allows to go from one street to another.
Then because this whole walk is digging, I stopped for lunch at Market Café located on the docks. I ate a excellent carpaccio in a user-friendly and intimate setting because there are few tables inside.
A tour to the museum
At the beginning of the afternoon, I took a bus to Museum of Confluences. I have seen the permanent exhibition that traces « the great narrative of humanity in four separate exhibitions » but also the temporary exhibition on missionaries in the world.
Beyond the exhibitions that one finds inside, I found that the museum was also a pretty building in itself, very Modern with its glass walls that create light sets with Rhone water Right next door.
You can also attend concerts and performancesJust follow the museum's calendar on its website to see events that may interest you. As its name indicates, the museum is at the point where the two rivers that cross Lyon, the Saône and the Rhônemeet, which also makes it a pretty friendly and quiet place, especially when walking in the small garden just next to the museum.
To finish the day, I found my mother and her training colleagues in the restaurant. Koyama, near the Golden Head Park.
Last day in Lyon
For my second and last full day in Lyon, I couldn't miss Incontourable Basilica Our Lady of Fourvière.
So I took the bus from the Palais des Congrès Then a funicular to go to the foot of the basilica. The view from the courtyard is superb, especially in the morning when the city is still asleep. Visit to the Basilica and its crypt are free of charge, but you can book paid guided tours to, for example, access the basilica roof and discover secret places.
When I left the basilica, I went to Gallo-Roman theatre less than 300m. I didn't make a full visit due to lack of time, but from the street we already see a good part of the site.
I continued until Garden of Curiosities, which contrary to what I thought, is really not very big and in all honesty, we can consider more this place like a gazebo that a garden itself. But the view we have from this place is Really nice..
I then went back to the Old Lyon for lunch, and I opted for Food, a food run near the Rose Tower seen the day before. I ate alone but I think it's the ideal place to meet friends or between colleagues because the types of kitchens are varied and everyone will necessarily find shoes at his foot.
So everyone can order whatever they want and then find themselves in one of the restoration spaces. I really liked the glass window which is well illuminated and offers a nice view on colorful facades of buildings Right next door.
Finally, since I had a little time before I found my mother to fly, I made one last stop at the Westfield Shopping Centre The God Part.
Feel free to comment your recommendations for visits to Lyon because I would like to go back, and this may also be useful to other readers for their future getaway in the City of Lights !
Practical information
Do you want to do the same type of stay?
I deliver you my tips and tricks for leave serenely !
The price of a bus, metro or funicular ticket is 2€.
For more information, visit the official TCL website.
