6 February 2024 – Lyon

Miles driven today = 0

Total Miles to date = 659

When we checked in at Camping Barolles yesterday the guy on reception presented us with a tourist map of Lyon and gave us a few pointers on places to visit.  We also found an online walking tour of the city and so armed with this information we strolled into St Genis and caught the C10 bus to the main square at Place Bellecour, from where we could start our tour.  Most of the central attractions in Lyon are either situated on the peninsular of land between the Rhone and Saone rivers or over a bridge and along the western bank of the latter, so it’s a very easy city to explore on foot.

First stop, at our host’s recommendation was the nearby Grand Hotel Dieu. A monumental building which is probably best viewed from the far bank of the Rhone and which was a hospital in its former life.

As well as housing at least 2 separate hotels it is currently home to numerous restaurants and expensive boutique retail outlets.

We moved on to the Place des Jacobins and its central fountain which commemorates the order of nuns who first founded a convent here in the 13^th Century.

We couldn’t resist getting a selfie in front of this appropriately named kids’ clothing shop.

Over a footbridge across the Saone, the former Palace of Justice loomed above us.  This building dates from 1842 but there has been a courthouse on the site since the 14^th Century.  In recent history it’s most famous for having hosted the trial of the Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie, the “Butcher of Lyon” in 1987.

We moved on to Lyon Cathedral.  Construction of the building commenced in 1180 but there has been a Cathedral here since Patiens, sainted Bishop of Lyon, built the first one in or around 450AD.

We had a look inside, mainly because we wanted to see the 30 foot high Astronomical Clock, or “Astrolabe”, which dates from 1661 and which replaced an even earlier example from 1383.  Unfortunately it was all boarded up for restoration work, which seems to be becoming something of a theme on this trip.

High on a hillside overlooking the town is the Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourviere.  So we jumped on  the funicular and went up to have a look.  

Great views of the city from up here, even on a slightly misty day.

The decoration inside the Basilica is simply astounding.

Every wall is covered in the most intricate mosaics.

We also took a wander down into the crypt.  This is the altar down there.

And yet another nativity scene!  We think we might have got to the bottom of this thanks to some of our festival friends on a WhatsApp group.  It seems that it’s a Catholic tradition not to take down your Christmas decorations until after Candlemas.  This is 40 days after Christmas i.e. 2^nd February, so we are now a few days past that but it does give some explanation as to why we are seeing so many of these in French Churches.

Also up on the hillside are some extensive Roman ruins including 2 theatres and some baths.  We had a quick look but we will be exploring much more in the way of Roman history very soon.  Plus we were getting hungry so it was back onto the funicular in search of lunch.

We haven’t had a meal out since we’ve been in France so we decided to have a proper blow out today.  We spotted a little Bistro to the side of the Cathedral Square where they were doing 3 course Lyonnaise menus for €29 a head.  This was my starter.  Poached eggs, smoked lardons, mushrooms and croutons in a red wine sauce.  In short, the best bacon and eggs I ever had!

For a main course we both went for Pike fish Quenelle in a crayfish sauce.  I don’t think I’ve ever had pike before and the Quenelle was basically an egg shaped souffle, although I understand that traditionally it’s more of a dumpling.  Anyway it got a big tick from me, followed by a boozy blackcurrant sorbet and washed down with a bottle of Viognier we re-emerged very rosy cheeked.

We moved on to the St Jean area of town, one of 3 Renaissance neighbourhoods which are protected by Law.

Lyon prospered from silk weaving from the 16^th Century.  “Traboules” or (tunnels) were used by silk workers to move their goods around the city without having to expose them to the elements.  They also became useful to members of the French Resistance during World War II.  Secreted behind this door is the longest Traboule in Lyon. 

There are 50 Traboules open to the public across the City.  This one crosses 5 courtyards and extends through 4 building before emerging through an equally unassuming doorway at the other end.

St Jean is rammed full of fabulously quirky little shops like this one, selling nothing but stained glass ornaments.

This is "La Tour Rose"  at Maison du Crible.  It was built in the 16^th Century and it is claimed that King Henri IV of France stayed here at the time of his wedding in 1600.

The Charvet Clock or “Guignols Clock” was built by Louis Charvet in 1864.  We watched as the five automatons struck the quarter hour.

The 17th Century Temple du Change in Place du Change used to house the City’s Stock Market.  Nowadays it is a Protestant Church.

I’m not sure either of us fully grasped the significance of all the chairs stuck to the outside of this Hotel.

Back across the Saone, this is looking north at all the colourful buildings upstream.

The Lyon Fresco was created in 1995 and includes pictures of historical Lyonnaise residents from the Roman Emperor Claudius right up to footballers, restauranteurs and Mayors of more recent times.

We stopped off at a café for a quick coffee (and to relieve my ancient bladder).  On the walls were these rather odd versions of children’s cereal packs.

The Place de Terreaux was the site of a guillotine at the time of the French Revolution and hundreds of people lost their heads here.  At one point the number of executions averaged more than 12 a day.  The fountain in the foreground is called Char Triomphant de la Garonne and it represents the Garonne and its 4 tributaries jumping into the Ocean.  The building in the background is the Hotel de Ville de Lyon which was originally built in 1646 and then rebuilt following a fire in 1674.

The Museum of Fine Art is housed in a former convent.  It is reckoned to be second only behind the Louvre in the French Art hit parade.  I was initially a bit disappointed to find out that it is closed on a Tuesday but in retrospect it probably would have been a bit much to take in on top of everything else we have managed to see today.

We completed our circuit back at Place Bellecour, which is apparently the third largest square in France and the largest in Europe to be entirely pedestrianised.  It has an impressive “turny turny” but we weren’t tempted.

Back at the van I’m still stuffed from lunch.  We may raid the cheese drawer in a bit but we did more than 17,000 steps today so I’m not going to feel the slightest bit guilty about it.

7 February 2024 - Down the Rhone to Montelimar