LYON FRANCE--Avoid the Tourist Masses!

[MplsTodd]

I spent six days with my wife, younger son & his girlfriend in Lyon last year. I had always been intrigued by Lyon, given it's situation between two rivers (ala Manhattan). The Rhone is on the east side and the Saone is on the west. The distance between the two rivers in the center city is only about one-half mile. We fell in love with the city--the architecture rivals Paris, but with a more interesting setting of rivers and hills. Plus the city is so compact that it's incredibly easy to get around--they have four subway lines plus numerous streetcar lines. My four years of french from way back came back to me pretty well and I was able to converse with the locals comfortably. Day trip possibilities from the city are bountiful given the proximity to The Alps (1 hour east), plus the Cote De Rhone and Beaujolais wine regions south and north of the city, respectively.
The biggest benefit: It's not overwhelmed by tourists!!


Aboard the TGV heading for Lyon by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

French Countryside from TGV by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Approaching Lyon on TGV by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Palais de la Bourse, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Rue Grenette, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Rue de Brest, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Quai Saint-Antoine, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Along the Saone Riverfront, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Looking Across Saone River to Palais de Justice (Center Right) and Basilica de Notre-Dame and Tour Metallique (Upper), Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Saone River, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Place des Jacobins, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Flatiron Building at Place des Jacobins, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Fourviere & Old Lyon along the Saone River, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Saone River, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Basilica Notre-Dame de Fourviere, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Ceiling of Basilica Notre-Dame de Fourviere, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Tile Mosaic at Basilica Notre-Dame de Fourviere, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

This view looks east from Fourviere (the hillside where the City was originally founded by the Romans) across the Saone River to the narrow historic city center. The high rises in the distance are actually on the other side of the Rhone River.

Central Lyon from Fourviere by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Roman Amphitheater Overview, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Garden Path descending Fourviere to Old Lyon, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Staircase descending Fourviere to Old Lyon, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Rue De Boeuf, Old Lyon, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Restaurant Looking Outward, Old Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Along The Saone River, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

We went on a river cruise of the Saone River, heading north.
Looking to La Croix-Rousse from Saone River, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

St Nizier Church from Saone River, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Along the Saone River, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Heading Upriver along the Saone, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Fort St Jean, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Large Home along the Saone, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Heron in the Saone River by L'Ile Barbe, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Church Tower on Ile Barbe, Saone River, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

We circled the Ile Barbe and headed back into the city center.

Saone River, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Flags Waving on Saone River Cruise, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Palais de Justice with Basilica Notre-Dame de Fourviere and Tour Metalique atop Hillside, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

A Rain-Soaked Rue de l'Ancienne Prefecture, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Rue Emile Zola in the Rain, Looking to Olace Bellecour, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Louis XIV Statue in Place Bellecour, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Place Bellecour Metro Station, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Rue de la Republique is one of the major north-south commercial streets in the area between the rivers.

Rue de la Republique, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Le Progrès, Rue de la Republique, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Pathe Bellecoeur, Rue de la Republique, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Rainy Day on Rue de la Republique, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Place de la Republique Looking to Rue du President Carnot, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Rue de la Republique, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Narrow Bldg at Rue Giuseppe Verdi & Rue du Garet, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Rue du Garet, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Walking along Quai Jean Moulin & Rhone River, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Place des Cordeliers, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Boulanger Store, Place des Cordeliers, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Hotel de Ville, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Palais Des Arts, Place des Terreaux, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Place des Terreaux with Bartholdi Fountain, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Opera National de Lyon, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Meanwhile on the other Platform, Hotel de Ville Metro Station, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Hotel de Ville Metro Station, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

We took the metro to the south end of the center city, towards the confluence of the Saone & Rhone Rivers. This area is vastly different in character from the historic city, with lots of new developments. I suspect this area had been an older industrial area that has been redeveloped.

New Developments along Cours Charlemagne, Confluence District, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

New Midrise Development along Cours Charlemagne, Confluence District, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Museum of the Confluence, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

The Confluence: Looking South where the Saone River (right) joins the Rhone River, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Looking North Along the Rhone River to Central Lyon from Confluence Museum by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Looking Northwest to Notre Dame de Fourviere (Atop the Hill) from Confluence Museum, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

We took a streetcar to the east section of the city, on the east side of the Rhone River:

Tour Part-Dieu along Rue Servient, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Rue de Bonnet, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Fontaine de la Place Guichard, Rue Moncey, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Croupe Scolaire Jean Jaures, Cr Lafayette, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Lyon is considered to be the Gastromomic capital of France, famous for fresh markets and world-class chefs. Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse is a famous indoor market:

Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Cheese Display, Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Macaroons, Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Took the Metro to the city's southeast side to see the Musee Lumiere, dedicated to the Lumiere Brothers. They manufactured photography equipment and film and were pioneers of motion pictures in the late 1890s.

Aboard the Metro Train, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Lyon Metro by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Monplaisir-Lumiere Metro Station, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

The Lumiere Brothers: Manufacturers of Photography Equipment and first to project a moving image by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Moving Images on Display at Lumiere Museum, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Lumiere Film Display, Lumiere Museum, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Lumiere Photography Equipment, Lumiere Museum, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

The location outside their factory which was setting of one of the very first films ever made:

Filming Location for "Workers Leaving the Lumiere Factory", Institut Lumiere, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Heading Back into the Center City: First a typical view of apartment blocks in the SE section

Apartment Buildings from Avenue Berthelot (at Av de l'Europe, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

City Panorama from Pont Gallieni, Lyon, France by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

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