Lyon

For an excellent mix of culture, history, amazing cuisine, and many other great experiences, we recommend you travel Lyon France.

A brief history of Lyon France.

Lyon is a city that retains a firm foothold in French history. Perhaps most significantly, it is the capital of the Catholic faith for the French, and when the Romans were touring Europe, they made Lyon the place where all the roads throughout Gaul began.

Claudius was born in Lyon, and the city became known as the capital of Gaul. During the Middle Ages and on into the nineteenth century, Lyon became a centre for European industry and business. This significance in regards to the money trade continued well into the fifteenth century, when it became an important financial hub for other countries, especially Italy.

Later, trade in silk made Lyon a formidable trading presence in the nineteenth century. In fact, Italy had a major influence on the city, with aspects of the architecture in Lyon today bearing a distinctive Italian mark. Today, Lyon is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which means it is in the interests of the international community as a whole to preserve the site..

Getting around Lyon France

Happily, Lyon has an international airport, allowing you to get into it with the minimum of fuss. The Saint-Expiry International Airport has coach links into the centre of Lyon, and the TGV has a link there too, so there are no problems regarding transport. The north and south of France are all reachable via the TVG.

Try to drive a car in Lyon, however, and you are pretty much asking for trouble. Coming a close second to the drivers in Barcelona for risk-taking and hot tempers, Lyon drivers are never going to be your friends, and you should think twice before considering hiring a car that you could very easily find scratched an hour later.

Instead, put your faith in public transport. Within the city, there is an excellent system – the TCL – that uses buses and trolleybuses in a quick, efficient way. The metro system can run as often as one metro every two minutes. If you must be on the roads there is an excellent cycle hire system called Vélo'v, which enables you to sprint around the city with maximum mobility. Over 3000 bicycles are available in the city, with a card and pin system in operation at the numerous stations dotted around Lyon. The bicycles can be rented for up to twenty-four hours.

Places to visit in Lyon France

And so to the sights that the city has to offer. There is a lot to see and do in Lyon, and it is well worth taking the time to search out the places that offer some insight into the city as a historical area.

For somewhere quite breathtaking to start your sightseeing with, visit the Place Bellecour. This is the largest open square in Europe, measuring 312m by 200m. It is completely devoid of anything other than the concrete square itself, and is an impressive open space. Right in the middle of the Place Bellecour is a magnificent statue of Louis XIV on a horse. Chances are you are going to visit the Place Bellecour anyway, due to it having the biggest metro station in Lyon. In fact, coming out of the station and into the incredibly vast space of the Place Bellecour is one of the essential Lyon experiences.

The Musée Lumière celebrates the birth of cinema, which was invented here by the two famous brothers. Found on the rue du Premier Film, it still shows movies on a daily basis, and is a wonderful piece of history. Visit, and enjoy the chance to witness the birthplace of the medium that impacts every single person in the world.

For a magnificent piece of baroque architecture, visit the Basilique de Fourvière. A link to the city’s Catholic past, it was built on top of a Roman forum, and was intended to emphasise the might of the Catholic faith. Marvel at the size of the St Jean crypt, and then climb the 287 steps to the conservatory, for a breathtaking view of Lyon.

Visit the Old Town and you will find magnificent examples of preserved architecture from the Gothic and neo-classical periods. There are some wonderful old museums here and charming old houses, all just north of the city’s cathedral.

La Part-Dieu is the largest shopping mall in France, and is well worth a visit just for the spectacle. In regards to eating and drinking, Lyon has a huge gastronomic reputation, and to list all the fine restaurants and cafes here would be impossible. Words of warning, however, if you are intending to eat on the weekend, take the time to book ahead. When it comes to a place to lay your head, you can usually find a reasonably priced hotel at short notice.

Some Tips when visiting Lyon France:

Finally, to enjoy Lyon to the full, a few tips regarding local customs.

• Taxi drivers expect a ten per cent tip.
• Don’t go in the summer unless you enjoy intense heat.
• Most one-way streets in Lyon have a separate lane for buses that come in the opposite direction.
• Wear a neck wallet because Lyon has the same pickpocket problem that every major European city has.
• And last, but definitely not least, try to learn some basic French; the people will respect you for it, even if it sounds awful.

Thank you to Sahail Ashraf for this "Lyon France Travel" article.

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