Lyon is a delightful break indeed! After bidding adieu in our best French accents to the buzzing streets and neighborhoods in Paris, our journey through France continued as we boarded a train bound for Lyon. With a travel time of just two hours from Gare de Lyon train station, we enjoyed the scenic ride that offered us a glimpse of the picturesque French countryside, with lush fields and quaint villages whizzing by. Well, I did anyway. The other was fast asleep! 🙂
Our arrival in Lyon:
When the train pulled into Lyon, I, for one, was disappointed. It looked almost devoid of character, but I was in for a surprise after the Uber driver picked us up for our ride. The city’s undeniable charm finally struck us as he approached Vieux Lyon, the old center and I breathed a sigh of relief.
That was the Lyon I imagined and I was glad I had booked our accommodation in the historic old town, a choice I preferred over the newly built areas across the river.
I almost had a heart attack when we got to the building. I knew there was no elevator but had neglected to check how many flights up the place was. As we struggled to enter the code and at last, swing open the insanely heavy front door, a young lady came downstairs and said hello.
She spoke a bit of English and bless her, volunteered to carry our bags up the 5 flights (she saw me as old and feeble I guess) because she was positive that was where the flat was. I declined because of pride mostly.
Luckily, it turned out our flat was on the second floor. Otherwise, I would have called booking.com to request a refund or an ambulance!
Yeah, it kind of sucked lugging our bags up very narrow winding stairs but once we had them up there, it was no big deal coming and going sans luggage.
The cobbled streets made us feel like we were back in Italy somewhere, transported back in time, surrounded by centuries of history and quaint buildings.
Discovering Lyon’s Beauty:
Lyon, often hailed as the gastronomic capital of France, captivated us with its beauty at every turn. Nestled between the Rhône and Saône rivers, the city has stunning views, especially from the numerous bridges that connect the old and new areas. Truly, Lyon is postcard-perfect, with its charming streets and lots of places to eat (you know that matters a lot to us.)
Exploring Lyon Leisurely:
Having walked a crapload during our week in France, we arrived in Lyon dead tired. We decided we would just take our time discovering the old Center at a leisurely pace, so we spent our time meandering through the narrow alleyways, soaking in the atmosphere and savoring every moment.
Despite its compact size, the old town reminded me of other smaller European cities, including Valencia, Bologna, and Florence. While there may not be a ton of things to see, I would recommend a visit to Lyon’s old town, even if just for a day trip.
You might like: Bordeaux
From the center, we could see the Basilica perched high in the hills. Heaven knows we’ve seen enough basilicas to last us a lifetime, so we skipped it. There is also a small old Roman amphitheater up there that I did consider seeing but trying to get to it via public transportation was cumbersome and the instructions were so unclear (including trespassing on private property) that we gave up the idea.
I think if you plan on doing it, you should consider using a tour company such as GetYourGuide, our go-to for travel. Sometimes, it’s just nice to leave the planning in the hands of the professionals.
Foodie Delights:
Of course, our visit to Lyon would be complete without indulging in its famous foods. We enjoyed traditional Lyonnaise dishes, from amazing and tasty quenelle to the namesake salad. Yeah, Lyon is worth visiting just for the food alone. It’s a food lover’s paradise.
Best Part Of Lyon: The People
One of the highlights of our time in Lyon was the warmth and friendliness of its people. From the first driver who had picked us up, a man born and bred in Lyon, he was so proud of his city and despite the language barrier, he managed to communicate his pride and was the one to tell us about the quinelle.
The shopkeepers were also friendly and we struck up conversations with other diners. We were lucky that our visit was in March so there were not a lot of tourists. There were many, don’t get me wrong, but not a crazy amount.
Despite our limited French vocabulary, neither one of us hesitated to practice the language we had learned decades ago in secondary school. Made for a lot of laughs and the locals were delighted with our attempts. I think that goes a long way.
The genuine hospitality left a lasting impression. The Uber driver on the way back to the train station turned out to be a local who had lived in Rome for two years and was a Lazio supporter. Needless to say, there was a lot of football talk in Italian and the way he spoke of getting a tuft of grass from the field had me cracking up after Fede translated.
Moving on, but l think we’ll be back:
Our third and final stop was Aix and I will write about that in the next post. I enjoyed Lyon and do wish we could have done more. It will be one of the places I have on the do-over list. It did serve its purpose though. Rest and Food. I couldn’t ask for more.
Have you been to Lyon? If yes, did you enjoy it. How long would you recommend to spend there?
Haven’t been for Lyon but you whetted my appetite for its charming Old Town! Was aware of the great chef Bocuse but didn’t know Lyon was his hometown. I wasn’t familiar with Lyonnaise salad but of the potato dish of the same name. Did you have any of those?
It’s gorgeous there and the Old Town is so quaint. I liked it a whole lot. Yes, even the Uber driver had told us of the chef. They are so proud of him. I was clueless. Fede showed him to me afterward and he was much bigger by the time he died. I think he has a Michelin star namesake restaurant or two there. It really is a food lovers paradise. We didn’t have Lyonnaise potatoes there, but we had in Paris. The salad is awesome and has bits of bacon looking things called Lardons and a poached egg on top. Absolutely delicious.
Lyon looks charming. Good thing you didn’t have to climb up to level five and instead had that energy to spend exploring the city. I think that trying to speak the local language will always impress – even if you don’t do a great job. Most people won’t even bother.
The food looks great and yummy too – especially their salad. Now, that’s my kind of salad too 😀 The quenelle is something I never heard of before, but looks really interesting.
It is indeed charming and thank goodness I didn’t have to lug my luggage. My head would have made contact with the concrete stairs at some point :-). Yes, everyone would commend us for the little French we spoke. You’re right, I think it does make a big difference. It’s so much fun and a way to break the ice with the locals.
Oh, you would love the food. The salad is so good, and the egg on top is amazing. I was watching a YouTube channel and it seems like they are cooked for precisely 8 minutes (like Fede does which drives me crazy. I just put it in and wait for the egg to crack 🙂 ). Mixed with all the other bits, it’s fantastic. I’d never heard of the quenelle either. A friend says it’s a dish that started with using all the leftover fish things in the fridge. Whatever it is, it’s very good, especially the sauce. Worth going back just for the food alone.