So this shall be the final guide to Lyon that I have for now.
Today will be spent discussing any events, holidays and other places of interest.
First!
For students, of course -- there is fall break. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT AND GO TRAVELING, whether it be in France or the rest of Europe. I went to Poland, the Netherlands, and Belgium during that week.
In October, there was a Fete Lumiere, to honor the Lumiere brothers who pioneered cinema. They show lots of films during that week. The fete lumiere opened in 2010 (when I was there) with "Singing in the rain" and they finished with "Amadeus". I went to see Morte à Venise (Death in Venice). It was highly recommended by the person I was living with at the time!
La Fête des Lumieres (Dec 8th-11th)
Come see the festival of lights in December to commemorate the Virgin Mary. The tradition is that on December 8th, all the people in Lyon put candles by their windows.
The festival origins started in the 1600s when Lyon was struck by a plague, and the citizens promised to pay tribute to the Virgin Mary if she spared the city from the plague.
There are fireworks almost every year. To get the best view, go up to Fourviere to see them. To check out pictures from the festival, check out my post from last year. For me, this festival marked the beginning of the Christmas season for me.
For now, this is a teaser:
Parc de la tete d'or.
Beautiful park located in 6th arrondissement, you will find many people, including tourists coming here. If you have the chance, go for a bike ride here. Or just simply walk around. There is also a small zoo in here too. Have a picnic here, jog around here.
Do come here and listen to some great concerts!! I got to see Lang Lang play here and got his autograph :)). They have pretty amazing people come here to play, so it's great opportunity for all you music lovers out there!
Check out Sciences Po, the school I attended. It was once the Nazi headquarters during World War II!
Well folks, that's it for now! SILP program is full grind right now, so back to Russian studies :))
Today's adventure in Lyon is exploring Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon) and Croix-Rousse.
I love everything about Lyon and these two sections of the city are no exception.
Vieux Lyon
Vieux Lyon is located next to the Saone River, on the opposite side of the Presqu'île. Owning up to its name, it is, indeed, old. There are cobblestone streets, pastry shops, restaurants, vendors, churches, basically just an awesome place to be. Vieux Lyon is Lyon's oldest districts and was the center of religious and political power during the Middle Ages.
Silk weavers were first here in the 16th century before moving to Croix-Rousse.
Do see:
Traboules:
Traboules are passageways that were originally used by silk manufactures to transfer their products. The first traboules were thought to have been built in the 4th century and stretches from Vieux Lyon to Croix-Rousse. These passageways were used to get from their house to the river quickly. Traboules were credited with helping the Resistance during World War Two against the Germans.
Saint Jean Church (La Cathédrale Saint-Jean)
Saint Jean Garden:
There's a small garden right next to the cathedral where there are the remains of religious buildings.
Saint Georges Church
Walk around the streets of Vieux Lyon and you will know what it felt like to in the old days. Ladies -- a challenge--- walk on cobblestone with heels.
Cobblestone streets
The view of Vieux Lyon from Croix-Rousse
Croix-Rousse
Croix Rousse can be reached via metro C (unless you're feeling brave to walk up that large hill) and is known as the working hill. It is also known as the main silk production area with many traboules linking to different places.
7 rue Mottet-de-Gérando <> 8 rue Bodin
9 place Colbert <> 14 bis montée St Sébastien: the beautiful Cour des Voraces.
14 bis montée Saint-Sébastien <> 29 rue Imbert-Colomès
20 rue Imbert Colomès <> 55 rue Tables Claudiennes
30 bis rue Burdeau <> 17 rue René Leynaud (passage Thiaffait)
6 rue des Capucins <> 1 rue Sainte Marie des Terreaux
12 rue Sainte-Catherine <> 6 place des Terreaux
These are some of the streets that have the traboules
And if you would like to sit down for some coffee, the best place that I've liked is called Café Les 7 Marches
Wouldn't you all like some?
Otherwise, enjoy the view from up top. It's amazing. The farmer's market, I believe is at Croix every weekend. Come and check it out if you get tired of the one down on the Saône (but honestly, both are amazing and you could probably go to both).
One more guide to Lyon will be up soon (SILP classes start tomorrow! I'm super excited for Intermediate Russian!!)
Today's guide to Lyon is a trip to the Fourviere region!
The Fourviere region is across from the Presqu'île and next to Vieux Lyon. It is actually above Vieux Lyon.... So to go there, you have to take the funicular, Or if you're fit, like most Europeans, you will have no trouble strolling up the hill to Fourviere. This is region was the original location of the Roman Lugdunum.
To access the funicular, go to Vieux Lyon, there is a metro station called Vieux Lyon, St. Just. It is also a connection with Metro D. Buy a ticket, and ride your way up. There are 2 funicular trains. One goes directly up to the Basilique de Fourviere, the other train goes to St. Just, and stops also by the Roman Theatre remains. You can just ride up to one of them and walk the rest of the way to the other.
It was probably our second day there when some of us students decided to go to Fourviere. At the time, we didn't have our carte tecely and neither of us wanted to buy a ticket, so we decided to take the challenge of walking up the hill.
Starting our journey
Half way there
More hills
Getting there!
Finally, the Basilique!
By the time we were half way up there, most of us were dying. And you could just see all the French people strolling along uphill perfectly at ease. They were probably laughing on the inside --"hey! look at those lazy americans!"
So, what is there to see in the Fourviere region? We'll start off with the first thing I saw, while getting up that hill.
Well-preserved roman ruins, these theaters are a delight to see. It is free entry -- so go in and enjoy! Walk around it, and sit on the stones. Imagine thousands of years ago, there were performances to watch from where you are sitting.
From the Roman theaters, you can walk to the Basilique.
Basilique de Fourviere
The magnificent structure was built in 1872 and dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the patron saint of Lyon. Here you will find somewhat of a Byzantine design, especially on the inside. It is free to go inside. The inside of this basilica is very extravagant and stylish. During December until January, you can find the huge sign "Merci Marie (Thank you, Mary)" to honor the Virgin Mary.
If you walk (on the outside) all the way towards the end of the church, where the hill ends, you can get a panoramic view of Lyon. It has the best view of the city and on very clear days, you can see the mountains in the distances. This is the best way to see the city to get a general idea of the its structure.
Below the church is a rose garden; take a stroll in there and enjoy the atomsphere and beauty.
Also, on the other side of the Basilique is actually a park which is also worth going to.
Metal Tower
Next to the Basilique, there is a tower that is like a replica of the Effiel tower called the metal tower. The construction of this tower was supported by anti-clerical people to have a highest point in the non-religion section. Today it is used as a radio and tv antenna.
The tower on the hill
If anyone is into music, the Conservatoire Regional de Lyon is located next to the Basilique. Sometimes they have student concerts there that are great to listen to and free!
Well, there you have Fourviere, next stop, Vieux Lyon!
Today's guide to Lyon is places to see, and places of interest on the Presqu'île. Because I love museums, let's start there.
First, a nice introduction to the places to see in Lyon:
MUSEUMS:
Musée des beaux arts (Museum of Fine Arts):
Location: 20 Place Terreaux 69001 Lyon, France
Tickets: full price/reduced price/free
Museum collection: 7 euros/4 euros/free (for students with ID cards)
Expositions: 9 euros/6 euros/free (for students with ID cards)
Collection & Expositions: 12 euros/7 euros/ free (for students with ID cards)
I absolutely love this museum. Although it isn't as big as some, they have quite an extensive collection and plenty to see. There is a fair amount of paintings to see and sculptures to see. Because Lyon is a fairly old city, there are plenty of artifacts to see, one of the halls comes with fabulous sculptures, some down the minute detail. You will see everything from the Egyptian era to roman era to romanticism period to modernism.
Also, you will want to see the outside of the museum -- there is a small garden/courtyard there that is just lovely be in at season. If you're like me, you'll enjoy the snow on the tree branches, the white snowflakes glistening in the sun, or when it's raining, or during spring time when everything is growing once more. The garden has a few Rodin sculptures too.
So if you are into fine arts, sculptures, or paintings, definitely stop by this museum, because you won't regret it. Below are some pictures of some of my personal favorites
La Saône et Le Rhône
Courtyard
Les rêves de Dieu (The dreams of God)
Among the sculptures
Another shot of the courtyard
Rodin: L'ombre d'Adam
The painting is called Cauchemar (Nightmare) I was trying to imitate that scary woman..
Enjoy your time in the art museum and if you have time, sit down in the cafe, or outside on the terrance to enjoy the views!
This museum is so quaint, I really liked it! It gives you the entire history of print making and print types. Great resource for graphic designers, and you can even see the old printers and old computers! Who still remembers floppy disks? And the old Mac computers?! There are so several displays of older books that were printed with the super old printers.
PLACES TO SEE
Perrache:
One of the main train stations, metro station and tram stations. You can transfer or get out of the city from here. They are going to renovated and I hear by 2020, it'll look completely modern and super nice.
There is a nice courtyard you can sit in, or be free to wander around downtown. I had to pass here almost every single time going to and coming from school campus. it is a very nice area.
Bellecour
Pretty much the center of downtown, the place to gather, to meet, or simply stroll through. It has a gigantic statue of Louis XIV. From here, you can go just about anywhere -- plenty of restaurants, stores to visit, bars. The movie theater is here as well
View from Fourviere
Place Jacobin
Places des Terreaux
This fountain was designed by Bartholdi, the "father" of the Statue of Liberty. It faces the Museum of Fine arts, and on its east side is city hall.
Hôtel de Ville
City Hall: If you're lucky, during the weekend of Journée du Patrimonie, City Hall is opened for all to see. It's a great architecture, and very well designed.
The grounds are fairly large and pretty neat. One one side, it faces the Places des Terreaux, and the other side faces the Opéra de Lyon.
Opéra de Lyon
A must see. There are plenty of performances going on at all times, and a fine place to meet up. Opera de Lyon is right across from Hôtel de ville and its culture is very vibrant here.
This is a place to see short theater pieces, plays, comedies, and many others. Last year, I got to see a dance between man and machine. The building was first opened in 1877 and designed in an Italian style. To see what shows they are playing, visit their website -- since each season, the shows are different!!
Last but not least
The rivers, walk down the quai and experience the peace, joy and happiness of doing so. Or, if you aren't a walker, bike through there. Sit down by the quai and have a picnic, or enjoy some coffee.
Along the Saône river, you will find a farmer's market every day selling local and fresh produce (and cheap). On weekends, next to the farmer's market, you will find the used book market (also selling books for cheap). Finally, on Sundays, across the river, you will find an arts and crafts market showcasing local artists. You can definitely find many unique things in here from paintings, to jewelry, scarves or other articles of clothing.
Look for the next guide to Lyon! :)) For guide #1, click here.
In honor (I guess) to mark my first year away from France, I think I'll do a guide on Lyon. Just for fun and the fact that I miss Lyon so much. It's high time I go back. Of course, I only lived in Lyon for a year -- so if anyone would like to correct me, please do so!
Brief introduction of Lyon:
Lyon is located in the southeast of France, nested near the Alps and quite close to Switzerland and Italy. It is the capital of the Rhône-Alps Province. There's still a debate about whether or not it's the second or the third biggest city (rival with Marseille). However, because I'm biased, to me, Lyon is the second biggest city. It is known to be the gastronomic center of France as well as a historic center. Lyon is the birthplace of cinema. The weather in Lyon is also slightly different from other cities in France because of its proximity to the Alps.
Many of these sections are classified as a UNESCO world heritage site such as Vieux Lyon. History dates Lyon back to 12,000 BC, however, the Romans founded this city (called Lugdunum) in 43 BC. Indeed, when one visits Lyon, there are some Roman ruins there. In 27 AD, the city was promoted to the capital of the Gauls. It was returned to France later and the city started to flourish.
During the World War II, Lyon was an in-between city in the occupied zone and the free zone. The Resistance movement was strong and was strategic place for both the Germans and the French.
Today, Lyon is a place of vibrant culture with a unique blend of both the modern and the old. There are plenty of activities happening on both sides of the rivers and every year, flocks of international students come to Lyon to study. The official language is French, although many young people do know some English. Still, one should learn some French to impress!
GUIDE TO GETTING AROUND IN LYON.
To get around Lyon, there are many choices. Of course, walking is always an option, providing you're not tired. But here is a list of public transportation to get you to your destination.
To ride the buses, trams, or metros, you need to buy a ticket. Generally, tickets are: €1,60 for 75 mins. €2,60 for 2 hours €4,90 for one day
10 tickets: €14,30 10 tickets for students: €12,50 Family members with 3 kids under 18 (10 tickets): €10
There are 4 metro lines (A-D)
Line A is red: It goes from Perrache (in Presqu'île to Vaulx-en-Velin La Soie) Line B is blue: It goes from Charpennes to Stade de Gerland Line C is yellow: It goes from Hôtel de Ville to Cuire Line D is green: It goes from Gare de Vaise to Gare de Vénissieux
These are the easiest to use and transfer at any point
Trams: There are 4 tram lines (T1-T4) -- useful for suburbs and going to campuses
The little machine to insert your ticket, or if you have a card, simply use your card to touch the top
One of the trams
T1: Montrochet to IUT Feyssine T2: Perrache to St. Priest Bel Air T3: Gare de Part Dieu Villette to Meyzieu T4: Jet d'Eau Mèndes to Hôpital Feyzin Vénissieux
There are over 100 Bus lines to ride too!
Because I was a student in France, I had a carte Tecely. The card is €25,50 per month and it is unlimited ride trams, metros and buses. To apply for this, you have to be living in France, bring a photo, proof you're a student and living in Lyon.
Bikes: Do ride bikes here -- except uphill of course. Biking is one of the best past times here and also a way to get places. Either rent bikes or if you have a card issued from Europe, you can rent a bike called Velo'v. To see a list of where all the bike stations are, click here.
To ride for one day, it is €1, or 3 days, €3. After that, the first 30 mins are free and rates after that depend on whether or not you have a year's subscription or a short term rental. But they are cheap and fairly priced. HOWEVER, note that there is a €150 deposit -- so make sure you have enough money in your account!
Of course, there are always taxis, but they are fairly expensive and I would recommend not taking them. Besides, the best way to see a city is walking and taking public transportation.
Both Perrache and Part Dieu are train stations. The Lyon airport is about 30 mins away from Part Dieu and accessible by either driving or taking the Rhone express. You can get on the Rhone express from Part Dieu.
Tickets for Rhone Express: THESE ARE PRICES LISTED IF YOU BUY ONLINE. One way: 13 euros 2 way: 23 euros 12 -25 years old one way: 11 euros 12 -25 years old 2 way: 19 euros
Tune in tomorrow to read about what places to see! For guide #2, click here.
