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Springtime in France
The four of us are travelling the world again - our destination, France. On this trip, we will skip Paris, a city we love very much, to explore parts of the country we haven't experienced before. Our too-short trip, limited by demands back home, will take us from Lyon to the Loire Valley. While in France, we will wander among city streets, visit smaller towns and villages, tour castles and gardens, enjoy food and drink, and converse with locals.
Please join us on our 11-day journey across a few slices of France. |
Yes, please!
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First stop: Lyon
We arrived in Lyon following a transatlantic flight via London Heathrow. As Lyon was our first port of entry in the Schengen zone, which covers most of the European Union and a handful of other European countries, we went through immigration here. Europe is weeks into implementing its new entry and exit system, which involves having your photo and fingerprints taken. This is no different than what many countries around the world already do, and even for the four of us, it only took a couple of minutes. The wait in line was maybe 10 minutes, so not bad at all. Perhaps the wait time may have been longer if our entry point was Paris Charles de Gaulle. From the airport we travelled by taxi to Presqu'Ile in the city center of Lyon. The ride costs 85 euros; we assumed we were overcharged. As it was still early afternoon, our hotel rooms were not ready so we simply dropped off our bags and started exploring the city on foot. Lyon is situated where the Saone and Rhone rivers merge. This was an important trading center dating back to Roman times. Today the city is much larger, the third largest in France, and spills out over a wide area. Its city center core is on Presqu'Ile, which means nearly an island or peninsula, with the two rivers on each side and meeting at the tip of the peninsula. On each side of the peninsula is more of the city, including the old quarter on the right bank of the Saone and the newer district on the left back of the Rhone. For our first afternoon in the city, we walked around the central core, mostly getting exercise, taking in the scenery, and enjoying coffee at a couple of the very atmospheric cafes lining the pedestrianized streets. We began our walk at Place Bellecour, one of the city's central public squares, wandered a farmers market at Place Carnot, and walked past landmarks such as City Hall and the Opera House. Much of the center city as these two landmarks were of traditional 19th century French styles. We also visited the Paul Bocuse Food Hall, inspired by the world-renown Michelin-starred French chef, on the left bank of the Rhone; his namesake shop is one of dozens within the hall. This area is not too far from Lyon's main train station and is home to a few modern skyscrapers. The streets of Lyon were lively but not too busy. We almost exclusively heard French on the streets and didn't have many if any tourists from elsewhere. This is unlike Paris where these days we hear more other languages than French. Other than cafes, we dined at Le Bouchon des Cordeliers. Bouchons are a Lyonnais tradition. These are small restaurants serving 4 to 5 main dishes, a handful of appetizers, and some desserts. Le Bouchon des Cordeliers is a cozy place tucked away on a side street. Every table was full, with a couple of tables of English speakers and the rest French. We dined on some of Lyon's specialties such as quenelle, a fish cake served in sauce; sausages; and duck. The food was delicious. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5d36d4d03e.jpg Tower on Place Bellecour https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d34f9b93bc.jpg Statue of Louis XIV on Place Bellecour https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f7dfcf093a.jpg Bartholdi Fountain on Place des Terreaux https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b5e12b6996.jpg Lyon City Hall https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9e50235f48.jpg Lyon Opera House https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2d4017ab3f.jpg Paul Bocuse Fresco and Adjacent Food Hall https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ec7e7b2ab7.jpg Rhone River Landscape |
Following with great interest, thanks tripplanner001.
Lyon is such an elegant city, I wonder if the traboules are still open to public access? Its been a while since we visited. |
Adelaidean, welcome. It's great to see you here. We took some notes from one of your trips to France, in particular Burgundy.
ANUJ, you're welcome. Yes, the traboules were open, which we enjoyed very much. Lyon is such a wonderful city to visit; we could imagine living here. From Roman Theaters to 19th Century Silk Workshops On our first full day in Lyon, we headed over the old quarter and Fourviere Hill, located on the right bank of the Saone River. Fourviere Hill was one of the sites settled by the Romans and possibly others before them. We travelled by funicular to the top of the hill, where we visited Notre Dame Basilica and a Gallo-Roman archaeological site. Built in the 1800s over previous iterations of a Catholic church, we were wowed by Notre Dame. The church is a temple to Mary through and through. There are exquisite jewel-like mosaics and other art depicting stories of the life on Mary along the walls of both sides of the nave. The colors and style of the images make the church feel almost Byzantine although it is entirely Catholic. Each of the scenes popped as if the artwork was coming alive. We truly enjoyed visiting this stunning basilica. On top of an adjoining much older chapel is a gold statue of Mary, overlooking the church and the city of Lyon. Around the back are gorgeous views of the city below. Close by is the site of a large part of the Gallo-Roman settlement called Lugdunum, which was a typically Roman city complete with theaters, odeons, and other important buildings. While so much lay in ruins, much of the two theaters have been restored. It was as impressive as some of the ruins we've seen in Rome itself. Wandering the site was a joy. We imagined what it may have been like two thousand years ago. The adjoining museum is also well worth a visit, if nothing else for the spectacular mosaics on display. After our visit on Fourviere Hill, we rode the funicular down to the old quarter where we wanted the small lanes and passageways. Some of the passageways, called traboules in French, leading to centuries-old apartment buildings are hidden behind discreet doors. We also ate lunch at a very traditional Lyonnais bouchon, Les Ventres Jaunes. Similar to Le Bouchon des Cordeliers, the limited menu was amazing. We enjoyed sausages, the finest-cooked chicken, and baked camembert with potatoes. While touristy, we would recommend a visit to the old quarter (Vieux Lyon) on any trip to the city. From the old quarter, we crossed back over the Saone and made our way north to the Croix-Rousse neighborhood of Lyon, situated on a hill overlooking the peninsula. The area was once home to silk producers and weavers as well as artisans of a few other crafts. The pastel-colored buildings are now home to boutiques, restaurants, and other stores selling everyday needs. The neighborhood retains much of its working-class feel and charm. Croix-Rousse may be accessed by the city's convenient Metro system, although we traveled to and from by foot. We ended the day with some pizza at a place near the Saone River and enjoyed an evening stroll along its bank, watching the lights come on and illuminate the city's landmarks. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e635c03aff.jpg Fourviere HIll as Seen from Place Bellecour https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0cb49b9846.jpg Place des Jacobins https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1e256b1b45.jpg Notre Dame Basilica https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...add05df023.jpg Mosaic at Notre Dame Basilica https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...355fe2063a.jpg Altar at Notre Dame Basilica https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c0033f729b.jpg Another Mosaic at Notre Dame Basilica https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c2eb89fbe8.jpg View of Lyon from Notre Dame Basilica https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e513621bcf.jpg Statue of Mary https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d3850d49f7.jpg Roman Theater https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0f3209d8d1.jpg Roman Era Mosaic Floor https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1743535ee1.jpg Roman Era Mosaic Floor https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f5d1e1ff24.jpg Cathedral of St. Jean https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e7ed9fd1e0.jpg Traboule Apartments https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...625c85c409.jpg Traboule Apartments https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8647b9ab82.jpg Vieux Lyon Streetscape https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...76475a0339.jpg Along the Saone River https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...391510ebb6.jpg Lyon Fresco https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c82a0d4593.jpg Croix-Rousse Street https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4689d7b560.jpg Public Square in Croix-Rousse https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...55e3a141d0.jpg Fourviere Hill at Night |
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bilboburgler, thanks for the information.
Vienne This morning we took an excursion to the nearby city of Vienne, also dating back to Roman times. We travelled by train from Lyon to Vienne, about a 30-minute ride. We explored Vienne on foot, starting with the Cathedral of St. Maurice, situated by the Rhone River. The cathedral is stately but austere, resembling a Protestant church. From here we crossed the Rhone to the left bank, where we visited the remains of a Gallo-Roman settlement. There is not much that survived the period but the museum is mosaic galore. We enjoyed viewing the mosaics on display, especially the mosaic depicting the four seasons. Returning to the other side of the Rhone, we wandered around the city, passing a much-intact Roman temple to Augustus and Livia, the City Hall, and an odeon. We also climbed above Vienne for a bird's eye view of the city, the Rhone, and the surrounding hills. In all, we spent about five hours in Vienne, including a light lunch break. The Confluence We were back in Lyon by mid-afternoon. After a rest back at our hotel, we enjoyed a walk along the left bank of the Saone, from Place Bellecour all the way to the tip of the peninsula where the Saone and Rhone meet. Along the way we enjoyed admiring the classical French buildings as well as the contemporary structures in the new Confluence neighborhood. We were really glad to have taken the stroll. We ate dinner at Brasserie Georges, a 190-year-old institution near Perrache train station. The restaurant is huge and somewhat touristy although we heard many of the restaurant goers speaking French among one another. On offer were Lyonnais as well as French classics along with a few German options. We ordered beef and fish; everything was well prepared and in rich, butter-heavy sauces we expected from a French restaurant. For dessert, we had Baked Alaska (known as a Norwegian omelet in French), which seemed to be the most popular choice among diners. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8873807b9e.jpg Cathedral of St. Maurice https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c90349da05.jpg Bridge over the Rhone River https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d8a2583140.jpg Gallo-Roman Ruins https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cf637f6196.jpg Castle Overlooking Vienne and the Rhone River https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ece49a5e57.jpg Temple of Augustus and Livia https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0b31075074.jpg Roman Theater https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cfb26de700.jpg Lyon along the Saone River https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8a5f12d673.jpg Riverwalk along the Saone River https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...73c756de54.jpg Building in Confluence https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...576c37d341.jpg Bridge over the Saone near the Confluence https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c8252e88fe.jpg Confluence Point https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0ba16d8ff6.jpg Museum of the Confluence |
I love that Bartholdi statue, so I felt compelled to look it up. There is a female chariot driver and the horses represent the four great rivers of France. What a sense of drama.
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great photos, baked alaska, that takes me back
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Your descriptions and photos are becoming a fun way to join you on a
dazzling trip through our favorite country. Looking forward to more. |
I’m in! Looking forward to more!
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shelemm, the fountain is awesome, isn't it? We passed through the square on a couple of different occasions and stopped to admire each time. Now that you mention it, the water flows do resemble river flows.
bilboburgler, I've had Baked Alaska only one other time. It's well-known but not a common item. TPAYT, thank you. Any particular part of France you enjoy most? Before this trip, we've been to Paris on several occasions and Chamonix once, so most of the country remains unexplored for us. joannyc, welcome. Burgundian Dijon Today we reluctantly left Lyon for Dijon, the centuries-old capital of Burgundy. As such, we awoke early and ate breakfast at our hotel. The offering was simple but good, with made-to-order eggs. As we're in France, we went for the obligatory omelet, which was oh-so-good. From our hotel, we took a taxi to the main train station, Part Dieu, located on the east side of the city. We travelled by high-speed TGV train to Dijon, an one-hour ride. Upon arrival in Dijon, we walked to our hotel near the train station, dropped off our bags, and went exploring. Dijon was love at first sight. The beautiful traditional French architecture, the lively atmosphere, and the charm of the city really spoke to us. We began our exploration at William Gate, near the western end of the city's center core. From here, we strolled along pedestrianized Rue de la Liberte, a shopping street, to Liberation Square and the Ducal Palace. For centuries, Burgundy was an independent country led by hieratierary dukes. The Ducal Palace was their office and residence, and therefore the political epicenter of Burgundy. We wandered the palace grounds and visited the part of the palace that is open to visitors, the section that houses the Museum of Fine Arts today. The museum houses a fantastic collection of art, spanning from ancient Egypt and Greece to the modern day. I especially enjoyed the art from the 14th century to the 19th century, although a handful of galleries from this period were closed for display rotations. From here we wandered the back streets and alleyways behind the palace to the north. The streets here are lined with half-timbered buildings that would feel right at home in Germany although there are distinctly Burgundian touches to it. The ground floor of these buildings today house boutiques, restaurants, and cafes. Ambling about these streets brought us back to an early time. We imagined we were here during ducal times. We also visited the very unique Church of Notre Dame and the main cathedral of Dijon. The Church of Notre Dame is fronted by 51 gargoyles lined close together in three rows. As such it really stands out in a way we've never seen before. It must be an awesome sight standing across from it on a rainy day seeing the water spill out of the mouths of the gargoyles; I wonder if there is a waterfall effect of sorts. The inside of the church was beautiful but doesn't stand out against other church the way the front facade does. The cathedral not too far away was also beautiful but quite austere for a Catholic house of worship. Our last stop of the day was the City of Gastronomy and Wine towards the southern end of the city center. The complex houses a museum to French gastronomy as well as a collection of boutiques offering the trademark Dijon mustard as well as other condiments, food, and wines. We could enjoy wine tasting here, but did not opt for it this afternoon. We returned to our hotel to check into our rooms, freshen up and rest a bit, and treated ourselves to a 3.5-hour dinner at William Frachot, a 2 Michelin-star restaurant just down the street from our hotel. The 5-course meal was fantastic in every way and we had a wonderful evening celebrating a personal milestone. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...81b7c0f762.jpg Rue de la Liberte https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9fde40ec4c.jpg Place Francois Rude https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d0022070ff.jpg Ducal Palace https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f18c58a359.jpg One of the Back Streets North of the Ducal Palace https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bafb958fa2.jpg Notre Dame https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...47d8c2b7d0.jpg Cathedral |
I was looking forward to your rake on Dijon. We only spent a short day and night there and it was raining. We’d like to return and do it up well.
Thanks for asking about our favorites. We are going to Paris for the 15th time in early October for just a few days, then TGV to The Riviera for a week of fun. Always enjoy all the towns on The Riviera. Also spent time in The Loire, which was wonderful, but I think my favorite (outside of Paris) was a week in Sarlat and The Dordogne. |
So glad to happen upon your report this morning! We spent five nights in Lyon just over a year ago and loved it. We had a fabulous apartment with views across the Saône toward Fourvière Hill. The Lyonnaise Fresco in your photo above was right around the corner from it.
Enjoy the rest of your trip! I'll be interested to see your photos from the Loire Valley. That was one of our early trips to Europe, in 1998 (I think), and we haven't been back to that area since. |
Hi, tripplanner001. My late DH and I had to cut short our trip to Lyon, and we never made it to Dijon so your report and photos are much appreciated!
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TPAYT, thank you for sharing your thoughts. We are very much enjoying Dijon. The major sights in Dijon could be seen in 1 to 2 days depending on your pace, but there's plenty to explore throughout Burgundy. We are using Dijon as a base for a few day trips. Haven't made our way to Provence or the French Riviera yet, but it's on our list.
ms_go, five nights in Lyons sounds fabulous. Was it part of a longer trip? TDudette, thank you. I'm glad I'm able to share parts of France with you. Art, Mustard, and Wine Today we took a day trip to Beaune, also in Burgundy. We travel by train from Dijon to Beaune. In Beaune, we visited the outstanding Hotel Dieu, a hospital and hospice for the poor built in the 15th century. The massive building is surrounded by a large interior courtyard. The roof is covered throughout with colorful glazed tiles. We toured the facility, learning about hospital life for Burgundian patients back in the day as well as the lives of the nuns and other caretakers who were employed at the facility. Among the rooms open to the public, our favorite was the chapel with a typical medieval altarpiece. We also stopped in Notre Dame Basilica but did not linger as Sunday mass was in session. Beaune is a very small city; the other place of interest to tourists is a walk along the city's ramparts, although we didn't feel like it today. We then made out way out of Beaune's city walls towards the southwest. A narrow strip of land from Dijon to Lyon is responsible for most of Burgundy's winemaking tradition. We visited the Cote de Beaune section. This region is known for making only two types of wine - chardonnay and pilot noise. Before we went wine tasting, we visited a mustard factory just outside of Beaune's city wall. The one hour tour of the Fallot factory was educational, and we purchased some artisans mustards on our way out. We tasted wine at two houses, Chateau de Pommard and Château de Meursault. We traveled by Uber from Fallot to the village center of the village of Pommard to have a light lunch and walk around before heading to the winery. In the village is a church, a handful of restaurants, and homes. We ate lunch at one of the few establishments open today as it was a Sunday and most public-facing establishments were closed. At Pommard, we sampled 4 wines, 3 red and 1 white. From there we Ubered again - to Meursault. As the number of drivers are fewer, it was a 20 minute wait for someone to pick us up. At Meursault, we toured the wine cellars dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries before a tasting of 7 wines, 4 red and 3 white. We enjoyed the wines at Meursault more. We thought about eating dinner in Beaune tonight but opted to return to Dijon for our evening meal as the last train back is around 9:00 PM. We chose Le Pré aux Clercs, on Liberation Square opposite the Ducal Palace. We dined on a selection of French dishes - onion tart, duck, chicken, and steak tartare - all very good. We are still looking for a place that serves some of the Burgundian classics such as boeuf bourguignon and coq au vin but haven't located it yet in Dijon, whereas Beaune had these items on the menu at many of the restaurants. Not really complaining, though, as everything we've eaten has been very good. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cd5f50fab3.jpg Beaune City Fortifications https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8a2e712bbb.jpg Street in Beaune's Historic Quarter https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...960e5c7cad.jpg Hotel Dieu https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...21c79a26e6.jpg Sleeping Quarters in Hotel Dieu https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8ea048b991.jpg Altarpiece in Chapel at Hotel Dieu https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...154287d5b7.jpg Stained Glass Windows above Altarpiece at Hotel Dieu https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...384abf1471.jpg Pharmacy at Hotel Dieu https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d2bd8c3dd8.jpg Equipment at Fallot Mustard Factory https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8f07a1e6fb.jpg Chateau de Pommard https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6059c41d69.jpg Garden at Chateau de Pommard https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...95eba1cb7a.jpg Chateau de Meursault https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0e4818d708.jpg Wine Barrels at Chateau de Meursault https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...153b02a91b.jpg Dijon's Ducal Palace at NIght |
Tripplanner001, I am so enjoying your informative narrative and photos. We visited France many times when our oldest daughter lived in Provence for 10 years. She and her family have since relocated to the Dallas area, so we haven't been back to France since 2022. I really miss it! We never had a chance to visit Lyon and Dijon so I really appreciate your report. We have been to the Loire Valley and other areas. I highly recommend visiting Provence and Dordogne if you return to France. I am sure the Riviera is nice, too. We did spend one night in Nice which wasn't nearly enough time. I had a 5-day trip planned to Nice in 2020, but obviously that trip didn't happen.
Lyon looks lovely, and I'm surprised that it is as modern as it is. Dijon looks stunning, and I think it would be love at first sight for me, too! I love the traditional French architecture. |
Originally Posted by tripplanner001
(Post 17718501)
ms_go, five nights in Lyons sounds fabulous. Was it part of a longer trip?
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You are definitely making the most of seeing these lovely cities. I otherwise don't hear much about Dijon.
And I value more the idea of discovering traditional foods I don't have access to back home. So even if you don't get to your two classics, you'll actually learn more from exploring the unfamiliar. |
Continued praise, tripplanner001. Autocorrect made an awesome new wine: "pilot noise"...lol.
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