Suggestions on how best to spend our time in Lyon
 

Hi,
We will be spending two nights in Lyon in May as we pass through on our way to the South of France. Does anyone have any suggestions on how they would recommend spending our time there, anything that they would recommend doing or seeing to make the most of our time there (we have never been there before, this will be our first trip to France)
Thank you for your help:-)

Have a search for my trip report of last year and scroll to the Lyon 'bit'. Click on my name and it will come up.

I loved Lyon.... If you can't find my report let me know and I can give some suggestions.

https://www.google.com/search?q=trab...=1600&bih=1075

Be sure to explore Lyon's famous traboules - hidden ancient passageways!

Eat-Lyon is probably the best gourmet town in France :)

Here are some places that are on my list:

http://www.alexanderlobrano.com/rest...-and-new-york/

http://www.alexanderlobrano.com/rest...ere-brazier-a/

According to your interests you may check:

Medieval Vieux Lyon with Lyon City Museum, old churches, the Traboules and many small restaurants,

Fourviere with 2 roman theatres, a good roman museum and a famous church,

The textile museum and 2 small textile factories,

The museum of resistance and deportation during WW2, with film sequences from the Barbie Trial and testimonies from people who survived Auschwitz, Dachau, Buchenwald, etc.

The prison from where Jews and Resistants where deported to Drancy - Auschwitz,

The museum of African culture,

The numerous roman buildings at Vienne (among them 2 theatres),

The huge archeological area of St. Romain en Gal with a very modern and interesting museum,

The charming small medieval village of Perouges (railway station Meximieux)

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...one_Alpes.html

Lyon's Guignol show is a classic!

Guignol is a puppet show ubiquitous in France - for kids and grown ups as well!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cath%C3..._Jean-Baptiste

If doing the traboules then right over the river from the old part of Lyon (Vielle VIlle or old town sp> there is an old funicular that goes up to this hill town cathedrale, with neat views over Lyon laid out below.

One of my favorite places in Lyon!

Be sure to see some of the wonderful trompe-l'oeil murals around the city. La Mur des Canuts/Silkworkers' Wall in the Croix-Rousse neighborhood is marvelous. More info here:
http://www.francetoday.com/articles/...s-of-lyon.html

Look for the statue of St.-Exupéry and his Little Prince on the Place Bellecour.

We found the public transportation system easy to use. There is a 1-Day 'Liberty' ticket good for unlimited travel on the TCL network (subway, funicular, bus and tram) for €5,20. http://www.tcl.fr/en

The Tete d'Or park is fantastic - great place for leisurely walking, picnicking and people watching!

http://translate.google.com/translat...%26es_sm%3D122

http://www.dininginfrance.com/paul_bocuse.htm

Paul Bocluse's famous restaurant in Lyon - well I think in a suburb but a real legend.

Thanks for everyone's brilliant suggestions:-) That will definitely allow us to experience a bit of Lyon within our two days there!
Thanks:-)

Anthony Bourdain takes his CNN food show this Sunday to Lyon! As usual he does a lot of travel coverage in addition to food reviews.

Thanks PalenQ for the heads up on Anthony Bourdain's show -- I probably would have missed it.