What's the scoop on Lyon?
 

We have three or four days to fill yet during our Sept. trip. I've gotten great advice from this forum on Paris. We <BR>aren't sure what to do with those days and wondered if anyone has been to Lyon? We'd travel by train. What's to see? Is it interesting for antique lovers, and is there <BR>any great walks nearby? I know nothing about it so any info will be helpful.

Danella--Lyon is a wonderful city- great for gourmet food and wonderful market similar to Les Halles in Paris-also terrific restaurants- esp right outside of Lyon is Paul Bocuse's famous restaturant- go for lunch-fixxed price and includes wines...as for antiquing, it is WONDERFUL--esp.if you speack some french to bargain with the shopkeepers--make sure you go to Old Vieu Lyon ( the Old City) that has wonderful murals on the outsides of the buildings--also there's a great ampitheather there in the Old area...absolutely beautiful city-you will love it!

We live in Lyon -- and I love it! It's a nice, small city. Easily walked from the Roman ruins to Vieux Lyon to the commercial district. There are plenty of museums, a huge park (with a small zoo, boating, gardens), etc. There is also an antiques "mall", with various venders. Outside of Lyon are Perouges (a medieval village) and Beaujolais (wine tours). <BR> <BR>Three or four days would be enough for a relaxed visit. <BR> <BR>If Paul Bocuse's restaurant is a little out of your price range, his group owns 3 (soon to be 4) bistros (Le Nord -- traditional Lyonnaise cooking, Le Sud -- food from the south, and L'Est -- food from "all over", with L'Ouest on it's way) in Lyon. All serve lunch and dinner, reservations recommended (especially for a table on the terrace/patio). You can check out menus in English at paulbocuse.com <BR> <BR>Some of the museums are Beaux Arts, Center of the Deportation and the Resistance, Gallo-Romaine museum, Musee de Tissue (samples of the silk Lyon is famous for), Natural History (a very "classic" looking museum), and the list goes on. <BR> <BR>Just walking the city is great -- take the funicular to Forviere (catch the view of Lyon from behind the church), walk down to the ruins of the Roman theaters, take the funicular down to View Lyon, walk around and look at the traboules (you can take an organized tour of them -- which I recommend, otherwise you'll miss some fantastic architecture), walk across the Saone and into the Bellecour area (rue Victor Hugo, rue de la Republic, rue Eduard Herriot) to the Hotel de Ville. <BR> <BR>It's a great city, without the madness of Paris (and the food is much better too). <BR> <BR>If you need any other info, email me at [email protected]!

You'll need a car for that, but go to Perouges (www.perouges.org), then head for Saint-André-de-Corcy and the "route des étangs" (pond's road) for fantastic scenery of nature and traditional French countryside (http://www.construire.ch/SOMMAIRE/9733/33escapa.htm - in French, sorry). <BR> <BR>You can also take a local train to Meximieux, Perouges is 10 minutes on foot from the station.

We were in Lyon for 2 days in May. It is a lovely city. My favorite part was the Old City, especially the Roman ruins (great place for a picnic lunch). We just happened to be in Lyon during a Medieval festival which was just great with parades and street entertainment. Also, on Sunday mornings there is a great food market and craft market along the river. We ate at Paul Bocuse one night and quite frankly I was not impressed. I felt rushed, the service was so so, all of the foreigners were in one room, and the food was traditional French cooking - heavy sauces on everything. (I liked Les Crayeres in Reims much better). He did walk around and greet each table and signed a menu for me, but he seemed quite full of himself. (Gerard Boyer at Les Crayeres was much more genuine). For an absolutely wonderful restaurant in Lyon, try Restaurant Anticipation. The food was terrific, it is owned by a husband and wife. He cooks and she runs the front. He studied with Daniel Boulud, who is after him to come to NY. (the wife does not want to leave the family). It was a price fix dinner, and quite reasonable. I don't have the address with me now, but can post it later if you want.