I spent three wonderful days in a city I hold dear to my heart – Lyon, France. If you follow this blog, you’ve probably already read a few entries about this city, so I will spare you much of the details. Instead, in honor of Lyon’s wine culture, this blog entry will be in the style of wine pairings. I will give you a highlight of my trip and pair it with a recommendation on activities you can do in this great city.
Activity: Shopping
I love shopping in Lyon. The city center is full of boutiques, Grands Magasines, and more. Before I could even check into my AirBnb, I hauled my heavy luggage through various shoe stores and bought a pair of sandals. I also had some good luck at Mango where summer styles were in. Bright bodysuits and flowy skirts. I will take some, thanks!
Shopping Recommendation: Rue de la Repubique
Rue de la Republique is located in front of Place Bellecour. Here you will find everything from Printemps to Fnac to Mango. If you can’t find it here, you only have to walk out to the surround streets where you will find stores like Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Rolex, and Hugo Boss. If clothing is not your jam, plenty of kitchen shops like Le Creuset and Guy Degrenne abound.
Activity: Enjoying a great meal
Lyon is the gastronomical capital of France. As such, you will find endless choices for amazing cuisine. You can chose from traditional French, Italian, and more. My friend Cyril and I tried a few varied cuisines. We started with traditional French and worked our way through American (I introduced him to loaded french fries) and Italian ( I had the most wonderful linguine with a goat cheese and honey sauce, topped with shredded duck).
Dinning Recommendation:
If you are in the mood for some traditional Lyonnais cuisine, I would recommend visiting a Bouchon in Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon). A bouchon is a traditional Lyonnais restaurant where you can find traditional favorites such as saucisson lyonnais (pork sausage), cervelle de canut (cheese spread), and tarte aux pralines (praline tarte). If traditional Lyonnais is not your thing, then my recommendation would be to visit La Rue Merciere. This pedestrian street in the city center located behind Place de Jacobins features tons of small restaurants. Walk the cobblestones and feast your eyes on the hundreds of tables lining the streets and prominent menus showcasing the varied styles of cuisine: French, Italian, American, Asian and more. If you are looking for a late dinner or drink, Les Café de Negociants, just a few streets from Rue Merciere, is a great option. They are open from noon to midnight. A note of caution… restaurants in Lyon tend to close during the afternoon. Many of them close between 4-6pm. Some are only open for beverages and snacks during this time. If you see a restaurant that says “service non-stop,” it means that they will serve customers continuously from open to close.
Activity: Walking along the Banks of the Saone River
On Sunday, after an early lunch, my friend Cyril and I walked towards the Saone River and discovered a book market by the banks. Curious, we moved from stall to stall, inspecting some of the most interesting works. After we made it past the books, we continued through the banks of the Saone. Lots of people were out with their kids, dogs, and friends. They were enjoying the nice weather. We continued north and before we knew it, we had committed to walk 5 miles upriver until we arrived at a small island called Ile Barbe. At the island, we bought a coke and watched as the boats sailed by. It was a beautiful walk and the weather was perfect. What wasn’t perfect were my shoes. After our 10 mile walk, I had some very nasty blisters.
Walking Recommendations:
If a 5 mile walk up the Saone is not your cup of tea, there are some other nice walks. You can go down to Confluence. Two rivers meet in Lyon: the Rhone and the Saone. They meet at the Confluence. It’s a nice area with shopping and plenty of open spaces and parks. There is even a museum and a very large, modern mall. Another interesting walk is going through the small, cobblestone streets of Vieux Lyon. The ancient heart of the city. You can even go up Fourviere Hill to visit the cathedral or the Roman amphitheater. If you are tired of sightseeing, you can visit the Park de la Tete d’Or. This is a huge park located East of the Rhone on the sixth arrondissement of Lyon. It has plenty of ponds, open grass areas so you can rest, and a free zoo. And if you are tired of walking… they have plenty of bicycles you can rent!