Lyon: Where Emperors Lived

This beautiful city in France once housed Emperors and famous people. Today it is a UNESCO commercial center. with two flowing rivers passing through hills, cathedrals, beautiful homes and Roman relics. It’s a city made for tourists with wide avenues, parks and squares, top notch restaurants and welcoming hotels. Claudius and Caracalla came here when Lyons was a Roman city and there is still a Roman Amphitheatre built on a hillside. Antoine St. Exupery was from the region. His statue still draws photographers and the airport bears his name. The August and Louis Lumiere Museum attracts huge numbers interested in the invention on cinematography. Then there are also famous names like Ampere, the inventor and Jean Moulin, the leader of the French Resistance. One walks around the Place Bellcourt, between two mighty rivers, or tours along the water by boat, then races up the streets with modern shops via special bicycles propelled by young men at a very low price. It is definitely a city for everyone, including students from foreign countries. Gourmands will enjoy the specialty restaurants close to Belcourt. Eat inside well-designed air conditioned places or under an awning on the street. They are everywhere including the train station. Here near Part Dieu, you’ll find Brasserie GEORGE. There’s room for scores at any time. Clocher de l’hopital de la charite near famous restaurants Place Carnot & National monument between the TGV station and city center. Visit the Musee des Beaux Arts. It contains work by Picasso, Poussin, Matisse, Manet, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Rembrandt. Cezanne and others. And a different form of art shows visual masterpieces that fool the eye. These alone make the city unique. Add the Part Dieu Station at the end of the TGV from Paris, the Gallo Roman Museum or the African Museum Place Carnot… Add a gourmet center…Parks, shops, walks in the area once known for silk manufacturing, The Fourviere ‘hill that prays’ because of its many churches, and you’ll find hotels at all prices and sizes. We enjoyed The Citadines at 91-95 Moncay Tel: 04 78 14 90 00 near Pardieu and the car rental offices. Tourist Office…at Place Bellcourt (southeast corner) Tel: 33 4 72 77 69 69  open 9-6 daily There’s something for everyone. Add it to your list…