Visiting Lyon

Lyon is the third largest city in France. It is close to the center of the country, on major road and river transport routes, and became the capital of roman Gaul, under the name of Lugdunum and was the birthplace of the Emperor Claudius. The city still has many roman remains, including two large amphitheaters that host festivals during the summer. The old city is a UNESCO heritage site. It contains many beautiful renaissance buildings, as well as many restaurants, including the famous "Bouchons" that serve traditional Lyon dishes.

The main shopping area is on the "Presque Ile" (flanked by the Soane and Rhône rivers), spreading out north and south from Place Bellecour. Lyon was always the capital of silk and it's interesting to visit the old weaving district on the steep hills of the "Croix Rousse" with its typical many-windowed, tall houses. Good walks can also be made along the riverbanks, particularly along the east bank of the Rhône.

Cultural attractions include many major museums, and a wide variety of music concerts, theatre, opera and dance.

To travel around Lyon, you can buy tickets that work for the metro system, trams and buses (http://www.tcl.fr/en). A standard ticket is valid one hour and can be used for several trips during this time. It is more economic to buy a set of 10 tickets ("carnet") that presently costs 18€. You will find ticket machines at bus and tram stops, as well as in metro stations.

If you stay in Lyon to visit the city and its museums, you might also consider getting a Lyon City Card (https://www.lyoncitycard.com). This card lasts a fixed number of days and covers transport, museum access, boat trips, guided tours, shopping discounts, etc.

You will find a lot of useful information at the Lyon tourist office:

http://www.en.lyon-france.com/en

Enjoy your stay in Lyon !