Lyon, France

What to do in Lyon, France

World Heritage Guided Tour

Tours of this UNESCO World Heritage Site start at Fourvière Hill, the origins of the Roman town Lugdunum. You'll then head up the Saône River to the Medieval and Renaissance districts, continue to the classical townhouses of the 17th and 18th centuries, through the Croix-Rousse quarters and workshops of the silk workers, and wind up at the city's ancient fortifications, built before the birth of Christianity.

Basilique de Notre Dame de Fourvière

This late-19th-century basilica was built at the top of the ficelle to underline the might of the Roman Catholic Church after the Prussian defeat of France in 1870. The church's wealth is evident in the excess of gilt, marble, and mosaics inside. A climb up the 287 steps to the basilica observatory is rewarded with a sweeping view.

Jardin Archéologique

This archaeological garden contains the ruins of 2 churches, one built over the other. They were discovered during the renovation of apartments constructed on the site after the Revolution. Part of the garden ornamentation is fashioned around a remaining arch.

Musée Historique de Lyon

Housed in the city's largest ensemble of Renaissance buildings, this museum displays medieval sculpture, furniture, pottery, paintings, and engravings.

Place Bellecour

One of the largest squares in France and Lyon's fashionable center, this shady spot's impressively setting midway between the Saône and the Rhône is matched by its 18th-century classical architecture and a bronze statue of Louis XIV on horseback.

Grand Chartreuse

St Bruno founded this 12-acre monastery in 1084. After several centuries of being repeatedly burned and rebuilt, it was stripped of its treasures during the Revolution, and its monks were banished. Upon their return, the monks resumed making Chartreuse, their famous sweet liqueur. Today, the herb-based formulas are known only to 3 monks!.

Musée de Grenoble

One of France's oldest museums and the first to concentrate on modern art. Look for Picasso's Femme Lisant, and the Medieval Tour de l'Isle (Island Tower), a Grenoble landmark. The collection includes 4,000 paintings and 5,500 drawings by Italian Renaissance masters, Rubens, Impressionists such as Renoir and Monet, 20th-century works by Matisse, Magritte, and many others.

Eglise de Brou

Built in 1506 by Margaret of Austria in memory of her husband, the Duke of Savoy, this marvel of Gothic flamboyance was recently restored to its 16th-century grandeur. The couples' finely sculpted tombs highlight the church's rich Burgundian interior.

Théatre Romain

This is one of the largest Roman theaters in Gaul, only slightly smaller than Rome's Theater of Marcellus. Buried in rubble until 1922, excavations have uncovered 46 rows of seats, some marble flooring, and the frieze. Summer concerts bring the ancient stage to life.

Temple d'Auguste et de Livie

The remains of this temple date from the earliest Roman settlements of the 1st century BC.

Beaujolais

The land that once belonged to an aristocratic 10th century family now holds 3,619 wine-making estates producing 12 Beaujolais appellations. Explore Le Pays Beaujolais, open country dotted with captivating houses. From the golden stone "Beaujolais Tuscany," to the granite villages in the Haut-Beaujolais, discover storybook architecture and panoramic views in a natural area so admirably preserved that its authenticity rivals its beauty. Rich and varied flora and fauna make this region a joy for hikers, equestrians, bird-watchers, mountain bikers, and so on. The good-natured people of Beaujolais have a never-ending festival season celebrating everything from chestnuts, to music, to wine, needless to say!.

French Alps

The principal joys of the Alps are best described by Rousseau in his Confessions. "I need torrents, rocks, pine trees, dark forests, mountains, rugged paths to go up and down, precipices at my elbow to give me a good fright." Start at the town of Grenoble, the economic and intellectual capital of the Alps situated on the Drac and Isère Rivers. The 16th-century Palais de Justice, the 13th- century Place St-André, and the church of St-André are highlights. The French Resistance operated in the nearby Vercors Massif during World War II, and is commemorated along with victims of the Holocaust in the Musée de la Résistance et de la Déportation.

Provence

Its reputation as the most irresistible of French provinces is rarely challenged. It ranges from the high mountains of the Southern Alps to the wild plains of the Camargue and, apart from the coast, remains remarkably unscathed by development. Lyon is the main gateway and the next viable "civilization" is the Roman city of Orange, as well as in the old papal stronghold of Avignon, site of a fantastic summer festival. Deeper into Provence, on the edge of the flamingo lagoons of the Camargue, another ancient Roman settlement called Arles retains a superb amphitheater. Further east is Aix, Provence's most sophisticated city and the home of Cézanne.