Vieux Lyon - general, Lyon

Favorite thing: visit the old part of town, Saint Jean,theatre romain,Fourviere,les quais de la Soane,les Hales,les marches

Fondest memory: walking in the old part of town,looking at the shopwindows of these old building,investigating the outside menu to elect a restaurant

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Favorite thing: 500 hectares de Lyon sont classés patrimoine de l'humanité par l'UNESCO depuis 1998. C'est le plus grand de ces espaces au monde. La Ville est membre de l'organisation des villes du patrimoine mondial.
périmètre classé :
La Colline de Fourvière et ses sites antiques, le Vieux Lyon (ville médiévale et Renaissance).
La Colline de la Croix-Rousse, patrimoine urbain associé à la Révolution industrielle (Textile) et à la marque de ses développements sociaux sur l'urbanisme (Quartier des Canuts).
La Presqu'île : évolution urbaine du Ier au XXe siècle, marquée notamment par l'urbanisme des XVIe, XVIIe (Rue Mercière), et XIXe siècles (Rue Impériale devenue rue de la République).

Fondest memory: 500 hectares of Lyon are classified heritage of the humanity by the UNESCO since 1998. It is the biggest of these spaces to the world. The City is member of the organization of the cities of the world heritage.
perimeter classified:
The Hill of Fourvière and its ancient sites, the Old Lyons (medieval city and Renaissance).
The Hill of the Cross - Redhead, urban heritage associated at the industrial Revolution (Textile) and to the mark of its social developments on the urbanism (District of the Canuts).
The Nearly island: urban evolution of the Ier in the XXe century, marked notably by the urbanism of the XVIes, XVIIe (Street Haberdasher), and XIXe centuries (Imperial Street become street of Republic).

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Favorite thing: Sur la place St.-Jean, devant la cathédrale du même nom, ne manquez pas d'aller voir l'Herboristerie. C'est l'une des rares rescapées de France, où elles ont toutes pratiquement disparues.
En effet, de diplôme n'est plus préparé depuis de nombreuses années et la profession est en voie de disparition au fur et à mesure des décès des herboristes diplômés. C'est, encore une foi, le résultat d'une loi navrante, dictée par les lobby pharmaceutiques, pour de plus grands profits.

Ce magasin est resté comme à la fin du siècle dernier, extraordinaire...

Fondest memory: On the place St-Jean, before the cathedral of the same name, don't miss to be going to see the Herboristerie. It is one of the rare surviving of France, where they have all practically extinct.
Indeed, diploma is not prepared more since numerous years and the profession is in way of disappearance with the progression of the graduate herbalist deaths. It is, again a faith, the result of a distressing law, dictated by the lobby pharmaceuticals, for bigger profits.

This store remained like at the end of the last century, extraordinary...

Favorite thing: The first site to visit in the city:
The Vieux Lyon or Old city: three paved quarters of the old part (St Georges, St jean and St Paul)caracterized by the exceptional architectural ensemble of Renaissance (period of free trade fairs for silk merchants and bankers) and Middle age periods.
Old Lyon is a lively quarter along the river Saône: living museums (puppet shows), art boutiques and markets , pubs, restaurants like the famous 'bouchons' (traditionnal lyoneese restaurants)
Traboules which are typical in this area, unique feature:These are narrow, secret passages which allow access from lane to lane by passing triugh several buildings.
Some other marvels of this typical architecture red, gold, orange, pink...: courtyards, spiral stairs, lookout towers like the pink tower and the St jean Cathedral.
Upon the Hill which dominates Old Lyon : Fourviere Hill with its basilica and nice panorama (180°) of the whole city and the Alps (the basilica was built in 1896 decorated with mosaic , marble...)and gallo-roman theatres where Lugdunum (Lyon) was founded in 43 B.C.
There is an authentical funiculaire from 1900(or cable car) which allow people to reach the hill.
Back to down town, as you already know,the city is separated by 2 rivers ; the Rhône and the Saône , between those 2: the Presqu'ile or the Peninsula (the Classical period 19th century ) rich in cultural events (Festival of dance, opera house, theatre...)Enjoy its squares (Bellecour square where the tourist office is) , parcs , gardens nice museums, art galleries, markets on quaysides, shopping area, nightlife...
Not to be missed: Festival of lights every year on the 8th of december and festival of 'Les nuits de fourviere' (Fourviere nights) every year too from june to september.Concerts,theatre plays, dance shows in the gallo-roman theatres and every 2 years the Biennales of Dance (2002) and modern art(2003)!
Restaurants: if you want to taste lyonnese gastronomy (Gourmet delight...).Try bouchons which are in the old city and in the paved streets of the Presqu'ile (Maronniers st. and Merciere st.). Meals are cheap ! But if you are vegeterian or on diet, don't try !!!...
Finally, a lat hill to discover in the north of the Peninsula: Croix-Rousse Hill, the silk quarter.In the 19 th century , silkweavers called canuts came in this area to create fabrics.You can still visit some authentical fabrics.
Visit the labyrinth of lanes and traboules ponctuatted by amazing panoramic view of the whole city.
and many,many sites to see...

Fondest memory: The old city atmosphere...
the paved streets, restaurants, markets...

Favorite thing: You must try 'salade lyonnaise' and wandering around 'le vieux lyon' and seeking some narrow buildings called 'traboules'

Fondest memory: Visiting Annecy lake on a sunshinning Sunday, Alpes on the background, charming town, you should visit this village 30 km. from Lyon...