Lyon

By bufo_raddei, 23/04/2023 17:43

After our Waters and Wines of North Burgundy trip, we had three more days before our flight back home, so for two of them we devoted to Lyon. Actually, for Lyon itself, we had one whole day and several hours of another day morning, and all this time we wandered the city and wanted to have much more time for it. Lyon is beautiful, interesting, and tasty, and I want to revisit it. Considering that in general I don’t like big cities, and Lyon is the third biggest city in France, it is also indicatively.

Lyon locates at the junction of the Saone and Rhone rivers. Before junction the rivers for several kilometres go almost in parallel; the distance between them is about a kilometre; the city centre is located in this inter-stream area.

This inter-river part of the city is flat, and spacious, with wide streets and squares.

The fountain even made a rainbow.

Following one direction you come to the Rhone.

View from the right bank of the Rhone.

The green hill is behind the Saone.

Following the other direction, you come to the Saone, and numerous bridges, that lead you to the other bank with steep Fourvière hill.

Saone and Fourvière hill with Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière. On the right side – is the bridge of Palais de Justice.

If crossing the river by the bridge of Palais de Justice, come directly to Palais de Justice.

The statue in front of the Palace. Nobody can save you except yourself.

Upstream there is a Napoleon Bridge.

Downstream – Marechal Juin.

Embankment between Palais de Justice and Napoleon Bridge.

View from Napoleon Bridge.

Carnot Place.

The Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourvière can be seen from almost every part of the city.

The Basilica is notable not only for its unusual structure (it consists of the lower crypt of the old church and the upper crypt of the new one, which was added to the old one, so it looks like a two-floor building with some shift), but also for mercantile communication of believers with god.
The first church in this place was built in the 12th century and later destroyed by Huguenots. Only one Chapelle has remained. In 1643, plaque came into the region. The bishop with people prayed to Virgin Mary, and the plaque stopped. At the beginning of the 19th century, cholera came. People remembered the story with the plaque and promised to Virgin Mary the golden statue if she helped with cholera. Cholera stopped. Maybe Mary helped, or maybe people learned how to wash their hands. Anyway, way collected money and made the statue. Also, the Chapelle was repaired. Later Franco-Prussian War started. People habitually asked Virgin Mary to stop the enemy before it came to the city and promised to build the new church. The enemy didn’t come. The church was built.
The Basilica from different points of view.

In the lower crypt there are plenty of Virgin Mary portraits – presents from different countries, maid with national identity. Mary-Japanise, Mary – Filippino, and so on.

The way to the Basilica of Notre Dame goes through steep and narrow streets.

Some streets go directory through the buildings. Famous traboules of Lyon.

On the way, you will meet waterfalls, a garden, and other nice stuff.

Fourvière – French modification of the Latin “forum vetus”. Lyon was founded as a Roman colony if 43 BC. The Roman traces in the city are very notable. There is a Roam theatre near the top of the hill.