Loving Lyon: France's culinary capital is off the tourist path
After dinner, I like to go for a stroll to savor the city's famous illuminations. While Paris may call itself the "City of Light," Lyon is a leader in urban lighting design and hosts conventions on the topic. Each night, more than 200 buildings, sites and public spaces are gloriously floodlit.
When I travel outside of Paris, I'm struck by all the wonders there are to enjoy in France. Lyon provides an elegant French urban scene -- all with no hint of crass tourism.
IF YOU VISIT...
SLEEPING: Hotel des Artistes is a comfortable, business-class hotel with a good value on weekend stays (moderate, www.hotel-des-artistes.fr). Elysee Hotel is simple and comfortable and just a few blocks from the Presqu'ile's central square (budget, https://hotel-elysee-lyon.fr).
EATING: Sample the cuisine of the late legendary chef Paul Bocuse at Brasserie le Sud, with a sunny Mediterranean menu and feel (splurge, 11 Place Antonin Poncet, tel. 33 04 72 77 80 00). Le Bouchon des Filles, on a quiet street near the Museum of Fine Arts, has good-value fixed-price meals (moderate, 20 Rue Sergent Blandan, tel. 33 04 78 30 40 44).
GETTING AROUND: Lyon has a user-friendly transit system with trams, Metro lines, and buses, plus two funiculars to get you up Fourviere Hill.
TOURIST INFORMATION: www.lyon-france.com.
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(Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com) writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio. Email him at rick@ricksteves.com and follow his blog on Facebook.)
(c)2019 RICK STEVES DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
