You are reading an Archived Article

• Click here for most recent articles

KINGS OF LYON

French capital of food is a mouth-watering treat

MOST Irish holidaymakers who venture to France generally take in the more popular areas such as Paris, the Riviera in the south and Brittany and Normandy in the north. But there are vast other areas of this fabulous country worth checking out and none more so than the region around France's second largest city, Lyon.

Compact

Two other small cities near to Lyon are Montpellier and St Etienne, which are also worthy of visits.

With a population of 1.7 million in its urban area Lyon's city centre is pretty compact and easy to get around.

Aer Lingus has regular flights from Dublin to Lyon, which is located 470km from Paris and 320km from Marseille.

The city centre is dissected in two by the magnificent Rhone and Saone rivers, with majestic bridges spanning its vast expanse,while large hills overlook it.

Lyon is also a UNESCO world heritage site, primarily due to its Roman, Renaissance and silk districts.

The city centre boasts the Saint-Jean cathedral, which was built in the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries, while the spectacular 17th century Town Hall is another major landmark.

The Place des Terreaux is home to a fantastic fountain by Bartholdi, of Statue of Liberty fame.

Foodies will love Lyon as it has a reputation as the French capital of gastronomy.

This accolade comes in part due to the presence of many of France's best chefs in the city while the country's best known wine-growing regions are located nearby, including Beaujolais.

One restaurant worth a visit in Lyon is the Maison Clovis and its Lebanese owner is a Michelin-star chef who has been trained in the finest of French culinary skills. Next on the trip is Montpellier, which is the eighth largest city in France with a population of a quarter of a million.

The city, which is situated on the river Lez, is close enough to the Mediterranean, which lies just 8km away.

The main focal point of the city is the Place de la Comedie, a large square which houses many shops, restaurants and bars.

One can go camping near the sea, with package trips on offer for both chalets and tented accommodations.

Modern

St Etienne is about an hour's journey on a TGV from Montpellier.

With a population of 175,000, it is the 16th largest city in France.

It is also home to three museums, with the Musee d'Art Moderne home to one of the largest collections of modern and contemporary
art in France.

Another centre worth a visit is the City of Design, which contains two large exhibitions halls featuring all sorts of gadgets and inventions. The Opera Theatre features international productions from across the world while the nearby Le Fil auditorium plays host to rock, jazz and electro events.

ACCOMMODATION

LYON: Grand Hotel des Terreaux, 16 rue Lanterne (hotel-lyon.fr/grand hotel);

MONTPELLIER: Mercure Montpellier Centre, 218 Rue Bastion Ventadour (mercure. com); and ST ETIENNE: Hotel du Golf, 67 Rue Saint Simon (hoteldugolf42.com).

Aer Lingus flies daily to Lyon and Paris.

More information on all three cities at: franceguide.com.

Back to Top of Page