The Late Explorer: Lyon

This morning we woke to find that unfortunately, the weather forecast was correct and it was raining heavily. We also realised that we had lost another hour- it appears Lyon is 2 hours ahead of Ireland.!!

Fortunately, by the time we were ready to commence sightseeing , the rain had abated and we set out for Vieux Lyon, on the other side of the River Saone.

We travelled on the funicular up to Fourviere. We travelled singularly as the tram left while CC was photographing it!!

At the summit was Notre Dame de Fourviere, a spectacular church on a spectacular site.

We walked down the hill into Quartier St Jean with its cobble streets,

and tranoules - passages which led to courtyards, situated perpendicular to the streets.

In addition to its Roman origins, the city has Renaissance buildings Musee Gasagne occupies the largest site; the best illustrated in the building below.

The area was teeming with people and restaurants to entice every palet. We lunches at the 19th century Salon de The.

And of course an the Irish pub has woven its way into French life - note its first cocktail!

Charles VIII developed this area as a trading centre in the 15th century. Later, Louis XII introduced silk weaving. Long distance trading developed, inns and hostels were improved and clearing houses, the forerunners of banks, were established. Printing came to the Saone in 1485 and the area thrived and progress continues to this day.

Our final call was to the Cathedral St Jean, which was very austere in comparison to our earlier visit to Notre Dame de Fourviere.

It was now mid afternoon and we went our seperate ways - CC to Centre d'Histoire et de la Resistance de la Deportation, but as all the display was in French only, it disappointed. It is noticeable that there is little accommodation of the English speaking tourist at tourist sites. Nevertheless one must dust off the school French to survive here in rural France.

I adjourned to the Musee des Beaux Arts, which is acknowledged as one of the finest French museums with 35 Impressionist masters on display in addition to numerous Rodin sculptures