Let Lyon Spin You Right Round

Avant, avant, Lion le melhor!

Translated, this franco-provencal motto from the medieval times reads forward, forward, Lyon is the best! Humble isn't it? Centuries later, the motto may have changed, but the pride among the Lyonnais people remains the same... with a city like this, who could blame them? The capital of gastronomy, the birthplace of cinema, the home of a century-old silk weav-ing tradition. There are many reasons that Lyon could be considered 'the best'. Most no-tably, its clever paradox of being old yet mod-ern. Uniting UNESCO listed heritage sights with daring new architectural creations Lyon has managed to achieve big city convenience whilst maintaining a small town 'human' vibe. Unlike other cities overpopulated with tourists, you will find that Lyon has all the attractions and charm without the price tags and crowds. With a plethora of things to see and do, you will never find yourself bored in this dynamic, inter-national, yet quintessentially French metropolis. DEMOGRAPHIC:The atmosphere in Lyon is vibrant and youthful. Thanks to its world class education opportuni-ties and increasing economic attractiveness, the city of Lyon has become one of the biggest cities in France with a population of 470, 000 in the inner city and over 1, 700, 000 in greater Lyon.

GEOGRAPHY: Shadowed in the north by Croix-Rousse, the hill that works and in the west by Fourviere, the hill that prays, Lyon, the former capital of Gaul, is now the capital of the Rhone-Alps region. At the bottom of Fourviere lies the heritage listed city centre of Vieux-Lyon, beyond which the riv-ers Rhone and Saone converge in the south to form the Presquile.

ECONOMY:Driven for centuries by the silk industry, the economy of Lyon has shifted its focus in recent times. Said to be one of the most favourable cities in the European Union for company creation and investment, Lyon is a place of innovation and wealth creation. With many multi-national com-

YOUR GUIDE: Join us on a journey through the main arron-dissements of Lyon. After discovering the citys main sights and scenes, the rest of the adventure remains entirely up to you. Bon Voyage!

panies, like Euronews and Interpol, establishing themselves in Lyon, the city is well on its way to becoming a top European centre for business. Fuelled by a strong history of bio-technological research, Lyon prides itself on having the worlds best doctors and medical research facilities. For this reason pharmaceutical companies such as Pasteur and Bio Merieux have chosen Lyon as their headquarters. Interestingly, some of the worlds deadliest diseases (think Ebola, Hendra, Marburg) are housed in this citys labs. Tourism also plays huge role in the modern economy of Lyon with over six million tourists visiting the city each year, a statistic that is only going to grow as the city of Lyon continues to develop.

Table of Contents:This guide has been broken down into several sec-tions pertaining to the four distinct geographical ar-eas. Following this, you will find a series of subsec-tions to equip you with all the information you will need to make the most of your time in Lyon.

Fouviere Hill - Known as the hill that prays, this area still has the remnants of its Roman origins

Vieux-Lyon - The oldest part of town, this UNESCO heritage listed area will take you back in time

Croix-Rousse - Known as the hill that works, this area forms the heart of Lyon's silk in-dustry

Presquile - Contemporary & vibrant, the peninsula is a hive of activity, not to be missed by any high street shopper

Tips - Transport, accommodation, phrases, day trips and dates... everything practical you need to know about visiting Lyon

Shopping & Fashion - If museums and gal-leries are not your thing, this section is for anyone requiring a little retail thera-py.Also, if you are a little low on funds you can still enjoy your time in Lyon with the help of a few innovative suggestions

Dining and Nightlife - Where to eat, what to eat and of course how to spend your evenings, you will find it all in this sec-tion

Culture - Diverse and rich, this section will expose a little about what makes the people of Lyon who they are

Special dates: guide on typical Lyonnais and French celebrations

Lugdunum, now modern Lyon, was founded in 43BC after the Romans conquered the Gauls in the expansion of their empire. Ancient Roman structures from this period such as the two Ro-man theatres, the Odeon and the grand theatre still occupy the hill today. Identifiable by the Ba-silica sitting atop its peak, this 'praying hill' is the perfect vantage point from which to absorb pan-oramic views of the whole of modern Lyon and beyond.

FOURVIERE Les Nuits de Fourvire A Festival of Nights

Imagine a modern graduation ceremony, when the students thrust their mortarboards into the air in a moment of cheer. Turn those hats into the little green complimentary cushions you receive on entering Les Thtres Romains de Fourvire, the oldest Roman Amphitheatre in France, and you might be able to imagine the scene at the end of a stirring concert on a warm summers eve. Emerald squares litter the sky, thrown by the two thousand strong audience in a spectacle that we were told has become an unofficial tradition of Les Nuits de Fourvire.

The Funiculaire (Vieux-Lyon station) is the traditional mean of trans-portation to get to the top of the Fourviere Hill.

A Roman Riot

Practical Information:Les Nuits de Fourvire5 June- 31 JulyTickets purchased from any FNAC store

Names of justiceThe exterior of the Basilica is outstanding in its magnitude and intricacy, exemplifying the significance of the Virgin Mary as the guardian of Lyon. The building itself is a massive 86 metres in length with a breadth of 35 metres. Carrying the names of the cardinal virtues, Strength, Justice, Temperance and Prudence, the towers stand to a grand height of 48 metres.Once inside, you will be tak-en aback by the beauty of the sculptures and stained glass. Even if religion is not your thing, you will find Basilica Four-vire absolutely remarkable.If you have the capacity to ab-sorb some more local culture then the Museum of Fourvire displays various artistic objects, statues, religious trinkets and a variety documents pertaining to the building of the Basilica. Otherwise, take a walk behind this grand building to find a breathtaking panoramic view of the city of Lyon before follow-ing the rosary beads back down to the old town of Vieux Lyon.

Tales of the Fourvire Basilica

Practical Information:

Museum of Fourvire: Open from March to January daily, from 10.00a.m. - 12: 30p.m. and 2.00p.m. - 5.30p.m.Entry is usually free for children under 16, students, Lyon-City-Card Holders or teachers. Otherwise, prices vary dependant on the exhibition. Basilica: Open from 7:00a.m. - 7:00p.m. daily. Call +0030478251301 or Email info@lyon-fourviere.com for more information.

Our Lady of Fourvire dominates the sky-line of Lyon. Take the rosary pathway up the hillside, then the dreaded staircase This will surely re-pent your days (dining) sins. If youre feeling less athletic then catch the Funiculaire. Pil-grimage or Funiculaire ride, the trip is cer-tainly worth it.Virgin Mary Salvation Confronted by its enormity and sheer beauty youll probably be awestruck by the Basilica. Built in the 19th century by architects Pierre Bossan and Sainte Marie-Perrin to show the mercy of God, the Basilica was constructed to give thanks to the Virgin Mary for her protec-tion from the Prussians during the Franco-Prussian war.

Sitting atop the two thou-sand year old steps overlook-ing the night lights of Lyon, you cant help but be taken over by a swell of majesty. If you listen hard enough you can hear your own voice dis-appear amongst the million whispered memories held in the stones. You become over-whelmed with a sense of your own insignificance when you take in the crowd and pon-der how many others have sat here before you to share in the artistically holy feat. Youre a drop in the giant ocean of

people this ancient place has seen. But being able to cause a cushion riot, plants your feet firmly back in the 21st century.

Les Thtres Romains de Fourvire6 Rue de lAntiquaille 69005 Lyon

Swarming with tourists, expats and locals alike, the old town is a hot spot in Lyon. The busy nightlife, rich history and Renaissance architecture of the dis-trict of Vieux Lyon can be appreciated by any visitor. The Malraux Law in 1954 and its World Herit-age listing in 1998, mean this districts quar-ters, Saint Jean, Saint Paul and Saint Georg-es are all filled with historic character.The heart of the old town, the Saint Jean quarter dates back to the middle ages where it served as the hub for political and religious power in Lyon, in particular the Saint Jean cathedral. As well as its ap-parent striking gothic architecture, the most unique feature is the 14th century astronomical clock in the north transept. It chimes at 12pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm, during which a rooster crows and an-gels herald. Look out for the 'rock and roll' angel.The Saint Paul quarter situated to the north of Saint Jeanand is most known for its influx of Ital-ian bankers and merchants during the 15th and 16th centuries. Here, Renaissance beauties like the Htel de Gadagne, or the Htel Bulliourd, de-signed by Philibert Delorme in 1536, are typi-cal sights of the architecture from this period. This zone is served by metro line D but is easily ac-cessible by foot from the adjoining districts of the Fourvire Hill, la Croix- Rousse and the Presqu'le.

VIEUX LYON ESCAPE ROUTES: THE TRABOULES"Every week I come to the traboules to sketch. Yet every time I discover s o m e t h i n g new" (local artist)These se-cretive pas-sageways are a huge part of the Lyon-nais history and identity. Binding the streets of the city together with their coloured walls, ancient wells and intri-cate stone work, the traboules are postcard perfect.Vieux Lyon holds the oldest traboules in Lyon. Originally built in the 4th century as shortcuts to fetch water from the riv-er Sane and transport goods with ease, these hidden passageways now make for an exten-sive 'traboule' hunt. Fol-low the bronzed plaques through the old town to discover the most im-pressive passageways. As for the others, you'll just have to keep your eyes open.Traboule de la Tour Rose is one of a kind. The pink watch tower with its nu-merous arched windows

and winding spiral staircase stands out in the pastel col-oured courtyard. Between rue Saint Jean and Rue du boeuf lies the longest traboule in Lyon, simply named la Longue

Traboule - its the most famous in Lyon. "In the Cour des Voraces, hive of silk work, canuts struggled for their lives and their dignity, reads a plaque in the Cour des Vo-races.Whilst stand-ing in La Cour de Voraces you are transported to another time. You can almost picture the silk weavers carrying their bolts of silk down to the mar-kets; or the enraged workers gathering around plan-ning the famous Canut revolts in 1831. This tra-boule was the home of the underground resist-ance and shelter from the Gestapo during the German Occupation in World War II. Follow the blue lion to guide yourself through the tra-boules of Croix-Rousse.

Gargoyles & Heads on Buildings:

Fire, decapitated heads, and Gargoyles appearing to attack for prey. No dont worry this isnt a horror film. Its only the gothic architecture in Lyon.Bring classical to gothicRayonnant, a classical and or-ganic style of Gothic architec-ture, prevails on many of the buildings around Lyon. Exam-ples of this style can be seen in the fiery branches of stone that stem into thistles on the many archways of the city. Fight away the demonsGargoyles, though menacing and evil looking, are actually

Practical Information:Opening times: Mon - Fri 8:15a.m. - 7:45p.m. Sat 8:15a.m. to 7:00p.m. Sun 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Opening only from 1.00p.m on January 1, Easter Monday, May 18th and Monday July 14th and November 11

Peering inside a Bob Marley fans apartment, a drum kit fills the centre of the room, colour-ful pictures are hanging on the walls and an unfinished joint is lying on the table. You may be wondering what is so extraordi-nary. Well, the joint is approxi-mately 2mm in size. Welcome to the Miniature Museum in Lyon. Dan Ohlmann, the owner of the museum, discovered his pas-sion for tiny reproductions of real life objects more than 20 years ago when he was work-ing as a stage designer. I get my ideas from everywhere he explains, but I especially like mysterious places. This affec-tion becomes very obvious in the exhibition room devoted to the most bizarre and origi-nal reproductions Ohlmann has created. Here you stumble across a spookily demolished

and aban-doned thea-tre and a s w i m m i n g pool viewed from below the surface. But this is not all you can d i s c o v e r

See the World From a Different Perspective

An itsy bitsy passion

Practical Informa-tion:60, Rue Saint Jean69005 LyonMon Fri 10:00a.m. 6:30p.m. Sat Sun 10:00a.m. 5:00p.m.5.50 Student ticket

Meet the murdererThe first thing you recognise is the clammy air that fills your lungs with the rotten smell of long gone times. A slight breeze makes you shiver as you wander further into the dark cave. You see light and a few steps further you are looking right into the eyes of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille; the murderer of The Perfume.

Oh my!

said to protect the people from the evil demons that lurk within us. Adorn-ing to the cathedral, these kings of the sky warn us of sin and ward off evil. Cross the threshold of the doors if you dare to uncover the gothic depictions of decap-itate heads.

Dan Ohlmann has dedicated the other half of his museum to the world of cinema. This is my second passion clari-fies the owner as he contin-ues to describe how he travels the world to collect original pieces and props from film sets. Sets from The Perfume, costumes from The Gladiator, and The Planet of the Apes, are just some of the collec-tions highlights. Making-of videos expose the spe-cial in special effects.

Watching a film will never be the same again.

Winter Time is Skiing Time

Whether you prefer down-hill skiing, cross-country skiing, or snowshoeing Lyon has access to it all. The mountains Vercours, Chartreuse, les Arcs, la Nor-ma and even the Mont Blanc

are easily reachable from Lyon and provide great ski-regions for downhill fans. A day trip, a weekend, a week or more, everything is possible. Those who like to stay on the

ground should go to Autran, a town that hosts the yearly Nordic Combined competition, called La Foule Blanche. Website: h t t p : / / a b o u t - f r a n c e .c o m / to u r i s m / s k i i n g . h t m

A Journey Through Time Prouges

One of the most beauti-ful towns in France wel-comes the sign of Prouges. You wonder whether this might be an overstatement until you are standing in the middle of the Medieval Town of Prouges. Whatever you expect, the

charm of this town will cap-tivate you within seconds. Walking through the cobbled streets, you wait for a black-smith crossing your way. To get a feeling for the place, simply dander along, try a galette and feast your eyes on what you see.

Meet The CTR Lyon Team

From left to right and up to down:

Seona (Scotland), Therese (Sweden), Jes-sica (Australia), Tiffany (USA), Mareike (Germany), Shakira (England), Nora (Germany), Kirstin (Scotland), Susanna (Germany), Ozel (England), Charlotte (England), Jelke (Belgium), Lauren (South Africa) and Simon (Germany).