NEWS
EVENTS
5 reasons to vist Lyon
Other | Wednesday 14th January 2015 | Sandrine Amoravain
For the lucky ones who are about to visit France, you definitely have to pass through Lyon. It's one of the best French cities and you won't be disappointed.
Need a little more convincing? Here are 5 reasons to visit Lyon :
History & Culture
If you’re looking for a place with lots of history and lots of things to see, Lyon is it! Historically the capital of Gaule (France from the 2nd century B.C. until the 5th century A.D), Lyon has always been a place of power and culture. With buildings like the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourviere and the Amphitheatre of the Three Gauls, and places like Bellecourt, Terreaux and Croix-rousse, a weekend isn't long enough to properly visit them all! In addition to all of the museums, Lyon is a city with lots of street culture, art and dance.
Sport
Sports lovers, Lyon is perfect for you! If you're a runner, you've got to jog through one of Lyon's parks - the Parc de la Tête d’Or is also a zoo AND has free entrance! As most of Lyon is flat, cycling is a great way to discover the city. If you prefer to watch rather than do, football (Olympique Lyonnais) and basketball (ASVEL) are well represented in Lyon.
Shopping
With two great shopping malls, La Part Dieu & Confluence, Lyon is a wonderful place for all shopaholics! Unique pieces can be found in the hundreds of small clothing stores spread across the city, and if you visit between July - August or January - February, you can achieve that French look for less with the sales. Vintage lovers are sorted too; Lyon has lots of great second hand clothes shops and regular vintage fairs.
Festivals & nightlife
One thing's for sure, you won't be short of festivals to attend. For four nights, beginning December 8th, a variety of different artists light up buildings, streets, squares and parks all over the city for La Fête des Lumières . Over 70 light installations create a magical atmosphere, making this festival well worth a visit. Les Nuits Sonores, which takes place mid-May, is a festival of electronic and independent music and visual culture. It attracts more than 100,000 spectators a year and allows 250 artists to express themselves across 50 sites in the city. Le Sucre, a rooftop venue, hosts brunches, artistic projects and special evening events as well as club nights, and should definitely be your first port of call for a night out in Lyon.
Gastronomy
Lyon is rightly known as a capital of gastronomy. One of the world's most famous chefs, Paul Bocuse, is based in Lyon, and the main food market in the city, Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, is named after him. For the true taste of Lyon, you have to vist a bouchon, a restaurant that serves traditional Lyonnaise cuisine like sausages and roast pork. The name "bouchon", which translates to cork, originated from the fact that roadside inns used to hang corks on their signs to show people that they were serving wine.
