Gama Harjono , Contributor , Lyon, France | Sun, 06/15/2008 10:17 AM | Travel
Discovering traces of the Gallo-Roman civilization in the French gastronomic capital on a bicycle proves a compelling experience.
The French lady next to me was so polite to offer me her aisle seat. My regional train ran right on time, briskly traversing the Vaucluse up to the Rhone region. Yes, it felt good to be back in "the Hexagon", a moniker for France with its six-sided shape.
It was just past six in the evening when the countryside turned into blocks of condominiums as the train penetrated Lyon's southern fringe.
My friend Kevin was waiting for me at Lyon-Perrache station. He was my host for the next few days. We took the underground Métro toward his place in the quaint district of Pierre Scize.
So I finally set foot in Lyon, France's second largest city.
Or is it the third largest?
It's an age-old enigma. Ask any self-respected French man or woman the question and answers alternate between Lyon and Marseilles. The justification is that Lyon boasts a more ample urban agglomeration whilst Marseilles claims to have more city-dwellers.
We ditched the Métro for a bus, a more confortable option tham walking the streets -- you are often shouldered by haggard Lyonnais coming home from work.
We passed the elegant 18th century Hotel de Ville -- your typical French town hall with a Tuilleries-inspired dome. Just around the corner, the hangar-shaped Opéra de Lyon glistened flirtatiously.
This is the heart of Lyon; if it's happening, it's here. The hip district includes the Place des Terreaux square. Crowds throng the many outdoor cafes for an aperitif session and perhaps an alfresco dinner.
The enormous fountain of Bartholdi is sure to catch anyone's attention. It is an immense ensemble of a life-sized female statue riding a cart pulled by four ferocious horses.
The bus quickly drifted toward the up-market Pierre Scize district, passing the confluence point where the glint and gleam of Europe's major rivers, the Rhone and the Saone, meet right in the center in this French metropolis.
Taking in the panorama, the spire-studded medieval quarter of Vieux-Lyon was greeting me, welcoming me to the gastronomic capital of France.
Lyon is regarded by many as the center of France's fine food. The local cuisine, known as le bouchon, offers unpretentious meat-based dishes of worldwide acclaim. Beware though, warned Kevin, many had turned bouchon's popularity to cash, taking away from its quality.
At Kevin's place, I asked him and his roommate Claire how life was in their neck of the woods.
"We've only been here for about two years, but Lyon is great. You have all you need, from state-of-the-art health services to worldly entertainment, sans the claustrophobic feeling that constantly badgers the Parisians."
Kevin prepped me the next day on how to get around town -- in an eco-friendly way, that was.
I stood staring at a computerized unit resembling a parking meter. It was one of the many V*lo'V terminals, a communal bike rental service, conveniently installed all over the city.
"It's affordable, the first half hour is free then it's just 1 euro (US1.50) an hour. You can often get across town quicker than you can by car," said Kevin. So I gave it a go.
Getting on a Vélo'V is pretty simple once you get a subscription card. To get one, however, can prove a complicated task if you do not have a French credit card. Designed by JCDecaux, the V*lo'V accepts only French credit cards. Kevin helped me obtain one.
Now on my own, my one destination was decidedly the Fourvière basilica. It was a quick ride pedaling my v*lo up the slope, followed by a trip on one of the sky trains.
Despite its classical poise, the basilica of the Notre-Dame de Fourvière is quite a new building, at least by European standards. La Fourvière was constructed in 1870 to praise the Holy Virgin for the salvation of the city from the Prussian armies' onslaught.
The Fete des Lumières (Light Festival) is also associated with this church. A Virgin Mary statue was to be installed at La Fouvière on 8 Dec., 1852. The event was, however, canceled due to a massive storm hanging over Lyon. Unexpectedly, the sky cleared up. The people then lit lanterns on their window sills and now, every year on 8 Dec., the people mark the Fete des Lumières.
Lyon has always been considered a strategic center. Agrippa, once a Roman general and later a consul, selected Lyon as a transportation hub to move his legions between Orl*ean and Arles, and Geneva and Aosta, linking Lyon with the rest of Gaul.
The annual assembly of over 60 Gallic tribes took place on the hills of what is now the Croix-Rousse quarter.
There are few places in France better than Lyon to discover Roman ruins and monuments.
Julius Caesar chose Lyon as the base camp for this conquest of Gaul. Augustus later declared it the capital of the empire's "Three Gauls" (Aquitaine, Belgium and Lyon).
Lyon was a sure winner with the Romans. The ancient town of Ludgunum produced two Roman emperors, Claudius (10 BC) and Caracalla (AD 188).
I quickly detoured toward the hillside of Fourvi*re to find one of France's most important archeological sites. Fouvière was the site of the old forum and saw numerous temples, baths, an Odeon, an amphitheater and even a circus arena in its heyday.
To remember its glorious past, the French built a museum. The museum of the Gallo-Roman Civilization exhibits the Claudian Tables, a record of speech made by Claudius in 48 AD which granted the citizens of Gaul the right to become senators.
Luckily, Lyon's Gallo-Roman amphitheater survived the barbarian invasions. Rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian, it was host to grand concerts and spectacles.
Despite its dilapidated state, it remains functional. A university choir was occupied with a recital, as I was leaving.
I took my bike headed for the Presqu'ile, Lyon's city center. The Vélo'v is such a winner with the French. With a terminal installed every 500 meters, the urban bike proves to be extremely handy for city residents and those in the suburbs even take them to work.
It seems everyone is happy with the arrangement, according to a national survey. JCDecaux replaces stolen or broken bikes fast enough, in return for advertising space. Following Lyon's success, its big sister Paris adopted the bikes in late 2007.
France is of course synonymous with its old quarters. This equates to Vieux-Lyon, a UNESCO-heritage site noted for its Renaissance architectonic heritage. Lyon's cobblestone old town seems perpetually radiant.
The main sight in Vieux-Lyon is St. Jean cathedral. Many come here to let time pass sitting and looking at its austere fa*ade. The 12th-century church houses a beautiful 14th-century astronomical clock, supposedly St. Louis' relic.
Vieu-Lyon's best-kept secret are the traboules. These "corridors" between buildings and courtyards run perpendicular to the river and were originally used as a passageway by silk workers. Many of the traboules are accessible to public.
In addition to its old heritage, Lyon has its fair share of museums and galleries. My personal favorite was the Musée des Beaux-Arts. Housed in a 17th-century Benedictine abbey, this museum offers remarkable collections from Egyptian temple doors to Rubens' masterpiece, The Adoration of the Magi.
The museum is just a backdrop to the animated Place de Terreaux next door. I pulled in my vélo at one of the many cafes.
Another favorite playground in town is Place Bellecour. At 310 meters by 200 meters, it is one of Europe's largest squares. Promenades, jogging and French ball games are practiced in this shaded open area.
Lyon is a great urban space and most noted for its mural trompe d'oeil, most of which illustrate its local characters.
A great example is the gigantic fresco in the rue de la Martinière. This theater depicts the men and women who made Lyon famous, from the Lumière brothers to Antoine St-Exupéry. These great murals can be found in any of Lyon's nine arrondissements and along the river banks.
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