Tunnel under Vieux Lyon

Visiting a “foreign” country is a little like Alice going down the rabbit hole. When you emerge on the other side your world is turned upside down. Things no longer look like what you normally see. People behave differently and speak another language. It takes a little while to assimilate, but it’s well worth it.

This is what I saw from our hotel room window:

Our hotel was in the heart of Vieux (old) Lyon. A little on the quirky side, but very nice. At one time it was an old school, hence the name le Collège and the dormitory/school theme throughout. I thought the chairs on the outside of the building were whimsical.

The rooms were kind of sparse and all in white. Our closet was a locker. Every morning the linens were changed—all crisp and wonderfully fresh smelling. The hotel did not have a restaurant, only a breakfast room, but since so many restaurants were within a short walking distance it was not a problem. A continental breakfast awaited us each morning, complete with freshly squeezed orange juice, meat, cheese,  yogurt, and a variety of breads. I have to admit I was happy not to see beans, mushrooms and tomatoes offered which was part of our Irish breakfasts.

Painting in the reception area.

Lyon doesn’t really get the credit it is due. It’s always Paris, Paris, Paris! Lyon lies at the confluence of two mighty rivers: the Rhône and the Saône. The older part of the city being on the west side of the Saône, and la Presqu’île (almost an island), home to the best shopping streets, lies between the two rivers, and the newer parts of the city lie east of the Rhône. Quite a beautiful setting!

There are many beautiful forms of architecture. And you know me: I’m a doorway-and-window kind of girl.

Looking up at the ceilings of balconies.

The streets are narrow and cobblestoned.

The view from a little way up a montée, but more on montées in a another post! (Montées or rises consist of winding flights of steps and steeply sloping streets.)

to be continued ...

P.S. You can see an example of a montée in the second to last photo.