🇫🇷 Lyon

“Life itself is the most wonderful fairy tale”

– Hans Christian Anderson

During another Euro Tour that consisted of Split in Croatia, Lyon and Budapest, I had around a 14 hour lay over in Lyon. Getting in to Lyon was quite late but as we drove in, I saw across the river that buildings were lit up. I didn’t know what they were but it looked magical, like something off a fairytale so as I did in Copenhagen, I got up super early in the morning and went out to explore Lyon.

After asking someone for directions, I headed towards the Saone River. I could see the Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière that stood beautifully at the top of Fourvière hill which is also known as ‘The Praying Hill’. I crossed over the bridge and there I discovered some of the amazing buildings. I thought Copenhagen was picturesque but then i discovered Lyon.

It was a Saturday morning and the local market was on. It was just how I imagined typical France to be and was awash with colour, an assortment of floral scents and stalls with fresh produce from fruit and vegetables to meats that was on offer and looked very popular with the locals.

I came across The Cathédrale St-Jean-Baptiste located on Place Saint-Jean and which is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. The Roman Catholic Cathedral was completed in 1476 after the build was started on the ruins of a 6th Century Church in 1180. Old buildings are my favourite to look at and to find out the history of so I went in to see it some more. There was an actual service going on with a lot of people in there and the choir sounded quite dramatic which felt like it added to the history of the area. It was a 2 Euro donation to enter into the Cathedral and unfortunately I only had my card on me as I wasn’t really there long enough to think I needed cash so I just had a look from the entrance then moved on.

The more I could see the Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière, the more I really wanted to go up and see it as it really did just look like a castle from a fairytale so I began the walk up the steep Fourviere Hill.

Time however wasn’t on my side, I didn’t know how long the walk would take so I was conscious of the fact that we had to leave for London in a few hours. I did however come across this amazing waterfall just randomly on the hillside that looked so pretty just amongst the greenery.

A few hours just wasn’t enough to spend in this amazing city but I felt grateful for the time I did get and how in just a short time it can enrich you and let your imagination run wild.