LYON

All it takes is a stroll through the narrow streets of Old Lyon to get a feel for the city’s vast history, spanning more than 2,000 years. Stroll around, lose yourself in the traboules and alleyways of the Croix-Rousse, and, for a moment, imagine the rhythms of the weaving of Lyon's silk workers, the famous canuts. Take a moment to appreciate the legendary banter of the traditional puppet 'Guignol', created in around 1808 by Laurent Mourguet, and smell the mouth-watering aromas wafting from the kitchens of 'Lyon's Mothers'.

This is the capital of the Gaulois people… With its bouchons (the traditional Lyonnais restaurants), brasseries, and Michelin-starred restaurants, Lyon is also the capital of French gastronomy, and its chefs shine in the pantheon of haute cuisine. The Bocuse d'Or - paying tribute to chef Paul Bocuse, its most illustrious ambassador who passed away in 2018 - acknowledges these chefs' culinary expertise throughout the world.

But this captivating city has many other equally refined and exceptional facets. Season after season, exhibitions and festivals fill the calendar: while the arts are on display at the Confluences Museum, contemporary dance performances flirt with rock concerts. During the summer, the stars twinkle for the Fourvière Nights concerts, and in winter, the Festival of Lights sets the sky ablaze with spectacular light shows on its monuments. The creative spirit of the Left Bank is more alive than ever on the walls of buildings adorned with monumental frescoes illustrating the past and contemporary history of the city. As night falls, a merry bustle invades the streets, glasses of Beaujolais clink, the hour of the sacrosanct aperitif rings out. Laughter is heard, conversations ignite, and conviviality reigns over every table. Lyon combines exaltation with a good life that you will get to appreciate in any number of ways; by walking along the welcoming banks of the Rhône and Saône, or by going for a picnic in the Tête d'Or Park, and so much more.