Lyon is located in the south-east of France in the valley of the Rhone River, on both its banks. It is the third most populated and the second largest city in the country. A little to the east of it, the foothills of the Alps begin. A great disagreement among historians is the question of when Lyon was founded. France in the early Middle Ages was a kind of constantly changing conglomerate of feudal territories. Lyon has always been prominent among them. But the first settlements on its territory existed in antiquity. A lot of material evidence, imprinted in stone, has been preserved about them. The monuments of the Roman Empire can be admired by everyone who comes to Lyon. France at that time was called Gaul. But Lyon became a full-fledged city much later.
Lyon, France: Attractions
First of all, Lyon is a big, beautiful city with a dynamic, eventful life. It's never boring here. Here is a constant whirlpool of events of social, commercial, cultural, scientific and sports life. It is a city of outstanding art museums and unique monuments of medieval Gothic architecture. It has been repeatedly noted that any country should begin to studynot from the capital, but from the province. It is precisely such a bright French province that Lyon is. France is perceived differently from here than from Paris. This is where you should go if you want to understand this country.
The most significant architectural sights of the city include such magnificent examples of Gothic architecture as the Saint-Jean Cathedral and the Basilica of Notre-Dame-de-Fourviere. One of the most original architectural monuments is the Fourviere metal tower, erected on top of the hill of the same name. It is an exact copy of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Curiously, its peak is at the same height as its closest relative in the capital. Magnificent in their unique appearance, many of the central streets and squares of the city, ancient bridges across the Rhone and its tributary Sona.
It's not often that you see a city that has preserved its architectural integrity and harmony to such a high degree as Lyon. France has always been distinguished by the fact that it is customary to honor traditions and respect historical and cultural heritage. And here, in the southeast, it is no less noticeable than in Paris.
France, Lyon: city map and tourist sites on it
Like many ancient cities built and rebuilt over the centuries, Lyon is characterized by the fact that it is not so easy to understand its topography. But the logic is still there. Therefore, the best option would be to acquire upon arrivalat the hotel with a city card.
Tourist infrastructure, by the way, is very well developed here. And in your travels and walking around the city, you should constantly refer to this map. Very quickly, he will cease to be unfamiliar and incomprehensible. And most of the sights, as you would expect, are located in its center.
