Lovely Lyon 

As I sit here, at a ‘Bouchon’, on my last day in Lyon, I can’t help but smile. I do this for many reasons:

• It’s the 8th time I’ve been in France in 2.5 years. I’m so happy I made it here so many times, and - with the exception of 3 trips to Paris - discovered new places that I haven’t been to before.
• I just watch the US Women’s National Team win the World Cup!!!
• I got to spend quality time with a dear friend
• Last summer when my friend Emily and I went on our Marseilles/Provence trip, we considered beginning in Lyon, but for a few reasons didn’t. While I wouldn’t have changed anything about that trip, I can’t help but laugh at the fact we passed on Lyon at the time, because in my 4.5 days here, I have fallen in love with the city!

Lyon is the third largest city in France, behind Paris and Marseilles, respectively. It’s way bigger than I would have thought and has its own unique history and culture that really sets it apart from Paris. 

For starters, the city is known as the food capital of France, and I would not disagree. Meal after meal, it’s a celebration for the palate. You do have to be a bit of an adventurous eater though to fully enjoy what it has to offer, and you definitely cannot be a vegetarian! 

Lyon is famous for its ‘Bouchon’, or Lyonnaise style restaurants. Bouchons started to pop up in the late 1800s, when les mères, or the mother’s, of the city started to create these restaurants to feed the growing working class of the city. With ‘normal’ cuts of meat being too expensive for the working class, they got creative with what they served, and how. Think pig intestines and head of veal. Bouchons have evolved today and flood the city, but make sure to bring your translator with you as many of the traditional dishes are still served on the menu. 

My Bouchon experience began on my first night in Lyon. Saturday evening. I found the highly recommended Cafe Du Jura on Presqu’ile, nearby where I was staying. I went for the full three course menu, because, really, is there any other way to do it in France? I started with a delicious grilled chicken salad, followed by the main event - a pike fish served almost in a baked pastry-like style smothered in a creamy lobster sauce. Of course, all accompanied by a rustic French baguette and delicious local wine. Absolutely divine. And not on the diet. C’est la vie! For dessert? A house-made chocolate mousse. It was delicious, but admittedly not as delicious as the chocolate mousse that I made with my friend Virginie at her house in Amsterdam. 

The next day was magical. I started with a walking tour of the city. We covered many of the main sites on Presqu’ile (‘almost’ island), which is the 2nd arrondissement of the city. It’s a peninsula that sits in the middle two main rivers - the Rhône and the Saône. The architecture here reminded me of Paris, so it wasn’t surprising when the tour guide told us it was rebuilt at the end of the 1800s in the Haussmann style, giving off a Paris copycat effect. There are also many signs of Roman ruins around the city as Lyon was a flourishing Roman city back in the day, and if you look closely, you can find some of the most incredible street art. Can you spot it in the photos below? We also saw many unmistakably French buildings, like the Hotel de Ville (city hall), theatre, shopping promenades and open plazas before venturing over a footbridge to end in Vieux Lyon, or the old city. 

 The facade of this building is one big piece of street art! All the people incorporated into the building are pretty famous Lyonnais including Chef and Restauranteur Paul Bocuse, and Le Petit Prince author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

It was in the old city we learned of the rich history of Lyon, a working class city built off the backs of the silk workers. 

Silk worms were brought in from the countryside to keep the silk factories alive. In fact, when the silk worms came down with a plague, Louis Pasteur, yes, the pasteurization guy, was brought in to save the worms. He did, and they survived, as did the silk industry until Monsiquer Jacquard invented his infamous loom. The larger-than-life machine used punch cards to pre-program the machine. A precursor to the modern day computer, the Jacquard look cut hundreds of jobs whilst industrializing the industry. Many patterns still in use today stem from the original Jacquard loom punchcard patterns. 

While Lyon is still famous for silk today, the opening of the Panama canal and introduction of international trade really killed the industry here as cheaply imported silk from China and South America took over the need for local raw materials. Fun fact: Hermès still produces its famous silk scarves here in the city today, even though the raw material comes from elsewhere! 

                    This photo is made completely out of silk using the Jacquard Loom! 

                            Real silk worms! 

Another interesting thing I learned about Lyon is that is was the HQ of the French resistance during the war. That was mostly due to the fact that the old town is swarming with traboules, or hidden passage ways and courtyards, and the building all are equipped with cellars that go deep underground. The resistance became such an ‘issue’ for the Germans that they sent over Klaus Barbie to squash it. This terrorist used unimaginable ways to do so and after fleeing the country after the German occupation and hiding out in Bolivia, Barbie was found and brought back to Lyon to stand trial in 198? where he was sentenced to life in prison.

All this before noon!

And then it was time for the main event. The reason why I came to Lyon. The Women’s World Cup finals! When I got the tickets I had a pretty good chance the US would be playing, but I never could’ve imagined it would be USA v Netherlands. How amazing? 

The city was flooded with spirited American and Dutch fans. And that spirit intensified as you got closer to the stadium. What an incredible experience - 57,000 fans in the Stade de Lyon (Olympic stadium). 

I put a lot of thought into my outfit. Of course I was USA all the way, but what if the Dutch did pull ahead, or even worse - win?! I had to be prepared visually to also show my connection to the Netherlands. So, I went with my team USA Jersey with Carli Lloyd’s name on my back - I’ve been a fan since we worked with her at HEINEKEN in the US circa 2015-2016 - and my Dutch King’s Day accessories. The Dutch accessories came in handy twice - once when I was walking through the Dutch fan area, and second for the picture taken below. 

But back to the game, wow it was great. Admittedly I was on edge during the first half. I couldn’t believe we had gone 12+ minutes without a goal! You can’t help but start to get nervous. But then there was Rapinoe with the penalty shot that got us going, and we just didn’t stop. It was truly electrifying! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. 

You could hear chants of USA USA USA permeating throughout the city. 

The next day was Monday. My first day off! So, I did what anyone on a break would do. I slept in. It was the first time in months I could remember sleeping in without an alarm. And I needed it. I slept until 10:30am. Couldn’t tell you the last time I slept past 8. 

My friend Kristen and I then had a day of exploring. We went for a leisurely lunch in the old town followed by a hike up the hill to La Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière. It was a long way up with steep steps in 90 degree heat with full humidity, but the views from the top were worth it and the church was breathtaking. We took our time descending, weaving in and out of the small paths and passing the rose gardens. 

We even caught a soundcheck for a concert playing that evening at the Roman ampitheater on the top of the hill. 

And caught a live broadcast of the Today Show in Vieux Lyon! 

Once on the ground, we walked through the gardens of the Musée des Beaux Arts de Lyon and headed to our next destination, Le Parc de la Tête d'or. A beautiful park that reminded me of Central Park, it had perfectly manicured gardens, a zoo and a small lake with paddle boats. 

Hot, sweaty and tired, it only seemed right to scope out the best ice cream in the city - a stand with lines wrapped around the corner and 50+ flavors. If you ever visit Lyon, do not skip Glacier Terre Adelice! 

We rested before gearing up for dinner, another Bouchon experience, this time by one recommended by my friend Virginie.

Chez Chabert is also located in the old town. You walk in and immediately know this is the-real deal. There’s no English menu. In fact, there’s only one menu. It’s on a small chalkboard that gets passed around from table to table. This is only appropriate for a restaurant that is family style. There are 7 starters, including a charcuterie plate. The starters are in big serving dishes and make their way from table to table. 3 to start, followed by 3 more. The bread basket is kept full and the wine is flowing. 

The main dishes arrived. Fresh out of the oven and scorching hot. And then it’s time for dessert and it’s back to the same family-style service. The plums, meringue, flan and prunes make their way from table to table. If you walk out of there any other way than terribly full, you’ve done it wrong! And there's nothing else you can do except walk it off as the sun sets over the river and enjoy the beauty of the city! 

On Tuesday it was a day dedicated to relaxing. Kind of. Another day to sleep in followed by the ultimate French picnic lunch. Like many French cities, Lyon is know for its produce markets. Taking full advantage of this, I stocked up on tapenade, olives and sundried tomato, grabbed a fresh baguette and voila! Lunch was served. The most perfect kind of picnic. 

After lunch it was time to hit the shops. After all, late June/early July is sale season in France, as it is in most of Europe. I had a blast spending all afternoon popping in and out of my favorite French stores - Sessun, Maje, Kookai, Sandro, and more. My suitcase is noticeably bulging. 

And then I finally did what I had been wanting to, but it was way too hot to do. I went for a run! It was beautiful along the banks of the Rhône. It was perfect.

I ended the evening watching the sun set at a wonderful Paul Bocuse restaurant, Brasserie Le Sud. It was recommended by a friend and I highly recommend it, particularly if you’re looking for good food that is more modern and a departure from the heavy Bouchon cuisine. Bocuse was a staple in the city. Famous for inventive lyonnais cuisine, he has numerous restaurants ranging from 3 Michelin stars to casual. 

On my final day in this lovely city, I did my second walking tour. This time it was specific to the old town. It was repetitive to the first, but still learned a few new things plus got to visit this still active silk factory - so cool! 

And now, I finished off the last few bites of my last Bouchon meal. This time at the also highly recommended Bouchon Tupin. As much as I’ve loved Lyon, I think my stomach is ready for me to move on and lay-off the baguettes, food drenched in creamy sauces, and decadent sweets for a while. 

            Side note: if you are in Lyon, you MUST try their famous praline tarts! 

I highly recommend visiting this lovely city! The people are friendly, the sites are beautiful, and the food is magnificent! I even got by using my poor French most of the time without having to switch to English. 

But now, it’s off to meet my friend Amanda is Ibiza for a few days of sun and sand! 

Until next time...