If you travel by car on the Route du Soleil to Southern Europe, you will pass the large city of Lyon, it is very rare that people come up with the idea of a city trip. But while you speed past it on the highway, you miss all the beauty that this beautiful city and region has to offer. A city trip by plane certainly makes Lyon a suitable destination for a weekend away. Get to know the interior of France and discover the gems of French culture.
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During a press trip to Focal, the French producer of high-end speakers that are renowned worldwide for their stunning sound and stunning design, I also learned about the surroundings of the beautiful city of Lyon know. In addition to being fully briefed there about the Focal Kanta that I wrote about earlier, we also see a lot of the environment. In this blog post I will take you on a journey to this part of France where there is a lot to see and experience.
This city trip is not my first visit to Lyon by the way. In the past, when I went on holiday with my parents to the Côte d'Azur and the Costa Brava, we often interrupted the long car journey with an overnight stay in the Lyon area. Nine years ago I did that again with my own family. In order to make the return journey after a camping holiday on the Mediterranean Sea pleasant for our children – and certainly for ourselves, we also decided to stop over in Lyon and get to know the city that we have passed so often. had arrived in a packed car. And we all liked that. A nice change from a long and boring car trip back to the Netherlands.
So it's been a while since I visited Lyon and I'm really looking forward to visiting this third major city in France in preparation for the press trip to Focal.
Via a direct KLM flight from Amsterdam, I, together with the other participants of the press trip, fly to Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport in just over an hour. This is a small and well-organized airport and because we only have hand luggage with us for the three-day trip, we are outside soon after we land.
With a free shuttle bus from the airport we are taken to the pick-up place where our rental car is waiting. It strikes me that there is a very large train station with which you can also travel to the center of Lyon in no time. Ideal if you book a weekend in Lyon for a city trip.
Although Lyon is known as the third largest city in France after Paris and Marseille, in my opinion it does not look like a massive city. But it does have the allure of a metropolis. You can take part in city traffic with your car without any problems and it is less chaotic on the road than, for example, in Paris.
We have an appointment with the Marketing Director of Focal at 3 pm on the main square in the lower part of Lyon, the Place Bellecour † This large and red paved square in Lyon is worth a visit during your city trip. It is a French historical monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Under this huge square is a large parking garage. Really an ideal place to park your car.
You can use the square as a starting point to explore the city of Lyon. You would expect it to be busy on a Sunday afternoon with finding a parking space, but luckily there is enough space. A few stairs up will quickly bring you to Place Bellecour and overlook a statue of Louis XIV on horseback in the middle of the red-colored square, sparkling in the afternoon sun. We are so lucky with the weather!
We meet Sebastian from Focal who acts as a guide that afternoon to show us the beautiful places of Lyon. From the square we walk towards the historic center of the French metropolis. We cross the river Saône over and view the higher part of the city with the Notre-Dame de Fourvière as the eye-catcher on the top of the hill.
I remember from my last visit to Lyon that it is quite a climb to the top and I am secretly a bit relieved. Sebastian buys us tickets so that we can go up with a funicular, so we don't have to climb in the heat. It is busy with tourists but we don't have to wait long because the tram that is pulled up by a cable leaves every 10 minutes. When you arrive at the top, you don't know how fast you want to grab your camera, because what a breathtaking view, you want to capture that on a digital image!
During our city trip, we first visit Notre-Dame de Fourvière in Lyons. The famous white basilica that so characteristically adorns the skyline of the Fourvière hill. Dating back to 1872, this church enjoys international attention every December during the Fête des lumières event, or Lyon's festival of lights. The basilica and many other objects in the city are then illuminated in an artistic way. The world-famous festival of lights has its origins in the Middle Ages and is intended to honor the Virgin Mary. She has been the patron saint of the city of Lyon since 1643 after a major outbreak of plague.
The church is open to the public that afternoon and I notice that besides the tourists there are also many people who came for Sunday prayers. Every few minutes, "sssstttt" is shouted as the buzz keeps growing. I enjoy the special atmosphere, the beautiful stained glass windows, the exuberant decoration of the church and the many candles lit for loved ones we have to miss.
Out again it is time to enjoy the beautiful view from the Fourvière hill in the lower part of the city. This is highly recommended if you are making a city trip in Lyon. You can look very far and take endless pictures of the views.
Before we go back down Sebastian also shows us another very impressive sight. The open-air theater from the Roman era, Théâtres Romains de Fourvière † Lyon was the capital of the Roman Empire at the beginning of our era. The Roman excavations with a great Amphitheater are still the witnesses of this. It seems to have great acoustics with two open air theaters. Every year in the month of June, there are open air performances with theater and music by artists from all countries. So you really should not miss this if you are on a city trip in Lyon in June!
We continue our way back down with the funicular. Before you know it, you'll be back on the ground in the low-lying historical center of Lyon † There is plenty of bustle and entertainment, many terraces and many visitors. We pass the famous Lyon Cathedral which is officially église Saint-Jean-Baptiste-et-Saint-Étienne is often called cathédrale Saint-Jean or primacy of Lyon. We do not visit this one, but it is a recommendation during your city trip to Lyon. However, we are ready for a refreshing drink on a terrace.
It is not easy to find a free table in the afternoon of a sun-drenched Sunday in Lyon, but after a bit of searching we settle down at Bar Le Florian † Picturesquely located on Place de la Baleine we enjoy a refreshing drink in the shade. Then we continue our tour towards the parking garage and cross the river Saône over via the red bridge Passarelle du Palais de Justice † There is no longer any question of a lock bridge, that became too heavy. Now there are all kinds of declarations of love hanging from red cardboard hearts, which I think is nice.
On our way back we pass Fontaine des Jacobins , an Instagram worthy square with fountains from 1556. From there it is a short walk to Place Bellecour where our rental car is parked.
We leave the city of Lyon during our city trip and drive west to Saint Etienne where the hotel where we stay is located nearby. After a journey of about 60 minutes we arrive in the village of Saint-Galmier , located in the Loire department.
Rooms have been reserved for us in the very quiet location Hotel The Originals Domaine la Charpinière (ex Relais du Silence). It is located just outside the village boundary and the complex is entirely low-rise. We check in and are all allocated a room in the new part. Time to rest and freshen up before dinner.
Because the hotel la Charpinière has no floors, the surface of the site and the buildings is quite large. It is therefore a short walk through the corridors until I arrive at my room. A lovely double room with bathroom, minibar and private terrace. Delicious, I like that. I open the patio doors and look out onto a furnished terrace, a garden and across the street I also see hotel rooms, each with a terrace. A white cotton terry bathrobe is laid out on the bed for you to use if you want to go to the pool or use the spa facilities.
Unfortunately I don't have enough time for that. I make a cup of tea, plop on the bed and immediately feel that this is a wonderful mattress. I will sleep well tonight. But first we will have a bite to eat with the company of the press trip. I'm looking forward to that because French cuisine is known for its culinary delights and the Burgundian influences of the region.
On the terrace at the hotel, where you can also dine perfectly, we first have a drink before we leave on foot to the restaurant. A short 10-minute walk to the village of Saint-Galmier , known for its water sources where the prestigious natural sparkling mineral water Badoit bubbles. This bottled spring water is also free for all residents of this French village.
That evening we dine at a typical local restaurant –O Deux Bouchons – where we are warmly welcomed. The menus are written in white chalk on black boards and the price-quality ratio is really great. The atmosphere is casual, the interior looks a bit dated, but the nice ambiance and combination with the excellent food make this a restaurant I would definitely go to again. I chose a salmon tartare in advance, the main course was cod fillet and the dessert was a delicious tiramisu of Nutella and Speculoos. Too tasty and a bit too strong for me. Together with the delicious local wines and the sparkling Badoit spring water, it was a perfect dinner in an informal setting. Highly recommended!
After a nice meal we walk back to Hotel la Charpinière and everyone retires to their rooms for a well-deserved night's rest. I take a refreshing rain shower and then fall asleep like a log. It is so wonderfully quiet and the bed is so comfortable that I can sleep through the night without waking up.
I get up in time to shower, get dressed and have plenty of time for breakfast before visiting the Focal factories. The breakfast room is tastefully decorated and a table has already been reserved for us. I first look for coffee and a helpful lady kindly shows me the way where I can get a cappuccino. Delicious coffee from freshly ground coffee beans and fresh milk. In addition, there is a large orange juice machine where you can squeeze fresh orange juice.
I see a wide choice of fresh croissants, the real ones, which you only find in France. Also pain aux chocolats, baguettes and regular bread and toast. With the crepe maker you can make 2 fresh mini pancakes at the touch of a button. You can boil your egg soft or hard according to your wishes or choose from scrambled eggs, sausages and bacon. For bread you can choose from various French cheeses, meats, jams and much more. Do you like to eat cereal in the morning? Then you also have a wide choice and you can supplement that with various yogurt flavors and fresh fruit salad. Most striking to me is the slanted honey plate where the honey dripping from the bones. You can't get it fresher than this.
After an extensive breakfast it is time to go to the main goal of our press trip, visiting the Focal factory in Saint Etainne. You can read all about it in my other blog post for Mamsatwork. We conclude an intensive and educational day in the evening with dinner in the center of Saint Etienne at restaurant Le Canopy †
Just like the previous evening a typical French restaurant with local dishes. Although I manage well in the French language, it is also nice that the wait staff also likes to speak English with us. The decor is modern and sleek and I notice that it is quite quiet in the restaurant, but it is Monday evening and that may explain the low number of guests.
The menu is not too extensive so that you do not suffer from choice stress. As an entrance I choose a dish with avocado and shrimps that is served in a thin and crispy baked dough creation. Very tasty! Tonight I choose meat. The region is known for the tender beef from the white cows and of course I want to taste that. I am served a warm rectangular granite plate with a medium fried filet de boeuf in a creamy mushroom sauce.
They didn't say too much, this meat is so tender and juicy! You rarely get it like this with us in the Netherlands. For dessert I choose a cheese board, but this turns out to be a very generously filled plate with delicious French cheeses. I had expected some small pieces of cheese but this really surpassed everything. Here too, wines from the region are served as the finishing touch to the tasty meal. Very late we are finally back in Hotel la Charpinière.
The next morning the alarm goes off again early. After breakfast we check out for a 2 hour drive in the car north to the village of Bourbon Lancy † This is where the Focal cabinet factory is located, where the wooden cabinets are made. The surroundings are beautiful with a rolling landscape where white cows graze peacefully. After a tour of the Focal factory, we conclude the press trip with lunch in the picturesque village of Bourbon Lancy †
We park the car in the old and historic center of the small village and continue there on foot in the car-free zone. It seems as if time has stood still here. I see old half-timbered houses and the residents have placed many flower boxes that are carefully kept.
La Grignotte du Vieux Bourbon is the name of the small restaurant located in the middle of the beautiful medieval center. The decor is cozy and traditional and the service friendly. I opt for a savory crepe with salmon that tastes delicious and take the opportunity to squeeze in and snap some photos of the enchanting surroundings while the others order another coffee. There is so much beauty to see that I still want to discover. I shoot some nice pictures of picturesque medieval streets.
We then begin our return journey to Lyon airport, which takes about two hours. In the evening we land at Schiphol again and say goodbye to each other.
Looking back on a fantastic trip, I would have liked to have stayed a little longer to get to know the area a little better. Lyon I can heartily recommend it as a nice stopover from a car holiday to the south and also as a weekend getaway, it is a great metropolis to discover the city with ancient histories and many sights.
The Hotel la Charpinière is an hour's drive from bustling Lyon and is a wonderfully quiet place to relax. It is a child-friendly hotel with an outdoor pool and plenty of space for walking with playgrounds. There is also a spa where you can book beauty treatments and massages for a fee. The rooms are clean, modernly furnished and fully equipped. The terrace with seating is very nice.
If you drive through the interior of France, a visit to the medieval villageBourbon Lancy with its colorful flowers and old half-timbered houses, it is a must-see.
In short, if you are looking for a nice destination where it is nice to stay and where you can enjoy culinary delights, then this region of France is highly recommended!
