A Taste of Lyon ~ October 7-8, 2019
A Taste of Lyon ~ October 7-8, 2019
We will spend two days in Lyon - just long enough to get a taste of this third largest city in France!
First, as always, a bit about the city. Lyon is the third-largest city in France. It is located about 292 miles south of Paris and 199 miles north of Marseille at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône Rivers. With a bit more than half a million inhabitants, it is the capital of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. The region is known for its cuisine and gastronomy, as well as its historical and architectural landmarks. Part of the city is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Lyonnais are known historically as an important area for the production and weaving of silk. It is also well known for the contributions of Auguste and Louis Lumière, who invented the cinematograph.
According to the historian Dio Cassius, in 43 BC, the Roman Senate ordered the creation of a settlement for Roman refugees of war with the Allobroges. These refugees had been expelled from Vienne and were now encamped at the confluence of the Saône and Rhône rivers. The foundation was built on Fourvière hill and officially called Colonia Copia Felix Munatia, a name invoking prosperity and the blessing of the gods. The city became increasingly referred to as Lugdunum (and occasionally Lugudunum). The earliest translation of this Gaulish place-name as "Desired Mountain" is offered by the 9th-century Endlicher Glossary. In contrast, some modern scholars have proposed a Gaulish hill-fort named Lug[o]dunon, after the Celtic god Lugus ('Light', cognate with Old Irish Lugh, Modern Irish Lú), and dúnon (hill-fort).
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The Romans recognized that Lugdunum's strategic location at the convergence of two navigable rivers made it a natural communications hub. The city became the starting point of the principal Roman roads in the area, and it quickly became the capital of the province, Gallia Lugdunensis. Two Emperors were born in this city: Claudius, whose speech is preserved in the Lyon Tablet in which he justifies the nomination of Gallic Senators, and Caracalla.
Early Christians in Lyon were martyred for their beliefs under the reigns of various Roman emperors, most notably Marcus Aurelius and Septimius Severus. Local saints from this period include Blandina, Pothinus, and Epipodius, among others. In the second century AD, the great Christian bishop of Lyon was the Easterner, Irenaeus. To this day, the archbishop of Lyon is still referred to as "Primat des Gaules".
Burgundians fleeing the destruction of Worms by the Huns in 437 were re-settled at Lugdunum. In 443 the Romans established the Kingdom of the Burgundians, and Lugdunum became its capital in 461. In 843, by the Treaty of Verdun, Lyon went to the Holy Roman Emperor Lothair I. It later was made part of the Kingdom of Arles. Lyon did not come under French control until the 14th century.
In the late 15th century, the fairs introduced by Italian merchants made Lyon the economic counting-house of France. Even the Bourse (treasury), built in 1749, resembled a public bazaar where accounts were settled in the open air. When international banking moved to Genoa, then Amsterdam, Lyon remained the banking center of France.
During the Renaissance, the city's development was driven by the silk trade, which strengthened its ties to Italy. Italian influence on Lyon's architecture is still visible among historic buildings. In the late 1400s and 1500s Lyon was also a key center of literary activity and book publishing, both of French writers (such as Maurice Scève, Antoine Heroet, and Louise Labé) and of Italians in exile (such as Luigi Alamanni and Gian Giorgio Trissino).
The city became an important industrial town during the 19th century. In 1831 and 1834, the canuts (silk workers) of Lyon staged two major uprisings for better working conditions and pay. In 1862, the first of Lyon's extensive network of funicular railways began operation.
During World War II, Lyon was a center for the occupying Nazi forces, including Klaus Barbie, the infamous "Butcher of Lyon". But the city was also a stronghold of the French Resistance – the many secret passages known as traboules enabled people to escape Gestapo raids. On 3 September 1944, Lyon was liberated by the 1st Free French Division and the Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur. The city is now home to a resistance museum.
The Rhône and Saône converge to the south of the historic city center, forming a peninsula – the "Presqu'île" – bounded by two large hills to the west and north and a large plain eastward. Place Bellecour is located on the Presqu'île between the two rivers and is the third-largest public square in France. The broad, pedestrian-only Rue de la République leads north from Place Bellecour.
The northern hill is La Croix-Rousse, known as "the hill that works" because it is traditionally home to many small silk workshops, an industry for which the city has long been renowned.
The western hill is the Fourvière, known as "the hill that prays" because it is the location for the basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, several convents, and the residence of the Archbishop. The district, Vieux Lyon, also hosts the Tour métallique (a highly visible TV tower, replicating the last stage of the Eiffel Tower) and one of the city's funicular railways. Fourvière, along with portions of the Presqu'île and much of La Croix-Rousse, is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
East of the Rhône from the Presqu'île is a large flat area upon which sits much of modern Lyon and contains most of the city's population. Situated in this area is the urban center of La Part-Dieu which clusters the landmark structures Tour Part-Dieu, Tour Oxygène, and Tour Swiss Life, as well as the city's primary railway station, Gare de Lyon-Part-Dieu.
North of this district is the sixth arrondissement, which is home to one of Europe's largest urban parks, the Parc de la Tête d'or, as well as Lycée du Parc and Interpol's world headquarters.
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October 7, 2019
Our first day took us on a tour called "Panoramic Lyon."
Our guide, Christian, was - as usual - is highly knowledgeable about all things Lyon. Our tour began with a bus ride to the top of a dramatic hill overlooking Lyon. Here stands the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière. A minor basilica, it was built with private funds between 1872 and 1884 in a dominant position overlooking the city. The site it occupies was once the Roman forum of Trajan.
According to Wikipedia, Notre-Dame de Fourvière is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, to honor her for saving the city from the bubonic plague that swept Europe in 1643. Every year in early December, Lyon thanks the Virgin Mary for saving the city by lighting candles throughout the city, in what is called the Fête des Lumières or the Festival of Lights.
The Virgin is also credited with saving the city a number of other times, such as from a cholera epidemic in 1832, and from the Prussian invasion in 1870.
Pierre Bossan's design of the basilica draws inspiration from both Romanesque and Byzantine architecture. It has four main bell towers and a bell tower topped with a gilded statue of the Virgin Mary. It features fine mosaics, superb stained glass, and a crypt of Saint Joseph.
Christian told us that the basilica has acquired the local nickname of "the upside-down elephant" because the building looks like the body of an elephant and the four towers look like its legs.
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| Scale Model of Lyon |
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| Panoramic View of the City of Lyon |
This plaque recounts the construction history of the basilica. On October 8, 1870, the Lyonnaise "made a wish" to construct a church to the Virgin Mary for saving them from the invasion. The first stone was laid on December 1, 1872. The first mass was celebrated on June 16, 1896, and the church was consecrated on March 16, 1897.
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| Guilded vaulted ceiling |
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| Tapestries adorn the walls |
Whenever we visit the churches of Europe I am overwhelmed by the sheer opulence and grandeur of these holy places.
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Outside the church was an accordion player playing French country songs as we boarded our bus.
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| Painted House |
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| Trompe L'Oeil ~ The Brothers Lumiere |
Our next stop was to see this trompe l'oeil painted building. Evidently, Lyon is well known as the "city of murals" because buildings throughout the city are painted with a variety of different murals. For the last forty years, a group of muralists has been transforming the city into a massive outdoor art gallery. These murals depict historical events or famous people or even the "mundane moments of everyday life." Christian told us that there are more than 150 murals across Lyon! The building Christian took us to depicts about thirty of Lyon's famous figures from both past and present. He pointed out the Roman emperor Claudius, the Lumière brothers, and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, author of The Little Prince.
We did not go to see the most famous of the murals, a 13,000 square foot Mur des Canuts, or Wall of the Canuts, in the hilly Croix-Rousse district. This mural shows a large staircase marching up at the center of the painting towards some distant buildings.
It's hard to believe that this is a painting on the side of a building! The artists break the painting down into small squares. Each square is projected onto a wall and a sheet of tracing paper is taped over it. Using a spiked roller, the artists trace around the outline of the image, punching tiny holes in the paper. Next, the artist blows black powder through the holes, transferring the outline onto the plaster of the building. Then, the painting begins. Each mural takes between two and nine months to finish!
All too soon it was time to move on to our next stop - a walk through a portion of Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon).
Christian took us through one of the traboules. Traboules ("to cross") are a type of passageway primarily associated with Lyon but also found in a few other French cities. In Lyon they were originally used by silk manufacturers and other merchants to transport their products. They are thought to date back to the fourth century. When the inhabitants moved to the banks of the Saone, the traboules allowed them to get from their homes to the river quickly and allowed the canuts (silk workers) on the La Croix-Rousse hill to get quickly from their workshops to the textile merchants at the foot of the hill.
During the resistance movement of World War II, the traboules were credited with helping to prevent the Germans from taking complete control. Today, they serve as courtyards and entryways to apartments that, according to Christian, are becoming more and more sought after.
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| This shop had the most delicious-looking pizzas in the windows! |
There were chalkboards listing the type of pizza and the price on either side of the windows. The display was colorful and mouthwatering.
After a brilliant walking tour, we headed back to the ship and a bit of a nap in our stateroom. But before we pulled the curtains, we noticed this little friend swimming by!
Later in the day we had our required "safety drill" -- no lives were lost!
Cocktail hour in the Aquavit Lounge is a daily treat. Our "Chef du Bar," Kevin introduced me to an amazing rose, to which I am now addicted. Jeff enjoyed either Jack Daniels on the rocks or the occasional gin and tonic. We made good use of our "silver beverage package."
This evening we were treated to a cocktail party, complete with hor d'ouevres, to introduce us to our Captain and the heads of the departments. The captain is a Frenchman, but the majority of the crew were eastern European, which I found very interesting. Another interesting fact was that the second in command of the ship was a very petite woman (in photo left above, standing next to the Captain).
Program Director, Michael Bright (center) next to our Maitre D'hotel on the left, and the restaurant manager on the right with the microphone. Michael spoke perfectly British accented English, but he is, in fact, Portuguese. I never would have known.
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| Chef Martin, is also British, and prepared delicious food for us! |
After a welcome toast, the captain and crew went guest to guest to clink glasses and welcome us all on board. This, I thought, was a very nice touch.
October 9, 2019 ~ Lyon, Part II
Last night a gentleman from the Museum of the Resistance in Lyon gave a fascinating talk about the French resistance during World War II - very enjoyable. Thus, I was delighted when we joined our group this morning and found that Jean was going to be our guide for the day!
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| Jean, our guide for the day! |
As we began our trip, Jean spoke about the terroir Beaujolais that we would be visiting. A French appellation, Beaujolais is generally made from the Gamay grape, which has a thin skin and is low in tannins. Whites in the region are made of the Chardonnay grape. The region is known for its single grape wines - "we never mix them," Jean said.
Jean then proceded to talk about the differences in Beaujolais. Beaujolais Nouveau, he said, is the most well known of the Beaujolais wines, but, he added, this was not true Beaujolais! He then spoke about the Beaujolais-Village, the "intermediate category," with 39 villages producing wine. The terrain of this region is hillier with more schist and granite soil composition than is found in the regions of the Beaujolais, and the wine has the potential to be of higher quality. The winery we visited, Chateau de Pravins, is an example of a Beaujolais-Village.
It was quite the bus ride to the wine chateau, Chateau de Pravins, that we were assigned to visit. Jeff initially took the window seat and found the reflections a bit disorienting. I knew that things were not as they should be when he immediately took a seat during our "comfort stop" in a small town call Beaujeu. Fortunately, it did not blossom into a vertigo attack, and after our brief stop, he sat in the aisle seat and felt better.
In France, "Hotel de Ville" is the City Hall. Every Hotel de Ville we passed had the French motto, Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite, inscribed on the front of the building. In some villages we did not see a Hotel de Ville, but instead saw a Mairie (Mayor's Office) with the same motto. Wikipedia tells me that both names mean City Hall.
The Église Saint-Nicolas de Beaujeu (exterior above) dates from the 12th century. Although this was just a quick stop (bathroom break), we took a quick look inside.
All too soon we were off to Chateau de Pravins where we were greeted by the owner and winemaker, Isabelle. She was quite charming, and although it was clear she either understood English OR she just knew the questions Jean was going to ask her. Jean served as interpreter as she conducted a fascinating tour.
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| Grounds of Chateau Perrins |
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| Chateau Perrins - Dating from the 12th Century |
Here Isabelle is talking about the two grapes she grows on the property - the Gamay and the Chardonnay. She is one of a very small number of female winemakers, and she says that the younger winemakers (who are males) are more welcoming to her then the older male winemakers!
The property is absolutely magnificent -- buildings dating back to the 1200s! By 1251, Pravins was a vineyard owned by Guy de La Bessée. Isabelle Brossard became the winemaker in 2005 and began using organic methods. There are only 6-hectares as part of the vineyard today. Part of the farm is planted with very old Gamay varietals planted in 1928 and 1932.
The grapes are harvested by hand and fermented in this building, aged in oak barrels and then bottled. Isabelle indicated that she produces 20,000 bottles a year. The grapes are sorted in the vineyard and go through openings directly into the fermentation vats. Heating and cooling systems for each vat allow for individual temperature and fermentation control. A pneumatic press, installed above the vats allows the pressed juice to flow by gravity directly into the chosen vat. Each vat may be different, and when the fermentation is complete, the wines are combined. The white wines are pressed immediately after harvest. The juice is allowed to settle for 24 hours in order to separate the must from the sediment. The must is then pumped into another vat where the fermentation process begins.
The keystone (above left) is original to the Chateau, and is the major motif on the wine labels.
We were treated to ample "tastes" of four different wines. We started with the "crement" (the sparkling white), which both Jeff and I found delightful. A basket of homemade bread was passed around after each wine was tasted. The bread, baked by a neighbor, was filled with nuts and dried fruits and was amazingly delicious. Next, we tried a Chardonnay, which was also delicious. Two Beaujolais-Villages followed - both were enjoyable as well.
The cave not only is home to barrels of wine being aged, but also is the tasting room - large enough to hold a busload of people!
The "cave" was absolutely gorgeous - the perfect place for a relatively large group to have a tasting. I love the way the picture above came out as it really showcases in an artistic way the delicious wines we tasted.
After the tasting, we were given some free time to wander the grounds. Jeff and I wandered into the vines themselves, capturing the beauty of the end-of-harvest colors. There were still some clusters of Gamay grapes on the vines -- these were the ones deemed too small or not quite up to standard to be used. We each tasted a grape or two and declared them sweet and very flavorful. It's no wonder that we enjoyed the Beaujolais-Villages that we tasted.
All too soon it was time to board the bus and head back to the ship. This excursion is one that will stay with me for a very long time. Beautiful scenery, delightful guide, fabulous hostess, delicious wines - what more could a girl ask for!
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| Jeff enjoying the sunshine on the Aquevit Terrace |
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| Chef Martin, supervising and serving us lunch |
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| Chef Jose and Chef Martin were usually the ones serving lunch on the Aquevit Terrace |
Back aboard the ship, we enjoyed a buffet lunch on the Aquavit Terrace. I have become addicted to a delicious rose wine called Tavel -- it is fruity, but rich and full-bodied -- just delightful as it lingers on the tongue long after the sip has been swallowed. Soup, a wonderful savoy cabbage slaw dressed with a sherry vinaigrette flavored with finely chopped figs and dried apricots -- definitely something I want to try to create at home. There was also sliced turkey breast with a cranberry-port sauce. We chatted with the chef to find out how it is made. He told us he starts with a rich turkey stock, adds some port wine, and reduces it to a syrup before adding the cranberries and a bit more turkey stock. Again, something I will experiment with back at home.
Dinner was a Lyonnaise buffet in celebration of the region. After dinner there was some dancing in the lounge - even the crew got involved!
Our two days in Lyon have flown by, and before we knew it we were on our way down the river to our next port of call, Vienne.
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