To truly understand Lyon’s history and its place in the greater European context, it is necessary to discuss its Roman origins. Founded in 43 B.C. as a home for Roman refugees shortly after the assassination of Julius Caesar, it was known as Lugdunum, or “Desired Mountain.” The Romans recognized that its prime location at the convergence of two rivers connected northern and southeastern France, resulting in the perfect communications hub; consequently, they decided to make Lyon both the starting point of the main Roman roads throughout Gaul (the predecessor of modern-day France) and the capital of Gaul. Lyon’s silk trade drove its industrial development during the Renaissance, and the fifteenth century bazaars and fairs of Italian merchants in Lyon led to the city’s high economic importance. Later, during World War II, Lyon served as the center of the French Resistance. Its geographic location placed it under the Vichy regime, meaning it was technically unoccupied although the Nazis did inhabit the city for several years. Today, Lyon stands as the third largest city in France; a major center for the financial, chemical, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology sectors; the French gastronomic capital; and the international headquarters of Euronews and Interpol.
The best place to begin a tour of Lyon is undoubtedly at the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière; built in the late 1800s as a “thank you” to the Virgin Mary after she supposedly saved the city from Prussian forces during the Franco-Prussian War, it does not have an impressively long history. It does, however, offer a beautiful panoramic view of the city, allowing visitors to gain an understanding of Lyon’s overall layout before exploring it more in-depth. Ruins of two Roman amphitheaters can be found a short walk west of the basilica, along with the Gallo-Roman Museum which further details Lyon’s ancient origins. In the summertime, concerts are held at these amphitheaters, perfectly blending the ancient history with the new culture. From there, it is best to make your way down the hill following the winding cobblestoned streets of Vieux Lyon, the city’s Medieval and Renaissance quarter. This neighborhood is replete with shops and restaurants, but its most special gems are hidden behind closed doors; beginning in the 4th century, traboules—hidden passageways—were constructed throughout Vieux Lyon and the Croix-Rousse hill, enabling silk makers to move quickly between their workshops and the textile merchants. In the 20th century, these same traboules helped Resistance fighters and other locals escape Gestapo raids. If you know which doors to look behind, you can still access many of these traboules today. While in Vieux Lyon, visitors should eat at a traditional Lyonnais restaurant, called a bouchon, and sample the local dishes such as sausage or duck pâté. Next on the itinerary is a visit to La Maison des Canuts in Croix-Rousse, a museum dedicated to the importance of the fabrication of silk in the history and development of Lyon. Afterwards, we would journey to Place Bellecour, one of the largest town squares in Europe. There is not much to see here beyond a statue of Louis XIV, but its location in the center of the city between the two rivers provides a good opportunity to reorient yourself geographically, especially as the Fourvière Basilica is quite visible from the open plaza. The final stop on our guided walking tour would be at the Centre d’histoire de la résistance et de la déportation, a museum dedicated to detailing the story of the French Resistance fighters and the deportation of the Jews, specifically from Lyon and the surrounding region. In the evening, it would be a fun cultural activity to attend an opera or other musical performance at the Opéra Nouvel.
If the weather is nice, a good free-time activity is a picnic! The St. Antoine Market is open everyday except Monday along the banks of the Saône and offers the perfect place to purchase food, with dozens of vendors offering fresh produce, meats, cheeses, and breads. You will mingle with Lyonnais locals completing their routine grocery shopping and have the chance to sample authentic and delicious locally produced food. After you have made your purchases, options abound for ideal picnic locations, but my two personal favorites are either in the grassy areas along one of the riverbanks or anywhere in Parc de la Tête d’Or (a massive park complete with a free zoo!). Depending on how much free time is available, another option is to enjoy a football game; Lyon is home to a Ligue 1 men’s team, Olympique Lyonnais, and its female counterpart, the Division 1 Olympique Lyonnais Féminin team. Finally, a wonderful way to get to know any city is simply to wander through its streets; in Lyon, in particular, I recommend the Renaissance area of Vieux Lyon, the silk district of Croix-Rousse, and the varied architectural gems of Presqu’île.
I have sincerely enjoyed studying in Lyon, but no, I would not advocate a switch from London to Lyon for the purposes of this class. Although Lyon is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a city of much economic and political importance, I do not believe students would benefit as much from a visit to Lyon as I believe I benefited from a visit to London. This course is about a Europe in crisis and, although many French citizens currently feel that the presidential elections are indeed a crisis of the highest degree, I believe no place in Europe better exemplifies the current issues than London. (Granted, I am writing this before the outcome of the elections; if Madame Le Pen wins, it may be a totally different story.) Furthermore, beyond what I already mentioned earlier, I cannot think of much else to do in Lyon except visit a couple of art museums—a stark contrast to London, where I felt like a lifetime would never allow me to see and do everything that city has to offer.
No comments:
Post a Comment