Visit to Lyon and Grenoble, France March 2005

Just got back from a week in France. Spent most of my week working close to Lyon. Visited Lyon one evening and was very impressed by the old section of the city. Lyon has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site because it is an exceptional example of continuous urban living for more than two millenia. Unfortunately no night shots. Lyon is spectacularly illuminated by night. More than 150 sites, monuments and bridges are lit each night. Also, precious few daytime shots either as there was a thick fog blanketing the city during my visiting time there. However, the temperature that day rose to mid 20s and the fog lifted for my drive to Grenoble later that day. Hope I get the chance to go back. There are a lot of things I wanted to see and do but ran out of time. The Traboules, the Painted Walls, and the Guignols will just have to wait for a future visit!

Hope you'll bookmark this page and visit back frequently as I plan to update it during future travels from wherever I am. I think you can also leave comments, so feel free. Excuse that rather random order of the photos as I'm getting used to this blogging concept. Things will be more chronological in future.

Terry

One of the many pedestrian only streets of quaint boutiques in the old quarter of Grenoble. Just around the corner from a good Irish pub. There are two constants I've observed in every city from Oulu, Finland to Naharyia, Israel: You can always find both a good Irish pub and a great Chinese restaurant!

The French alps as viewed from the Bastille in Grenoble. 

This is a view from one of the bridges over the Isère River of the ancient fortifications at the high point overlooking the city of Grenoble. It was used to protect the city from invading forces coming over the alps.  

These are the Mandarin's caves at the site of the Bastille. Local legend has it that this robber hid his treasure here. In fact, he was executed 100 years prior to the construction of these caves. I looked but couldn't find any treasure either! 

Downtown Lyon in the old quarter. 

Lyon has its own mini Eiffel Tower. It was designed for people to visit and used to have a restaurant in its base, but since the late sixties, it has been converted to house television and communication antennae and is closed to the public. 

This is one of the many intricate and beautiful mosaics on the floors and walls of the Fourvière Basilica. It was dim inside the church and I didn't realize my flash had illuminated some of the tiles until I downloaded this picture from my camera. Pretty cool! 

I stitched together five shots to make this panoramic view of the Alps as shot from the Bastille, Grenoble. 

The main altar in Fourvère Basilica. 

Fourvère Basilica in Lyon. 

Had lunch at the Brasserie Victor Hugo in Lyon. The outdoor terrasse in the foreground is actually across the street from the restaurant, and the waiter has to dodge two lanes of busy traffic to place and pick up the orders! 

A bridge over the river Isère in Grenoble. 

View of Grenoble and the Télésphèrique from the Bastille