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France |
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Lyon |
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 Lyon
(the capital of the Rhône-Alpes region and the second largest contributor to
the French economy after Paris) is more than worthy of a detour on the way
to the sun or the slopes.
In 1998, Lyon became one of only a few urban centres on the UNESCO World
Heritage List. The city's major asset resides in the way that it has
developed, enabling each of its districts to conserve their own distinctive
architectural hallmarks. As a city, Lyon is characterised by contrasts in
its setting, between its two hills (Fourvière and Croix-Rousse) and its two
rivers (the Rhône and the Saône). Lyon also demonstrates its mixed heritage,
by displaying traits of a typical northern French town in some areas, while
other features bear witness to its Latin heritage.
The city's history begins on Fourvière Hill, where vestiges of the original
Roman city are still evident. The Romans named Lyon Lugdunum, meaning the
‘city of light'. This tradition continues to the present day - every evening
throughout the year, more than 100 sites throughout the city are lit to show
the splendour of Lyon's architecture.
The best way to fully appreciate two millennia of Lyon's historical heritage
is on foot. The temperate weather lends itself to strolling through the
streets absorbing Lyon's distinctive blend of architectural styles. Walking
around, the visitor passes through a number of historical eras, from
Fourvière Hill and its Roman settlement to evidence of Lyon's power in the
Gallo-Roman period. Old Lyon (Vieux Lyon) contains the largest display of
Renaissance architecture in France, which dates back to the end of the 15th
century, when it became an important and wealthy trade centre, famous for
its fairs and its silk industry. Strolling around Lyon is the only way for
visitors to discover and enjoy the traboules, covered passageways created
during the Renaissance.
Lyon is a gourmet's paradise. With the exception of Paris, the city boasts
the largest number of Michelin-starred restaurants and famous chefs in the
whole of France. Gastronomic heavyweight Paul Bocuse runs restaurants here,
but visitors can also sample the simple delights of a bouchon, a small,
neighbourhood restaurant specialising in local delicacies.
Lyon's history and architecture and cultural and culinary delights combine
to make the city far more than just another milestone on the way to the
Mediterranean.
Lyon Website:
www.lyon.fr
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Paris |
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 Paris
is the city of a thousand clichés - the ‘City of Lights', and Hemingway's
much quoted ‘Moveable Feast' amongst them, but for once it is also a city
that justifies the hype. The French capital is one of the world's truly
great cities, a metropolis that lavishly satisfies the desires of tourists
and business people alike and manages to retain a standard of living that
makes becoming a Parisian so alluring.
The city dramatically wears its history on its sleeve, and today it is still
centred around the Ile de la Cité, where over 2,000 years ago Celtic tribes
first eked out a living. The Romans were later drawn to this strategic
location in the middle of the Seine, a natural crossroads between Germany
and Spain, and took control in 52BC. Despite English rule between 1420 and
1436, a series of French kings brought about the centralisation of France,
with Paris at its cultural, political and economic heart.
Despite its large size and population, almost everything worth seeing is
contained within the Boulevard Périphérique (the ring road). The compact
centre is easily navigable on foot, with the efficient and comprehensive
Métro system always on hand to ease tired limbs. The lifeblood River Seine
splits the city neatly in two and the useful arrondissements (districts)
system neatly carves Paris into manageable chunks.
The history of Paris can be uncovered throughout its distinctive districts.
Hilly Montmartre, with its village atmosphere, was where the Paris Commune
began in 1871; the Marais evokes medieval Paris, its winding streets a sharp
contrast to the wide, orderly Haussmann boulevards, envisaged by Napoleon
III to keep the mobs at bay.
These grand 19th-century avenues still dominate the city, interspersed with
modern flourishes. The grands travaux (large projects) of Président
Mitterrand added the Grande Arche de la Défense, the ultra-modern Opéra de
la Bastille, the impressive Institut du Monde Arabe, and plonked a glass
pyramid in the central courtyard of the Louvre.
The varied populations within Paris define the city's atmosphere just as
much as its landmarks. The French establishment resides comfortably in the
smart 16th arrondissement, while African and Eastern European immigrants
live less lavishly in areas such as up-and-coming Belleville and the Goutte
d'Or.
The Jewish quarters include the shabby Sentier and trendy Marais district;
the latter is also Paris' gay centre. Emerging areas include Bercy, where
new flats, bars and restaurants are drawing a youthful and moneyed crowd
east.
Paris is a city with a varied climate that conjures up its own seasonal
delights. In summer, when the mercury rises, the locals flock to the highly
successful Paris Plage, where a riverside expressway is converted for a
month between July and August into an oasis of swimming pools, sand and
deckchairs.
The best time to visit the city is, of course, during the famous Paris
Spring between April and June, when the days are sunny but not too hot. The
autumn and winter months are another good time to come when there are fewer
crowds and snow is a rarity, but there really is no bad time to visit one of
the world's truly great cities.
Paris Website:
www.paris.fr
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