Lyon, where to begin? It is just as beautiful a city as Nice but it is the influence of the two rivers, rather than the ocean, that distinguishes it. I also think the town’s significant geographical location throughout history has a strong link to its present culture.

Catching the train from Nice to Lyon was easy, it was the train stations that were hard! Nice was choatic due to people commuting to the Monaco Grand Prix. While at Lyon Part Dieu the platforms were not assigned to trains until minutes before they were due to depart. So the large crowd in the arrivals hall watched screens anxiously and then rushed to the platforms once they were allocated! I caught the mostly empty train (I think most people were heading to Paris) to Perrache station and from there walked to my Air BnB.

My instructions were to put in the buzzer code, go through the gate to the end of the courtyard and find Toto at his place of business and he would give me the key – so that’s what I did! I was told by my host that Toto’s English wasn’t very good. I had my offline Google Translate ready to go but I needn’t have bothered! His English was great and after a brief orientation of my studio apartment I was settled for the night. The day’s high humidity finally became rain and the overnight showers continued well into the next day.

Due to the weather being miserable I had a lazy morning. I received a phone call saying that my 2.30pm city bike tour was cancelled due to risk of storms. So I waited for the sun to come out and went for a walk. Staying in the 2nd District meant everything was close by; first stop Place Bellecour and then I crossed the Rhone via one bridge and came back via another.

The dark clouds appeared again, so I decided to stop at a Carrefour Express and get makings for dinner. I wanted to test out my kitchen by cooking a French-inspired steak with mushroom and onion sauce and greens.

Prep was made made difficult by lack of a chopping board and one flimsy knife, but also enjoyable by listening to records rather than the TV. Toto had advised I was free to listen from the extensive collection in the studio. I avoided the French crooners from the 70s & 80s and put on some Vivaldi to start then some Glenn Miller.

So ends my first day in Lyon. This was going to be one post but I’m going to split it into two as it’s getting long and it’s time for bed. Bonsoir!