Lyon City Blog 

Keywords : silk industry, lyon , atelier de soierie, silk workshop

Located at the heart of Lyon ,the city of silk since the 17th century, the
Atelier de Soierie shop offers a wide range of silk ties, pocket
handkerchiefs, shawls, decorative squares, chiffon, panne velvet and scarves
made with the « screen printing » or « à la Lyonnaise » technique.

The Silkscreen process consists of transforming an image into printed
colors. The Atelier de Soierie also produces the panne velvet, a unique
silk chiffon and a hand painted velvet worked in relief that is only made in
Lyon .

You can visit the 200 m² silk workshop where all the products are printed
and discover the silk equipments and techniques from the weaving to the
manufactured silk square scarves.   

Keywords : french ski resort, val d'isere, les trois vallées, morzine, haute savoie region, meribel, courchevel, val thorens, chalets, aiguille du midi, mont blanc

The most popular French ski resorts in the Haute savoir region are Chamonix, Val d’Isère, Morzine, Courchevel, the Trois Vallées, Tignes, Meribel, Megeve, the Arcs and Val Thorens.

Situated in the Mont Blanc area, Chamonix valley (la vallée de Chamonix) offers many winter activities such as skiing (le ski), snowboarding (le surf), cross-country-skiing (le ski de fond), mountaineering (ski de randonnée), ice climbing (cascade de glace) , paragliding (le parapente) or snowshoeing (les raquettes). For those who prefer to have indoor activities, they can go to the health and fitness center in Chamonix city and enjoy the sauna, the Jacuzzi… Of course, you should pay a visit to the 3842 m Aiguille du Midi by cable car, and have a wonderful view.

You may also be impressed by the modern and traditional wooden chalets of the Val d’Isère ski resort (station de ski) where you can have winter, leisure, relaxing and cultural activities.

If you decide to go to Morzine resort, you will certainly appreciate the historical town center and the Portes du Soleil, the largest ski area of Europe with 650 km of runs (pistes) in France and in Switzerland.

In Meribel, Courchevel and Val Thorens in the heart of the Trois Vallées, you will discover the 3 valleys connected by runs and lifts with easy access on skis, but also runs for every level.

Most ski resorts offer a wide selection of chalets, apartments for rent or hotel rooms and guarantee all comfort and a modern transportation network of public and private transport.

Lyon is well-known as the capital of gastronomy that has many colorful and family –friendly uncovered markets where you can buy high-quality and fresh products like meat, cheese, fruit and vegetables. 

Here is the list of the main markets in Lyon :

The Croix-Rousse Market, in the boulevard de la Croix-Rousse (Lyon , 1st district)) and market in the small square of the Croix-Rousse (Lyon , 4th district), every day except on Mondays, 6.00 a.m.-1.00 p.m. with a bio market on Saturdays.

Saint Antoine Market, quai Saint Antoine (Lyon 2nd district), from to Fridays, 6.00-12.30 a.m. and 8.00 a.m.- 1.00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Carnot Market (Lyon 2nd district), Place Carnot near the Perrache railway station on Sundays, 6.30 to 12 a.m. You can buy fruit, vegetables and pets. Marché des producteurs fermiers, place Carnot (Lyon 2e), le mercredi de 16h-19h.
 
Augagneur Bio Market, Augagneur quay (Lyon 3rd district), on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, 6- 12.30 a.m. and on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays from 6.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. 
 
The Halles Paul Bocuse

• The Halles Paul Bocuse  have 58 shops with food producers and artisanal craftsmen in a colorful atmosphere.
• The Halle Paul Bocuse represent the high-quality French cuisine from Lyon .
• All the professionals and the lovers of the French cuisine consider the Halles Paul Bocuse as the greatest symbol of the traditional high cooking in Lyon .   

Contact
• Les Halles Paul Bocuse , also known as The Halles de Lyon

102, cours Lafayette
Part-Dieu
69003 Lyon

Situated in Marcy-l’-Etoile near La Tour de Salvagny in the west of Lyon , the Lacroix-Laval green park (115 hectares) offers very beautiful natural and landscaped areas that will please all the lovers of nature.
The 15th century castle, the Château de la Poupée, is located in the most landscaped part of the park whereas the most natural landscapes are the footpaths in the woods where the runners can follow the 2 km park drive.
The lovers of gardening will discover the history of vegetable growing in the kitchen garden of the park that contains a wide variety of more than 700 plants, fruit and vegetables from the 5 continents.
Children can also learn how to garden from 17 October to 15 November.

Lyon has been well-known for its old Renaissance area situated in  Vieux Lyon or Quartier Saint Jean.
Three main religious monuments spread across the Fourvière hillside where Fourvière basilica is situated.


Saint Jean CathedralSaint Jean cathedral is a monument of the Gothic art tradition. Many visitors are impressed by its astronomic clock and its stained glass rose window.

The medieval church of Saint Paul has 15th frescoes of musician angels. Many concerts are organized in the church because of its excellent acoustics.

The medieval houses surrounding Saint George church are also very typical of Vieux Lyon .

In in the 60s, dilapidated buildings were restored and Vieux Lyon became the first « protected sector » in France.

Some famous medieval houses were transformed into museums or law offices such as Gadagne Mansion with the Historical Museum of Lyon and the International Museum of Puppets or Maison des Avocats with its arched galleries.

Many restaurants, shops and luxury hotels add to the lively atmosphere of Vieux Lyon .

Lyon has an exceptional setting on two hills at the confluence of the two rivers, the Rhône and the Sâone. The city has preserved its historic centers and its architectural harmony because it has moved eastwards and successfully adapted to the different religious periods as well as to the economic and social expansion of the city, especially during the 19th century.


Lyon (Lugdunum) was founded in 43 BC on the Fourvière hill. The Romans built a network of roads that highly contributed to the economic expansion of Lugdunum, the capital of the Three Gauls.

Many famous artists, architects, scientists and engineers passed through it on their way or even lived in the city because of its exceptional geographical situation. Architects such as Soufflot, Morand and Perrache had a great influence on the architecture. The latter architect gave his name to Perrache , a whole district in the center of Lyon where Perrache railway station is located.
Some other famous people contributed to the cultural and scientific expansion of Lyon : François Rabelais, the 16th humanist, who practised medicine in Lyon ; the Lumière Brothers who invented the cinema and made their first film in the city in 1895; Jacquard, the inventor of textile machines who revolutionized the work of silk in the Croix-Rousse quarter.

Today, some students can go to the famous Louis Ampère Junior High school, whose name reminds us of the famous electrician Louis Ampère (1910). Town planners have succeeded in preserving the urban continuity of Lyon . Since 1964, the slopes of the Croix-Rousse and Old Lyon area have been protected by a Plan for Preservation and Enhancement.
Many historic areas have been restored in Old Lyon and new quarters such as Gerland , Vaise (9th district) have developed to adapt to new economic sectors (automobiles, chemicals, pharmacy), high school education centers and tourism.
The ex-mayor of the city Michel Noir transformed Lyon into the city of lights when he planned the lighting of all the monuments by night in the 90s. His plan contributed to the international expansion of the city.  

Keywords : Lyoncityblog

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Keywords : croix-rousse, croix-rousse hill, traboules, canuts , jacquard, lyonnais silk , visiting the traboules of Lyon

We can reach the Croix-Rousse hill situated to the east by going through the unusual covered passageways called « traboules » before coming up to the main plateau.
The working hill was the location of the Canuts , the 19th silk workers, who needed high ceilings to fit with their mechanical looms invented by Jacquard. Very high buildings and houses were built in narrow streets on the very steep slopes of the Croix-Rousse . The « Traboules » were used as passageways to go from the north to the south of the city. Many tourists like visiting the traboules of Lyon.
Napoleon imposed the use of Lyonnais silk on all the courts of Europe, so that the silk industry boomed and contributed to the industrial expansion of Lyon . But, the tensions between the Canuts and the merchants who sold the silk led to the first worker demonstrations in 1831 and 1834 and put an end to the silk industry.
Today, the area is becoming a rich residential part of Lyon city and most of the old workshops have been transformed into very expensive lofts and flats.

The Croix-Rousse Area

Keywords : Pilat , Lyon , Saint-Etienne , Vienne

Situated between Lyon and St-Etienne , the Pilat is a low mountain massif that provides beautiful landscapes for nature lovers and sporty people interested in outdoor activities in summer and winter in Lyon region.

The Pilat stretches over a contrasted land of granite plateaux in the North, apple-trees and vine-yards in the South  along the Rhône river and the Crêts, the highest peak of which is the Crêt de la Perdrix (1, 432 m) where visitors can admire the Jura, the Massif Central and the Alps.

This rich but fragile territory has become a regional nature park  since 1974 and a paradise for nature lovers. A large variety of alpine flora gives a unique mountainous aspect in the north whereas Mediterranean orchards cover the terraces of prestige vintages such as « Condrieu » or « Saint-Joseph  ». In addition, the Chirats give a geological originality to the Pilat . They are unique rock formations dating from the quaternary period and they cover the north-facing slopes of the massif. The Alpine rose-bush can be found in the blocks that cover the north-facing slopes of the massif.

Different animal species also live in the Pilat region where you can observe beavers, migratory birds  like the gray heron on the river banks, wild boars, roes and wood-pickers in the wooded peaks.

Predominant activities in the textile industry and in agriculture guarantee a healthy economy. Dairy farming, fine wines and orchards produce quality products that are an important source of profit for the region. The textile industry and the forests provide local jobs and attract tourists who enjoy visiting the weaving looms of La Terrasse-sur-Dorlay village or walking in the woods.

Visitors will also be delighted by the wide variety of rural and old architecture such as the granite farms around Saint-Genest-Malifaux, the Saint-Croix-en-Jarrest Charterhouse or the exceptional Roman vestiges of Saint-Romain-en-Gal near Vienne .

There is always something to do for those who are of the sporty type. In winter you can discover the snow-covered tracks of the Pilat massif and enjoy snow-walking or skiing in the woods.
In summer, trekking, all-terrain biking, via ferrata and horse-riding are the most practiced leisure and sport activities. Major hiking trails, park trails or commune loop trails give thee opportunity of hiking for 1 or several days. Beginners or confirmed riders can follow 31 looped itineraries in the Pilat .

To organize day-trips, holidays and riding or hiking itineraries you can buy the guide books that are available in French only at the Maison du Tourisme, 2 rue Benay, 42410 Pélussin.

Of course, if you would like to taste some of the best local products, there are many traditional restaurants and country-inns. Now, if you prefer to stay a few days, you may find some accommodation in bed and breakfasts, hotels or holiday chalets.