Portray of the Destination
Lyon is the second largest metropolis in France after Paris. It serves as capital of both the Rhône
district and the Rhône-Alpes region.
The Rhône and Saône Rivers dominate the geography of this area; they converge to the south of
the historical city center forming a peninsula. Two prominent hills shadow the historical city
center: one on the west (Fourvière hill, also known as "the hill that prays") and the other on the
north (Croix-Rousse, also referred to as "the hill that works"). A large plain stretches westward
of the historical city center. All these features give rise to amazingly beautiful landscapes,
which were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Historically, Lyon constitutes quite an interesting place. During the Roman times, the town
developed an important trade activity benefiting from its land and river trade routes since it was
located at the crossroads of the Roman ways in western Europe. During the Middle Ages, Lyon
achieved freedom. The city’s development was closely related to the emerging significance of the
Church. Between the 14th and 15th C, Lyon experienced crisis after crisis, especially regarding war
and disease. But during the Renaissance, the city regained its magnificence. Much urban development
took place in the 17th and 18th C.
Nowadays, this extraordinary city offers a wide variety of cultural attractions that, together
with the remarkable landscapes, make this area an outstanding place to visit.
We would like to thank the Tourism Office of Lyon for the pictures provided. Visit:
www.lyon-france.com
Geography
Lyon is situated in the France and is dominated by the Saone and Rhone rivers with join just south
of the historic city centre which form a type of peninsula. There are two large hills nearby; one
is located to to the north and one to the west of the city center, as well as a large plain which
covers an area westward from the city center. The hill that is located to the north is called
Croix-Rousse which translates to "the hill that works" and is traditionally known as the home of
the small silk workshops. The hill which on the west is called "the hill that prays" and is
renowned for being the home of the Notre-Dame de Fourvière basilica, the palace of the Archbishop
and many more sights. Between the rivers there is a public square which is clear (it has no flora
or fauna or any other obstacles) and is the largest pedestrian square is Europe to be like this.
The eastern side the landscape is quite flat and is the location for most of the city's population
as well as being the modern side of the city.
Climate
Being in the Rhone-Alpes region, the weather varies tremendously, with temperatures down to -5C
during the winter months. On the other hand, the weather is a lot warmer in summer, with
temperatures as high as 30C.
When to go
In Lyon there are several different things you can do; the Festival of Light is one suggestion. It
is recommended that you see what is happening before you arrive, to really gain the best out of
your trip.
History
43BC Lyon was located on a Gaulish hill-fort settlement named Lug(o)dunon, derived from the Celtic
sun god Lugus (which translates to “Light” and in Old Irish it is “Lugh” and Modern Irish Lù) and
then
dùnon, meaning hill-fort. It was discovered by Munatius
Plancus, who was part of a Roman colony and a lieutenant of Caesar. Agrippa, a Roman statesman and
general, recognised that Lugdunim's positioning in Gaul (Western Europe) was a good communication
hub for a highway from the west to the south-east of France. The city became the starting point of
the Roman roads. Lyon became the capital of Gaul due to its location on two navigational rivers.
Two significant Roman emperors born in Lyon include Claudius and Caracalla. During the reign of
Septimus Severus and Marcus Aurelius, Christians were persecuted for their religious views. The
founding of Lyon's fairs by Italian merchants made the city an economic counting house for France
during the late 15th century. Lyon became the banking central for France after international
banking moved to Genoa and Amsterdam. In 1749 the treasury was built which resembles a public
bazaar, as accounts were dealt with in the open air. There was great Italian influence during the
Renaissance, which can still be seen today in the city's architecture. During the 19th century the
skill trade increased in significance, and Lyon became an important industrial city. In 1831 there
was an uprising, giving one of the first recorded uses of the black flag representing protest. The
city became the centre for occupying German forces, having a stronghold of resistance during the
Second World War; now Lyon is the home of the resistance museum. During the Gestapo raid the
traboules (secrete passages) became the local people's
hideout.
Traditions
Arpitans, who spoke the so often called Franco-Provencal language Arpitan, resided in the region as
early as 13th century. But when the city grew the language changed, and it later became a centre
for printing books and the home of a number of 16th century poets. For many centuries Lyon has been
known for being the capital of gastronomy, silk trade and handweaving. In 1895 the Lumière brothers
were said to have invented the cinématographe.
Le Fete des Lumières, translated into The "Festival of
Lights", is a festival held annually on December 8th, celebrating the Virgin Mary who apparently
saved the city from the deadly plague of the Middle Ages. To show gratitude, the locals place
candles in their windows and the city creates a magnificent light display.
Gastronomy
Lyon is renowned for its “bouchon” bistros and fine palate-pleasers which do not have a
disappointing taste. Lyon’s cuisine could not be what it is today without the area's fine quality
local produce. Local specialities consist of pork products and Lyonnais salad, “Chevelle de Canrus”
which is soft cheese with herbs, ham with lentils as well as dumplings and much more. Lyon created
this image by imagination and being masters of the touch. The mothers of Lyon have been praised for
creating these specialities, which are still traditionally eaten today. It is said that this is
what makes Lyon so special.
Basic Dictionary
YES- Oui, NO – Non, PLEASE- S´il vous plait, EXCUSE-ME- Escusez-moi, MORNING- Le matin, MIDDAY- Le
midi, YESTERDAY- Hier, TODAY- Aujourd´hui, TOMORROW- Demain. HELLO- Bonjour, GOOD EVENING- Bonsoir,
WHICH?- Que, quelle?, WHEN?- Quand?, WHERE?- Qù?, HOW MUCH IS IT?- C´est combien?, AT WHAT TIME IS
IT OPEN?- A quelle heure vous êtes ouvert?, DO YOU HAVE ANY ROOMS AVAILABLE?- Est-ce que vous avez
una chambre?, I HAVE BOOKED...- J´ai fait une réservation. ZERO- Zéro, ONE- Un, TWO- Deux, THREE-
Trois, FOUR- Quatre, FIVE- Cinq, SIX- Six, SEVEN- Sept, EIGHT- Huit, NINE- Neuf, TEN- Dix, ELEVEN-
Onze, TWELVE- Douze, THIRTEEN- Treize, FOURTEEN- Quatorze, FIFTEEN- Quinze, TWENTY- Vingt, THIRTY-
Trente, FORTY- Quarante, FIFTY- Cinquante, A HUNDRED- Cent, A THOUSAND- Milliers. MONDAY- Lundi,
TUESDAY- Mardi, WEDNESDAY- Mercredi, THURSDAY- Jeudi, FRIDAY- Vendredi, SATURDAY- Samedi, SUNDAY-
Dimanche. WINE-Vin, BREAKFAST- Petit déjeuner, LUNCH- Le déjeuner, MENU- Menu, SUPPER- Dîner, THE
BILL- le compte.
Currency Exchange
1 EUR (Euro) = 1.20 U$D (United States Dollar)
1 EUR (Euro) = 0.66 GBP (Pound Sterling)
Prices
Prices in France are generally considerably higher than in the rest of the European Union. When
travelling to France make sure that when purchasing any items to browse around before making a
decision as they may be sold at a lower price somewhere else.
Useful Info
Official nameLyon
CountryFrance
Time ZoneGMT +1
Official LanguageFrench
Surface area48 km²
Population468 300
Political RegimeRepublic
Public holidaysNew Year's Day: January 1 Good Friday: Friday before Easter (not official but widely observed)
Easter Sunday: in mid-March or early April Easter Monday: Monday after Easter Ascension Day: Sixth
Thursday after Easter Labor Day: May 1 1945 Victory Day: May 8 Bastille Day: July 14 Assumption:
August 15 All Saints Day: November 1 Remembrance Day: November 11 Christmas: December 25
Religion86% Roman Catholic, 8% Muslim, 2% Protestant 1% Jewish, 3% unaffiliated
ReligionChristian
Arrival / Departure SafetyPickpockets are still a threat to tourists so be alert and keep your valuables in a safe place.
Like any country you should always take out travel insurance.
VisaEU citizens do not need a visa to enter France, nor do citizens of Australia, New Zealand, Canada
and the USA. Citizens of other states should contact their nearest French embassy before
travelling.
ClothingIt is recommended that you wear light and airy clothing during the summer months and thick, heavy
clothing during the winter months. Checking the weather forecast before travelling is also
recommended.
ElectricityPlugs are circular with two pins, and the current is 220-240V AC, 50Hz.
Radio and Television TelephoneThe area code for Lyon is 04 and every number consists of eight digits. It is cheaper to make phone
calls internationally on a payphone,. In France there are two different types of payphones, one of
which accepts change and the other accepts only phone cards, which can be purchased in shops.
Police112 or 17
Ambulance15 or 18
Fire Brigade18
Newspapers and MagazinesThere are a couple of national papers which are available in Lyon such as
Les Echos, a financial reader. Other newspapers include
Le Figaro,
L'Humanité and
Le Monde. One of the local papers which is located in Lyon
is
Le Progrès de Lyon. Like most cities, popular
international newspapers are available, which are sold at a higher price.
Postal ServicePost offices in France can be identified by a yellow sign in the window saying “La Poste”.
Health Care ServicesFrance is known for having one of the world's top health care systems. In Lyon the pharmacies take
turns in staying open after normal closing time. There is no need to have any
immunizations when travelling in Lyon.
AirportLyon Saint Exupery Airport operates international flights. There are a number of transport links
between the center of Lyon and the airport such as a shuttle buses, trams and taxis.
Public TransportThe public transport system in Lyon is called the TCL (in French means: Transports en Commun
Lyonnais) It consists of buses, trams and metros which altogether serve 62 areas within Lyon. All
modes of transport is operates the same type of ticketing scheme. Although fairly uncommon, another
option in Lyon is hiring a bicycle, in which you can hire a bike and then drop it off at any of the
several hundred stations within the city.
RailwayLyon Part-Dieu and Lyon Perrache are the two main train stations along with Place Beraudier and 10
Cours de Verdun. All of these train stations have facilities such as snack bars, ATM, cafè, tourist
information offices and newsagents. For national rail enquiries, calls should be directed to the
SNCF Ligne Vocale number, which is 0891 676 869. It can provide information about timetables and
services. There is the TGV (Train Grand Vitesse), which is a high speed train serving Paris and
Lyon, taking around 2 hours.
BusThe bus station is located next to the train station. There are no telephone numbers for this
station so it is better to contact the bus companies individually. Below are a selection of
coaches: Within the area of Rhone-Alpes the main operator is Transports Publics Autocars
(0472776303). For links thoughtout Europe Eurolines is recommended (047256 9530).
CarIf renting a car, there are several places where it is possible to get parking, costing
approximately €3 per hour but there is usually a limit of two hours. There is a company which runs
most of the car parks in Lyon (www.lyon-parc-auto.com). Lyon is situated in the centre of a large
network of highways. These are designated by the letter “A”, while national roads have an “N” and
smaller routes have a “D”. When EU nationals wish to drive their own cars within France it is
strongly reconmended to get a Green Card which helps towards getting a higher level of cover.
Car RentalsWhen hiring a car the minimum age is usually 18 years but this depends on each company. The average
rate starts at approximately €70 euros a day. Below are a few car rental companies and their
numbers: Avis (telephone number: (08) 0205 0505) Budget (telephone number: (08) 0010 0001) Citer
(telephone number: (08) 0005 1011) Europcar (telephone number: (08) 0335 2352) Hertz (telephone
number: (08) 0386 1861) Thrifty (telephone number: (04) 7235 1237).
Ship Destination Tourism Office in Spain Spanish embassy in the destination Taking pictures See climatewww.worldweather.comCurrency converter www.xe.com/ucc/A dinnerFrom €25-32 for a three-course meal.
A coffee€1.30
The Bus€2
The taxi€30
