Lyon

Lyon France is a historic metropolis with enough food and modern culture to satisfy every member of the family. Within striking distance of Switzerland, Italy, and the Alps, Lyon France is a cultural fest of restaurants, Renaissance buildings, and museums. The Romans made Lyon their second largest city behind their capital. Foreign merchants and bankers constructed mansions and pumped money into Lyon, and in the 18th century Lyon France became a prominent silk weaving center.

The Rhône river and the Saône river flow through Lyon France, creating a peninsula called Presqu’île, which is the modern center of Lyon. Restaurants, shops, museums, and the opera are highlights of this district. Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon) was the heart of Renaissance culture, with cobblestone streets, 15th century mansions, and the famous traboules (pedestrian passageways) that run along the mansions, constructed to efficiently transport silk, the industry that influenced Lyon in the 18th century.