Day 33 - September 20

Last Day in Lyon

My last full day in Lyon, and another beautiful day of exploring.

I started the morning by heading up toward Croix-Rousse and Jardin Rosa Mir. Because it was Heritage Weekend, the little garden was open, and I was very glad I made the effort to see it. It is tiny but completely unique—a fantastical creation of stones, shells, plants and intricate structures tucked away almost secretly in the Croix-Rousse neighborhood. Very different from the grand sights of Lyon and exactly the kind of unusual place that makes wandering through a city worthwhile.

From there I made my way to Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse for lunch. The market was already beginning to wind down, but there was still plenty of activity. I chose Chez Léon, ordering gratinéed oysters and gratinéed scallops. Unfortunately, this became one of the few culinary disappointments of the trip. The food was perfectly acceptable but nothing memorable, especially considering the price. The scallops were particularly disappointing—€24 for five very small scallops served on a single shell. After so many outstanding meals throughout France, this one simply didn’t live up to Lyon’s extraordinary culinary reputation.

After lunch we stopped at Rakwi for coffee before continuing toward Vieux Lyon.

The highlight of the afternoon was undoubtedly Cathédrale Saint-Jean.

We arrived just before the evening service was about to begin. Initially I was disappointed because it meant we had very little time to photograph the cathedral, but that disappointment quickly disappeared. Instead of rushing out, we stayed for the service.

For about forty minutes I had the opportunity to experience the cathedral exactly as it was intended—not as a tourist attraction, but as a living place of worship. The magnificent organ filled the vast Gothic interior, the choir sang beautifully, and watching local residents quietly gather for evening Mass made the entire experience far more meaningful than simply walking through with a camera. It became one of my favorite cathedral experiences of the entire trip.

It was a fitting farewell to Lyon.

Over these few days the city had surprised me. I loved our authentic apartment near Hôtel de Ville, the architecture, the hills and river views, the traboules and Croix-Rousse, the wonderful atmosphere, and simply wandering through its neighborhoods. Heritage Weekend gave us access to places we normally would not have seen.

Lyon also turned out to be one of the great food cities of the trip. Pike quenelle, skate wing, pâté en croûte, wonderful cheeses, local wines—and, of course, far too many outstanding desserts.

Absolutely no regrets.

Tomorrow I would leave France after more than two wonderful weeks and continue my journey alone into northern Italy.