A Visit to Lyon, France

Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon)

Our viking river cruises ended in Lyon, France. One of my favorite parts of this city was the Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon), which is located at the foot of Fourvière Hill. This part of the city has colorful cascades, pedestrian streets, and the Les Traboules. The les Traboules are secret passageways dotted throughout the Old Town.

Les Traboules of Vieux Lyon

In Lyon, you will find unique covered pass-through or traboules. These traboules wind their way through buildings, courtyards, and up and down staircases. Each traboule is different and half the fun is trying to find them. There are noted to be some 400 traboules with about 40 of these open to the public. Each are clearly marked with small identifying seal.
The purpose of these traboules are to allow easier access or as a shortcut for workers, crafters, and other textiles to the river. Without them, it would more tricky to get from one street to another. The also offer shelter from the weather. It was during World War II that these passageways were used by the resistance to conduct secret meetings and escape the Nazis.

Murals of Lyon

As you explore Lyon, you might notice that some of the historic buildings have some fantastic murals on their facades. Most of these murals can be attributed to the artists at CitéCréation. Each mural gives you a view of the rich history and social of Lyon’s past.