Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

My Lyon

John Brown asks jewellery designer Katherine Kingué to share her love of the creative, fashionable city in which she was born

Lyon’s urban sprawl, green spaces, architecture and rich history lie on the banks of two major rivers – the Rhône and the Saône – with the Presqu’île (peninsula) extending from the foot of the Croix-Rousse hill to the confluence of these rivers. The city’s sustainable transport system includes bikes, trams and riverboats, providing ample opportunity to uncover its hidden gems.

Day One

9:00 Kick off your day at the Parc de la Tête d’Or, nicknamed Lyon’s lung. Covering over 117 hectares, France’s largest city park can be enjoyed on foot, boat or bike. In 2006 the Zoo (www.zoo.lyon.fr) was transformed with a splendid African plain, enabling semi-cohabitation of over 1,000 species in Savannah surroundings. Take a stroll to admire the splendid rose gardens and grandiose greenhouses, home to one of the largest collections of carnivorous plant species in Europe.

12:00 Exit the park by the Cité Internationale complex, which includes the Musée d’Art Contemporain (81 Quai Charles de Gaulle, tel. , www.mac-lyon.com). This museum’s imposing façade was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, and the large terrace overlooking the park is a great place for lunch.

14:00 Grab a bike at the nearby Vélo’v stand (www.velov.grandlyon.com) – there are over 350 such stands throughout the city, and your first 30 minutes is free! Head along the bank of the Rhône, with its green urban space recently developed for pedestrians and cyclists. Barges, restaurants and bars with inviting quayside terraces create a beautiful forefront to the stunning view over the left bank.

14:30 At the Pont de l’université, take the bridge crossing the river to Place du Dr Gailleton, where you can leave your bike and walk along the gallery-filled Rue St Hélène to the Musée des Tissus et des Arts Décoratifs (34 Rue de la Charité, tel. ). Here you can learn about the city’s silk industry, and its global impact on design. Then wander Rue des Antiquaires, which is filled with antique dealers, galleries and specialist boutiques.

16:30 Grab a drink at one of the shady café terraces among the flower kiosks at Place Bellecour, the largest pedestrianised square in Europe. The statue of Louis XIV in its centre makes a nice holiday snap, with the Notre-Dame de Fourvière perched on the hill in the background.

17:00 The surrounding streets of Gasparin, Emile Zola and Gaspard André make up Lyon’s golden square mile of creative and designer heaven. Pas de Printemps pour Marnie (12 Rue Gasparin) is a superb little boutique selling unique shoes and bags, while Dolce (14 Rue Emile Zola) offers stunning jewellery collections – including mine!

19:00 A stone’s throw away is Place des Célestins, with its impressive theatre dating back to 1792. Go for dinner at L’Amboise (12 Rue d’Amboise, tel. ), with its warm welcome and attentive service. The menu includes produce from the nearby market on Quai Saint-Antoine, and you can wash down the generous helpings of foie gras and spiced apples or blood sausage with Saint-Joseph wine.

Day Two

9:00 The Café Leffe (1 Place des Terreaux, tel. ) sits next to the impressive Bartholdi Fountain (Bartholdi also created the Statue of Liberty). Originally commissioned for Bordeaux in 1886, Lyon decided it wanted the expensive piece in 1892, and it’s been classed as a historic monument since 1995. This focal point is surrounded by the facades of the Hôtel de Ville and L’Abbaye Royale, which houses the Musée des Beaux Art (tel. , www.mba-lyon.fr) with its serene garden and sculptures, including Rodin’s The Thinker.

10:00 Stroll over to Place Louis Pradel and admire the architecture of the Opera House (www.opera-lyon.com). Originally built in 1756, it has a rather turbulent history – pay a visit and hear all about its demolition and the fire that nearly destroyed it. The opera house was renovated by the architect Jean Nouvel in 1993, and love or hate it, it draws the very best performers in the world.

10:30 Don’t let the task of climbing steep Montée Saint Sébastien deter you: the spectacular view from the Croix-Rousse plateau stretches over the Rhône and beyond, and is well worth the effort!

11:00 The village feel of La Croix-Rousse, with its daily market stretching along the boulevard, is charming. Take a breather on the esplanade in the Gros Caillou quarter before wandering along rues des Pierres Plantées and Bon Pasteur. This area offers picture-perfect images of the city.

12:00 Descend the Montée de la Grand Côte, taking in Lyon’s famous traboules. These narrow passageways play a large part in Lyon’s history; they were constructed in Roman times as pedestrian short cuts, and were later used as the now-famous secret passageways to transport silk from one street to another. And a short detour into Passage Thiaffait (Rue René Leynaud) will find you among some of Lyon’s finest designers: try En Bobine Moi for women’s clothes and accessories, and Marco Masquita for creative menswear.

13:00 Lunch at Magali et Martin (11 Rue des Augustins, tel. ) for top Lyonnais cooking. With an innovative menu mixing local produce with faraway flavours, it’s becoming a locals’ favourite.

15:00 Digest your meal at Place Sathonay. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this square is composed of buildings with beautiful 1920s façades.

16:00 Take Pont de la Feuilée over the Saône to the Old Town, with its cobbled streets lined with interesting little shops. Wander through the courtyards and traboules hidden behind the Auberge du Gouvernement’s elegant façade (2 Place du Gouvernement), before heading to René Nardone (3 Place Fousseret) for the best ice creams in Lyon.

19:00 Cross back over the bridge to Quai St Antoine and take an aperitif on the river at a guinguette (al fresco bar).

20:00 Round off your day not far from where you started at La Table d’Hippolyte (22 Rue Hippolyte Flandrin, tel. ), which offers a short but carefully composed menu using seasonal produce, served up in an old-fashioned, convivial surroundings. Still not tired? Perhaps it’s time to investigate one of those boats that was rocking gently on the Rhône as you passed by yesterday…

FR Mon parcours de Lyon

John Brown a demandé à Katherine Kingué, créatrice de bijoux, de partager avec nous l’amour de sa ville natale

Jour 1

9:00 Démarrez la journée au Parc de la Tête d’Or avec ses rosiers, ses serres et son zoo…. 12:00 Visitez le Musée d’Art Contemporain (81 Quai Charles de Gaulle)… 14:00 Empruntez un vélo au stand de Vélo’v (velov.grandlyon.com) et pédalez le long du Rhône… 14:30 Visitez le Musée des Tissus et des Arts Décoratifs (34 Rue de la Charité)… 16:30 Prenez un verre à une terrasse de la Place Bellecour… 17:00 Les stylistes de Lyon se concentrent dans les rues Gasparin, Emile Zola et Gaspard André : essayez Pas de Printemps pour Marnie pour les chaussures et Dolce pour les bijoux… 19:00 À L’Amboise (12 Rue d’Amboise) accompagnez le foie gras d’un cru Saint-Joseph.

Jour 2

9:00 Le Café Leffe (1 Place des Terreaux) se trouve près du Musée des Beaux-Arts (mba-lyon. fr)… 10:30 Grimpez le long de la Montée Saint Sébastien pour des vues sur la Croix-Rousse… 11:00 Appréciez l’ambiance de village de La Croix-Rousse… 12:00 Descendez la Montée de la Grand Côte, vers les fameuses traboules de Lyon… 13:00 Magali et Martin (11 Rue des Augustins) offre une cuisine lyonnaise de premier ordre… 15:00 Faites une pause à la Place Sathonay, avec ses somptueuses façades des années 1920… 16:00 Explorez les ruelles de la Vieille Ville, avec un arrêt crème glacée chez René Nardone (3 Place Fousseret)… 19:00 Traversez le pont direction Quai St Antoine pour un apéritif… 20:00 Mangez à La Table d’Hippolyte (22 Rue Hippolyte Flandrin) avant de vous renseigner sur les bateaux disco…

NL Mijn Lyon

John Brown vraagt juwelenontwerpster Katherine Kingué naar haar liefde voor haar geboortestad

Dag een

9u00 Ga de dag van start bij Parc de la Tête d’Or, waar u een zoo, rozen en serres ontdekt… 12u00 Bezoek het Musée d’Art Contemporain (81 Quai Charles de Gaulle)… 14u00 Neem een fiets bij een van de vele Vélo’v posten (velov.grandlyon.com) en fiets richting Rhône… 14u30 Breng een bezoekje aan het Musée des Tissus et des Arts Décoratifs (34 Rue de la Charité)… 16u30 Laat u een drankje welgevallen op een van de terrasjes op Place Bellecour. 17u00 De designbuurt van Lyon concentreert zich in straten zoals Gasparin, Emile Zola en Gaspard André. Ga eens langs bij Pas de Printemps pour Marnie voor schoenen en bij Dolce voor juwelen… 19u00 Bij L’Amboise (12 Rue d’Amboise) spoelt u de foie gras weg met Saint-Joseph wijn.

Dag twee

9u00 Café Leffe (1 Place des Terreaux) bevindt zich vlakbij het Musée des Beaux Art (mba-lyon. fr)… 10u30 Beklim de Montée Saint Sébastien en geniet van het Croix-Rousse plateau… 11u00 In de La Croix-Rousse wijk geniet u van de authentieke dorpssfeer… 12u00 Daal de Montée de la Grand Côte af en passeer langsheen Lyon’s bekende traboules… 13u00 Geniet van hoogstaande culinaire gerechten bij Magali et Martin (11 Rue des Augustins)… 15u00 ontdek de prachtige façades uit de jaren 1920 op Place Sathonay… 16u00 Verken de Oude Stad en stop bij René Nardone (3 Place Fousseret) voor een ijs… 19u00 Steek de brug over naar Quai St Antoine voor een aperitiefje… 20u00 Geniet van een diner bij La Table d’Hippolyte (22 Rue Hippolyte Flandrin) alvorens u afzakt naar een discoboot…

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