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France : Lyon - May 2010

Country Code: Dial for France

Lyon brings the rebels and the bourgeoisie together this month with the music festival Les Nuits Sonores (12-16 May, nuits-sonores.com) and Les Assisses Internationales du Roman (24-30 May), where worldwide authors and their critics converge for talks and readings at the Villa Gillet. John Brown also discovers a part of the city where both rivers come together

Getting around

Saint Exupéry Airport

Bus: There is the Satobus every 20 minutes to and from the airport. Buses run from 5.35am to 11.40pm, seven days a week. A single ticket to the city costs €8.60 and the journey takes about 50 minutes.
Taxi: A taxi to the city centre costs approximately €50 during the day and €65 at night, taking around 45 minutes.
Tourist information: The main tourist office is located at Place Bellecour (tel. , en. www.lyon-france.com).

THE CONFLUENCE

Situated in the south of the Presqu’île between the Rhône and Saône rivers, the Confluence encompasses former industrial outlets and contemporary, state-of-the-art architecture and offers museums, shopping, restaurants, plush apartments and business districts.

Culture vultures – Musée des Confluences (86 Quai Perrache) opened last December – it’s a social and science museum that takes a fascinating look at how the two fields relate.

Must eat – Rue Le Bec (43 Quai Rambaud, tel. ) is a huge New-York style emporium comprising a new-wave brasserie, wine bar and indoor market. Neighbouring DoMo (45 Quai Rambaud, tel. ) serves up Franco-Japanese dishes in a sumo ring setting.

Must drink – Catch a glimpse of Mont Blanc from the Sofitel’s panoramic Melhor Bar (20 Quai Gailleton). The snug surroundings and sumptuous nibbles can be a enjoyed along with a medley of wine from the extensive menu.

PLACE DES TERREAUX

Hosting Bartholdi’s impressive fountain, and the façades of the Musée des Beaux Arts and Hôtel de Ville, this is the perfect spot to watch the world go by.

Culture vultures – Step back through the ages at the Musée des Beaux Arts (20 Place des Terreaux). Try a guided night visit and relish the vast collections through the eyes of a wannabe art thief.

Must eat – Le Bouchon des Filles (20 Rue Sergent Blandan, tel. ) offers hearty traditional dishes, including boudin (blood sausage), as part of the set menu (€14-€18). Or for more refined dining, with sumptuous delights such as stuffed rabbit legs and snail ravioli, try Le Passage (8 Rue Plâtre, tel. ).

Dance the night away – Electro beats and house music play until the very early hours at the popular DV1 (6 Rue Roger Violi).

Shop til you drop – The glass-roofed Passage de l’Argue (Rue Edouard Herriot) is full of old-fashioned artisans, including milliners and cutlers, who now share space with modern names at multi-level store Printemps (42 Rue de la République).

COURS VITTON – FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT

Join the ladies that lunch along Cours Vitton and Roosevelt for – given the price tags – a spot of window shopping. A breath of fresh air at nearby Parc de la Tête d’Or could be a cheaper option.

Sleep soundly – The charming rooms in renaissance surroundings at Hôtel Foch (59 Avenue Maréchal de Foch, tel. , hotel-foch.fr, rooms from €83) may be a bit dated, but you’re assured of cosy, non-pretentious calm just minutes from the bustle of the city.

Culture vultures – Don’t miss Niçois artist Ben Vautier’s Strip-Tease Intégral at Musée d’Art Contemporain (81 Quai Charles de Gaulle). With over 1,000 oeuvres d’art showing off 50 years of creation, it’s no wonder the museum’s entire 3000m2 spaces is used.

Must eat – Pierre Orsi (3 Place Kléber, tel. ) is one of France’s finest chefs, so the €115-a-head price shouldn’t come as a surprise. Le Boudoir (13 Place Jules Ferry, tel. ), meanwhile, serves contemporary dishes in trendy surroundings.

Shop til you drop – For alternative kitchen designs head to Oc’Bo (18 Rue Sèze) then treat yourself to something sweet at Lyon’s finest chocolatier, Bernachon (42 Cours Franklin Roosevelt).

Compiled by John Brown