A funicular to Fourvière
Perched on a hilltop above Vieux Lyon is Fourvière. Unless you wish to walk up the steep hill, taking the funicular is a fun way to explore this part of Lyon. Allons-y Let’s go!
View from Place Saint-Jean, Vieux Lyon of Basilica Notre Dame de Fourvière, sitting majestically on the hilltop
From the Metro station near Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste, you can take the funicular to the top of the hill and a step back in history.
Onboard the funicular on our way to Fourvière
Emerging from the metro station, you are met with this spectacular view of Basilica Notre Dame de Fourvière.
Basilica Notre Dame de Fourvière
Building of the Basilica Notre Dame de Fourvière commenced in 1870 and it was consecrated in 1897. The inside is spectacular with many stained glass windows and mosaic artworks.
The altar
Following our visit here, it was time to step back even further into the history of Lyon with a visit to the Roman Theatre. We walked a short distance along the road and the view opened up. Further along we came to a lovely garden and finally the Roman ruins to explore.
Théâtre Gallo Romain
It was a fascinating site to wander around and we were enjoying the heat and sunshine, after the earlier wet weather. However, our time was limited by the funicular ticket and it was soon time to leave. If you have more time, you can visit the museum to learn about the ancient city of Lugdunum.
Great view over Lyon city from the Roman ruins
Chris enjoyed capturing our descent back towards Vieux Lyon.
The funicular brushes closely to the old buildings and arrived smoothly to the station
Soon, we were settled back in Place Saint-Jean. it was lovely to finish off our trip with an aperitif at L’Auberge des Canuts by the Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste. It was Friday 21st June 2024, Fête de la Musique is celebrated throughout France. We were lucky to experience some live music while we sipped our wine.
Please join me next time. We bid farewell to Lyon and begin our journey into the Drôme region. À bientôt!
