Lyon, France

We drove from Barcelona to Lyon, France on a clouded somewhat rainy morning.  The day, however, turned out very sunny with just a few scattered clouds and we again enjoyed the beautiful views of the mountains and valleys.  This was the third trip over the Pyrenees, albeit just the western tip.  We were treated again to fields and hillsides full of vineyards, orchards and acres and acres of poppies.
Finding an apartment in a large city with narrow unfamiliar streets can be challenging.  Finding a place to park in another.  Somehow, we always manage to receive some help when we ask, even if it takes two or three people to get to where we need to be.  Our apartment was situated on a narrow street and the building very,very old and after trekking down a long, rather dingy hall, had to climb 76 stone steps that spiraled up to the fourth floor.  An interesting experience at best.  A woman who is the proprietor of a restaurant on the ground floor next to the big green door where we entered the dingy hall helped us and used her own cell phone to call the person to meet us as he was late in getting there.  We appreciated her help so much.  We ate there later in the evening and got a photo.  The food was very very good.  
We liked Lyon.  The Soane  and the Rhone rivers meet at one point and the river seemed to be one of the best interests of the city.  Crossing the river from one side to the other was like having two different cities within the city.  We walked approx. 7 or better miles (put that to kilometers if you choose) up and down and enjoyed the sun and the people doing their thing along the water as we were.  The promenade was built to completion in 2007 and it is beautiful.  An open market of one kind or another is open along the riverside every day and it is BIG.  We did get to purchase some fruit and vegetables.  We  hiked up the big hill to view the Basilica dedicated to Mary, Mother of Jesus, because she saved the city twice .  It is a beautiful church and is lighted up every night.  Photos will show that.
A river ride was one of the highlights of our time in Lyon.  We learned much about the city and saw more that way even though we enjoyed the waking, too.  Some of the new architecture seems very out of place with the feel of the city.  New things need to be in this century, but thinking of this beautiful city on a whole does not have to have far-out buildings that don't fit in.  A new housing area by the river has some great new buildings and does not take away from the city itself.
We left Lyon a day earlier than we had planned.  We thought we had done what we wanted there, so moved on.