Lyon has a history dating back to Roman times when it was established as the capital of the Three Gaules. It was also a centre for the European silk industry and a major centre of culture during the Renaissance.

With the exception of Paris, it boasts the highest number of Michelin-starred restaurants and chefs in France

These days, Lyon is a city of great food – with the exception of Paris, it boasts the highest number of Michelin-starred restaurants and chefs in France. As a result, Lyon provides you with the opportunity to taste some gastronomic delights without having to fork out for exorbitant Parisian prices.

Even its more modest establishments provide fare of very good quality. I was surprised by the excellent pizza served at The Balmoral (a strange name for an Italian joint) in Rue de Lanterne, the ingredients of which made my spirit soar with every bite. Our waiter, Peter, seemed to have come straight out of some Hollywood charm school with his near perfect English and faultless manners.

Lyon is very famous for its small, mainly family-run restaurants known as bouchons. They serve simple traditional food which I found to be exquisitely cooked and thoroughly enjoyable.

The word bouchon comes from bouchonner meaning ‘the rubbing down of horses’, for these were traditional inns at which travellers stopped to rest and eat before continuing with their travels. A few of the original inns survive and can be found at the foot of Croix-Rousse hill in the centre of the city.

Meat is the mainstay of the Lyonnais menu although fresh fish restaurants can also be found. Onions are widely used; gallette lyonnais (pancakes made with potatoes and onions) are common. Rhone cheeses are also a delight but one of the highlights is the wines of the region.

There is a joke in Lyon that three rivers run through the city: the Rhône, the Saone and the Beaujolais. We were invited to dinner by friends and we took with us a bottle of Hermitage and a bottle of St Joseph, both in my view moderately priced. The St Joseph was served with the meal and cannot remember when I last tasted such heavenly red wine.

Districts

The Rhône and the Saone rivers have given rise to three distinct areas: Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon), Presqu’ile and Part Dieu.

Old Lyon, with its cobbled streets and small squares, is a Unesco World Heritage Site. It is home to hundreds of houses and palaces dating back to the Renaissance period, when a large number of Florentine merchants settled in Lyon and left an indelible imprint on the city’s architecture.

The St Jean Cathedral dominates Vieux Lyon but you will find a lot of other things to intrigue you here, not least the so-called traboules, passageways with vaulted ceilings running through houses to link streets.

Take the cable car to Fouviere Hill, which is dominated by the basilica dedicated to Our Lady. It is a massive edifice, with Byzantine mosaics inside and intricate stonework on the outside.

The locals call it the upside-down elephant and from a distance it does look like an elaborate wedding cake. The park next to the basilica provides a breathtaking view of the city.

In nearby St Just, the Gallo-Roman Museum traces the history of the Roman presence in this city. There is a magnificent Roman theatre which locals say is one of the biggest surviving relics of its kind. We attended an excellent original performance of Mozart’s The Magic Flute directed by Bruck in the smaller of the two Roman theatres and enjoyed it thoroughly.

Part of Presqu’ile may be said to form part of Old Lyon, but it offers greater diversity. It is the place to stay if you like shopping and you want to enjoy cafes and restaurants.

We found the walks by the rivers exhilarating although we were not very impressed by the boat trip on a very hot summer afternoon.

There are a number of beautiful squares to enjoy: Place de la Republique next to the Opera House, Place des Terreaux, and the grand Place Bellecour, where young people throng in the evening.

Place des Terreaux is the location of an imposing fountain by Federic Bartholdi, the artist who sculpted the Statue of Liberty. However, I was not enamoured with the Opera House; its roof makes it look like a railway station.

Croix-Rousse is also located in this area. This was once the heart of the silk industry and a guided tour will tell you more about the history of the weavers who revolted twice against working conditions, only to be brutally crushed by the armed forces of the state.

Visit the Maison des Canuts to see how silk was woven on hand looms and how it acquired extraordinary vibrant colours. Part Dieu is a more modern area dominated by the Gare de Part Dieu and the shopping mall across the road. Its avenues are wide and tree-lined like those of many French towns, but there are many restaurants and shops to enjoy too.

Museums

There are several excellent museums in Lyon. The Museum of Fine Arts displays many works by the masters, as well as holding other exhibitions. We were lucky enough to find a small but enjoyable exhibition on the influence of Islamic art on European art.

The Museum Gadagne in Old Lyon houses exhibits on Lyon’s history and the Museum of Miniatures and Film Design is located just a few streets away. While on the subject of films, don’t miss the Institut Lumiere, which traces the early history of the cinema. If you want something more recent visit the Museum of the Resistance housed in the city’s former Gestapo headquarters.

Getting around

Gare de Part Dieu will be your starting point if you arrive by the Rhône Express from the airport. This is a convenient way to arrive as the airport is some distance away and a taxi would cost in the region of €70 to €80. By contrast, the Rhône Express costs €13 one-way or €23 return and takes less than 30 minutes.

Getting around the city is easy as Lyon has a modern underground and tram system which is very efficient. The City Lyon Card can be purchased from a tourist office and includes use of public transport, visits to several noteworthy museums, a riverboat ride and walking tours of the city. At €45 for three days it is worth buying.

Out of town

If you are in Lyon for a week or more you might consider visiting one of the picturesque towns in the surrounding area. We spent a day in the beautiful Alpine lakeside town of Annecy. The train took two hours but the journey was pleasant, with views of the vineyards that dominate the area.

Annecy was breathtaking and the boat-ride on the lake was extremely enjoyable. The tourist office supplied us with a map which helped us to navigate the canals and the old part of the town.

This was a sunny day beautifully spent and I would very much like to spend a long time there perhaps writing my first novel. Yes, it was that inspirational.