Lyon
It transpires that Lyon was a Roman town called Lugdunum, capital of the area called Gaul.
It is also the second largest city on France, after Paris, and we can now agree with that having only explored one area of it. It’s a sprawling city, split up by the River Soane and the Rhone, creating a huge island in the middle, but with very old historic parts of Fouviere which overlooks the whole city. It has 9 different “areas” – called arondissements, as in Paris.
Its also probably one of few cities that we have visited that have a Cathedral, and a Basilica, as well as about a dozen churches!
We firstly visited the Saint Jean Cathedral on the banks of the River Soane, a huge stone building in a square, which was first built in 1180 on the remains of a 7th century church and completed in 1476. It is a familiar sight in France, a Gothic exterior, all internal stone columns, stone roof and stone towers and quite plain internally with very little decoration.
Sant Jean Square looking up to the Basilica 
The Ancient clock. 
The cathedral homes the Lyon Astronomical Clock from the 14th century and an organ installed in 1841 with 15 stops but it was rebuilt in 1875 and given 30 stops, three keyboards of 54 notes and pedals for 27.
Along the River is also a Saint George Church and Saint Paul church!
We then took a funicular to the top of Mount Just to visit the Basilica, which was a different building altogether. Originally built by the Romans in 1192, rebuilt during the 16th century and extended during 1872 and 1896, and maintained to this day by a monetary pledge from the Aldermen of the City as well as public donations. In 1852 the gilded statue of the Virgin Mary was erected on a bell tower, it was dedicated to Mary in 1896 and in 1897, recognised as a Basilica Minor by Pope Pie IX after recognising the Church’s importance in Lyon.
Huge columns of marble, mosaic floors, stained glass windows and massive wall paintings touched with gold and mosaics. It certainly was an impressive building, and can be seen from most aspects of the city below, it dominates the sky line.
Ornate ceiling 
Ceiling in detail 
One of the wall paintings 
Floor mosaics 
We also walked down the hill of Fouviere, to the Roman ruins of the original Forum, the name comes from “forum vetus/old town”, a large preserved area of buildings, two arenas, and several old thermal baths and the water storage tanks. One of the Arenas has been sympathetically restored and is used for concerts and plays. The ruins themselves are not some of the best we have seen, but are certainly the biggest we have seen so far.
Down in the old town, the medieval narrow streets are cobbled and wind around the foot of the hill. Because buildings were tall and narrow (built between the 1500s and 1800s), an architect was requested to construct a way to connect two buildings to make access easier and “Traboules” were created. They are often stone spiral staircases leading to covered or open walkways and corridors, all at a high level. The houses are maybe 4 to 6 storeys high, so the traboules were sometimes covered in.
The other side of the city is modern, sprawling and a grey concrete jungle, neat, clean and organised.
We took a drive to the top of Mount Thau, which at 593M above sea level overlooks the City with amazing views!
Avignon
An overnight stay in a campsite on a private island on the Rhone on the banks of Avignon, what could sound more romantic???
The reality was sadly diferent, a large untidy open site, Reception closed between noon and 4.00pm, pitches the furthest point from the entrance, overhanging trees, no water or drainage on the pitches and thousands of mosquitos and stink bugs! We used the late afternoon and evening to head into Avignon for the rest of the day and made the most of our time there.
We couldn’t go into Avignon and NOT visit the famous bridge! Access is through part of the gatehouse and the history is told through a handset, allowing you to walk to the end of the bridge.
Its only 4 arches long now but when it was built between 1177 and 1185 it was 22 arches long and wooden, but wars, time and the River Rhone have washed them away and all that remains now are the small parts jutting into the River. It was rebuilt in the 12th century, in stone with a chapel on one of the piers, but fighting the river was a major issue, hence it’s shortness.
Looking back at the City 
An image of how the original bridge looked in 1100s 
The walled City has several large impressive buildings surrounding a public square which came alive at night, the Palais des Papes was a beautiful stone building, with the Basilica Notre Dame des Doms next to it, the views as the sun was setting were amazingly colourful.
The Cathedral and Palais 
The Palais 
Square at night 
Sunset from the Cathedral 
Narbonne
Finally we reached Narbonne on the South coast, a town and camp site we have visited several times, beside the Etangs (marsh lakes) and in prime wine country! We stopped here a few nights to catch our breath and catch up on regular chores.
David dipped into the pool on site, not for long, as it was freezing!
We finally left France for the pretty town of Roses, just over the border in Spain.
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