Often referred to as France’s ‘Second City’, Lyon is an important centre of industry in culture in France’s Rhône-Alps region. Only two hours from Paris by TGV high-speed train, Lyon serves both as a transportation hub and as a gateway to the Alps and Rhone Valley.

Cut by the Saône River, Lyon is subdivided into its old and new cities—Vieux Lyon and Presqu’île, respectively. The old city holds several historic buildings, the entirety of which has earned it a place on UNESCO’s World Heritage site list. Of particular interest in Vieux Lyon is the network traboules, or underground tunnels, which link numerous residences in the old city with centres of commerce. These passageways were once employed by the city’s silk industry.

Once Rome’s second-largest city (second only to Rome itself), Lyon’s cultural and historic importance has been long-established. Roman ruins still stand in Fourviere Hill, and there are numerous historic churches, Renaissance-era homes and museums that chronicle the cities historic contributions.

While Lyon itself sits immediately outside of the stunning Alps mountain range, the city is within reasonable striking distance (approximately two hours) of some of the best Alpine ski resorts in the world. Many travellers use Lyon as a final base of rest and relaxation before launching into climbing, hiking and skiing adventures in the Alps.

Despite all of the available attractions and activities in or near the city, Lyon’s greatest asset may very well be its culinary heritage. Many epicureans consider this the birthplace of the authentic French culinary experience, making Lyon a sought-after destination for those anxious to taste French cuisine at its finest. Lyonnaise cuisine is rich and decadent, and even the humblest restaurants are highly committed to quality dining.

Accommodation is widely available throughout the city. Options span historic Renaissance houses converted into quaint inns and sprawling, international hotel chains that spare no expense and offer every imaginable amenity. Most leisure travellers seek accommodation in the old city where they find themselves within easy walking distance of most of the city’s attractions.

The exciting holiday destination of Lyon caters for history buffs, adrenaline junkies and refined epicureans alike. It is an excellent base from which visitors can view architecture from multiple epochs while enjoying modern comforts. Its wealth of attractions and accommodation keep travellers returning again and again.

Lyon was founded in 43 BC by Munatius Plancus, an officer of Julius Caesar who took part in the conquest of Gaul. The settlement was built over an older Gaulish fort named Lugdunon, which meant “Hill of Lights” in an ancient Celtic dialect. The prefix, lug-, also correlated to Mercury, the Roman god of trade and commerce.

An important Roman city, Lyon’s situation between the Saône and Rhône rivers led to its eventual capital status over the Gaul region. Emperors Caracalla and Claudius were both born in Lyon, and as the empire converted to Christianity, Lyon became the seat of Gaul’s religious authority. In fact, the archbishop of Lyon continues to go by the title of ‘Premier of Gaul.

Battles over imperial succession had a dramatic effect on Lugdunum. Second-century skirmishes eventually bled into the city itself and caused severe destruction of infrastructure. The city lost its capital status, and the civilian populations moved from Fourvière Hill to the lowland nearer to the rivers. Constantine’s relocation of the Roman capital from Rome to Constantinople further deflated Lugdunum’s political prowess.

Invading Germanic tribes and the uncertain period following the decline of the Roman Empire kept the city in limbo. In the 9^th century, Lyon joined the Kingdom of Arles. Finally, in the 1300s, Lyon formally passed into French control and became part of this growing kingdom.

The Italian merchant class initiated mercantile fairs in Lyon, which bolstered the economic scene in the city and established it as a regional centre of banking. Further economic growth resulted from the rise of the Lyon silk trade during the Renaissance period, when trade relations with Italy remained strong. Textiles remained centre stage during the industrial revolution, and the mechanised looms of Lyon kept silk at the forefront of 19^th-century Lyon’s economic scene.

Infrastructure damaged during the French Revolution was re-commissioned and restored under Napoleon. A fascinating aspect of Lyons, the city’s network of underground tunnels (traboules) were used to transport reams of silk across the city without exposing this fragile material to the elements. However, with the coming of WWII and the subsequent occupation by German forces, these tunnels enabled resistance fighters to flee raids by the Gestapo and move stealthily from one sector of town to the next.

Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, the old city of Lyon (Vieux Lyon) boasts a dizzying collection of Renaissance buildings, period churches and informative museums.

Lyon’s climate is influenced by the changeable (often chilly) weather patterns of the high-altitude Rhône-Alpes region as well as the balmy and mild Mediterranean fronts. Winters are cold, while spring and autumn can be quite comfortable. Average summertime highs approach 27°C; and as visitors head further south in to the wine-lands of the Rhône valley, they encounter increasingly warm summer days. Rainfall persists in every season, though it’s significantly greater during the month of October and again (though to a lesser degree) between April and May.

Of course, the climate in the Alps (to the north and east of Lyon) is decidedly less predictable. Temperatures and weather patterns rely heavily on the varying altitudes of these towns and rural outposts. Freezing gales from the Alps occasionally sweep into Lyon as early as September, resulting in unseasonably low temperatures and potential snowfall.

During the winter, daytime highs fall to the single digits (7°C, officially). The winter months are characterised by a fine mists that cloaks the Fourvière hillside and historic architecture of the old city. Wintertime visitors should not underestimate the effect of the winds and falling temperatures; and layers of warm clothing are an integral part of visiting during the holiday season. Locals resist cold temperatures by gathering in area bouchons, where the warming cuisine counters the elements.