Denise and I took a trip to France from Oct 19 – Nov 3 of 2022. The tickets to fly across the pond were purchased back in 2020 when we were planning to go to Scotland. We had an entire trip planned starting May 5 2020 but of course the pandemic pushed us back a bit.
Time to use the tickets and we decided to split our 2 week trip between Paris and Lyon. We’d been to Paris before and I really enjoyed it. More than the week in London I had in 2018. So going to Paris was an easy call.
Lyon was inspired by Anthony Bourdain’s episode about the city’s culinary contributions to the world and it was very tempting.
First we arrived in Paris and it was raining so after dropping stuff off at the AirBnB we found a lovely place to have dinner.
Cafe I’Attirail was a great example of some of the very old interiors that you can find in Paris. The rough hewn beams and plaster along with stone walls was a real treat. The food quality was not as rough as all that and had a delicious beef and potato meal that was very satisfying for under $15.
We then took a walk the next day when the sun was out and stopped at the Archives for some photos.
Next up was a restaurant for brunch that I’d researched and learned they served authentic Scottish Haggis! It was true that the Auld Alliance had haggis, but unfortunately it was canned. Thanks to Brexit, no fresh meats from Scotland. I did enjoy my Flying Scotsman brunch however.
Later that day we went for a walk about and found the apartment of Victor Hugo which was preserved and free to check out. It is incredible to be able to walk through the man’s apartment and learn about all the incredible artists and authors who he associated with in these rooms. Including one of my favorite authors Alexandre Dumas.
Wall plaque indicating Victor Hugo’s apartment. Description in English of the apartment and history. Some stained glass from the building where Victor Hugo’s apartment is located. Some stained glass from the building where Victor Hugo’s apartment is located. A description in English of the Red Living Room within Victor Hugo’s apartment. 
The Red Living Room of Victor Hugo’s Apartment A wall display of Victor Hugo’s China and serving plates. 
A Google-Translated description of inkwells and a story about them. 
The box with inkwells.
In the building adjacent to the apartment some work was being done on the walls. I really enjoy architecture and how buildings are made and the way the supports are set up here to me are as artistic as the walls themselves. Also there’s some work being done at the ceiling in this outdoor passageway that revealed some details that were interesting.
This is the first time I’ve seen the monument dedicated to the Bastille. An impressive sight to be sure. Got a pic from a distance away since it was quite busy on the street.
Shortly after we arrived in Paris I was looking for some experiences I might be interested in having besides haggis, and I found a Big Lebowski themed bar called Le Dude. If you are familiar with the movie, these pics will be a treat!
We traveled to Lyon after the first few days by train and arrived at our second Air BnB. This one was really nice, and we met the gentleman who was letting it out. He lives there and takes frequent trips so this worked out very nicely. He even let us have the run of the fridge and wine cabinets. He’s lucky my party days are behind me. LOL
I didn’t get any pics but it was a very nice place.
One of the two great sights in Lyon was the Roman ruins we found. “The Odeon of Lyon is a small ancient Roman theater near the summit of the Fourvière hill. It forms a pair with the Ancient Theatre of Fourvière, one of only two such pairs in Gaul.”
We brought a picnic lunch with us and enjoyed the view!
Just up the hill we have the La Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière, which is an amazing structure way up here at the top. Took many pictures both outside and inside. I found the human craftsmanship and design truly impressive.
A trip to Lyon always needs a picture of at least one river that runs through it. Here was a shot taken from a bridge overlooking the city and you can see the colorful buildings on this beautiful day.
Oh and before I forget there was a very interesting building I took a few pics of for architectural sake. The house was located nearby to ANOTHER ancient Roman ruin.
The 365-window house. A silk-worker’s residence with 365 windows, 52 apartments, and 4 entrances. During the revolt of 1834 a shot was fired from one of the windows towards a military post – and would have been hit by a cannon if it weren’t for the vicar of Saint-Bruno! “The 365-Window House” Lugdunum’s amphitheatre and in the distance you can see Fourvière where the previous ruins are located. A sign describing another ancient Roman amphitheatre in Lyon, this one is next to the Sanctuary of the Three Gauls and was where delegates of the 60 Gallic peoples met every year.
That’s it, I hope you enjoyed the photos and descriptions. Thanks for stopping by!