The Saone - The route to Lyon

The Saone - The route to Lyon

We stopped at a couple of villages -  Montmerle and Trevor, before the run into Lyon itself

Trevoux’s bridge had some weird blue figures sat on top - but it looked good.

Strange blue figures on the bridge

The trip from Trevor to Lyon meant one enormous lock, two huge ships came out of it.  We’d parked on the sport pontoon and sat and watched a hire boat properly crunch into the various walls and dolphins before finally coming to a halt near us - too near!  These hire boats must be ridiculously strong - we couldn’t see any damage at all to it.

The motor through the outskirts and into the centre of Lyon was fabulous - the buildings and sculptures along the river side just show how rich a place this was and probably still is.

Sailing through Lyon

Entering Lyon

Murals on the sides of buildings - very clever

We booked in for three days at the small marina in the centre of Lyon - a short water bus ride from the historic centre.

Celebrating the end of this leg - 1 more to go!

Our mooring in Lyon

The confluence with the Rhone is just 1km away and the area where we are is called the Confluence - a big shopping and high tech business zone with the Confluence Museum at the southern tip.  It cost €9 to get in but it was worth it just to see the photos and videos from a french Antartica expedition - amazing photography.  Managed to get my foot into an exhibition on shoes as well.

After a little bit of charm and application of the credit card we have persuaded the marina to let us leave the boat here whilst we return to the UK.  Not cheap but easy for the airport and it saves us travel and hotel bills from the next place further down the Rhone.

Travelled up the Lyon funicular today to see the St Just Basilica - amazing place built late 19c, incredibly ornate, so much so it verges on the ugly but well worth the trip.

Basilica - tres ornate

Lyon has lots of back allies cutting across between streets, some from the 15c, cutting through courtyards with galleried buildings and spiral stone staircases.

Miniature room - 30cm x 25cm

Some great architecture, both old and new