Lyon is part of France’s designated Valley of Gastronomy, a 385-mile-long culinary route from Dijon through vineyards, past the inns and villages of Burgundy and Beaujolais to Lyon, and then south along the Rhône Valley to Marseille. Lyon, located on two hills, or monts, at the confluence of the Saône and Rhône rivers, was, like Marseille and Dijon, a Roman outpost.
The Villa Maia, where I stayed on a recent trip to Lyon, is located on the upper slopes of Fourvière, one of the hills with spectacular views over the city. From the hotel, it was an easy two-minute walk to the stunning Roman amphitheater built into the slopes of the hill. The amphitheater is part of an extensive Roman site that includes the Lugdunum Museum. An entry to the museum also provides entry to the ruins, where visitors can wander undisturbed for as long as they want.
