Just two hours from Paris by train is Lyon, one of France’s culture hubs and a foodie mecca. Straddling the mighty Rhône and Saône rivers between Burgundy, Provence, and the Alps, this city is relaxed, welcoming, and—despite having romantic cobbled alleys, pastel Renaissance mansions, Paris-like shopping streets, evocative museums, and renowned cuisine—surprisingly untouristy.
Lyon’s sights are concentrated in three areas: historic Vieux Lyon (the old town, on the bank of the Saône River); the Presqu’île (the peninsula between its two rivers), and Fourvière Hill, with its white Notre-Dame Basilica glimmering above the city.
