Lyon, France by ABIGAIL HERMANSON

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-01 19:11:47 UTC

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-01 19:13:14 UTC

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-01 19:14:06 UTC

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-01 19:14:43 UTC

FLIGHT

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-01 19:28:33 UTC

FLIGHT: Out of Bradley International Airport, Aer Lingus Flights, at 5:55pm, Economy ticket. The flight will arrive in Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport at 10:50am with a two hour layover through Dublin Airport.

The returning flight will leave Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport at 10:10am, arriving to Bradley International Airport at 4:25pm after a two and a half hour layover through Dublin Airport. The total cost for the round trip is $958.

HOTEL

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-01 19:34:12 UTC

HOTEL: The hotel I will stay at is Mercure Lyon Centre Beaux-Arts. I will pay $955 for a Classic Double Room for four nights, paying extra to include breakfast costs.

"Located in central Lyon, in a 19th century building, this Mercure hotel is a 8-minute walk from Lyon old town and a 5-minute walk from Bellecour Square. The hotel offers air-conditioned, art deco style rooms with free WiFi."

Le Coin Vert

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-01 19:48:59 UTC

Le Coin Vert is an avant-garde style restuarant just down the street from my hotel, and is where I will eat one lunch and one dinner here, where lunch (including the season's vegetables, meat/eggs/fish, a fruit salad, and coffee/tea/hot chocolate) is 25 euros. Dinner, which is either the same as lunch, or includes a hot or cold soup, a fruit salad, and coffee/tea/hot chocolate, also for 25 euros.

Café Les Jacobins

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-01 19:50:21 UTC

This cafe is also very close to my hotel and is relatively cheap. I will eat one lunch here and one dinner here; a burger with a salad and fries for 15 euros, and an entrecôte steak cut with fries and a salad for 19 euros.

Le Ré-confort

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-02 00:19:26 UTC

This restaurant is only a short way from my hotel and is described as a hidden gem, I'll eat here once for lunch and once for dinner, getting a dessert at dinner. Lunch will be a salade guignol, for 17 euros, and dinner will be charcoal beef tartar for 21 euros, with a strawberry cheesecake for 8 euros.

Kaïa Restaurant

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-02 00:28:48 UTC

A nearby restaurant with countless 5-star reviews. I'll splurge here a little for two meals this week, lunch and dinner. For lunch, I'll have beef tenderloin for 40 euros. For dinner, I'll have beef prime rib with green salad and mashed potato for 95 euros, and dessert, chocolate mousse, with orange crispy cookies, for 9 euros.

Restaurant Le Vieux Lyon

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-02 00:42:44 UTC

A ten minute walk from my hotel across the bridge, I will eat one lunch here and one dinner here; Lyonnaise salad for lunch for 11 euros, a local dish, and a Savoyard burger for dinner for 17 euros, with vanilla and raspberry ice cream for dessert for 7 euros.

Saint Jean Cathedral

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-02 00:51:35 UTC

HISTORICAL SITE: Built from 1175 to 1480, the clock inside being built in 1598. This cathedral has existed since the medieval ages and has survived numerous religious wars throughout its existance. The catherdral exists in the second largest renaissance area, with the first going to Venice. It is a Romanesque and Gothic architecture.

Place Bellecour

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-02 01:02:18 UTC

HISTORICAL SITE: The largest open pedestrian square in Europe. The center of the square hosts a statue of King Louis XIV, brought to the square in 1825. Locals simply call the statue 'The Bronze Horse', as in 1848, revolutionaries scratched off the Latin inscription. Additionally, another piece of history: on the corner of the street, built into the building, a statue named the Stone Watchman sits at the exact point a bomb was set off by French resistance in July 1944, targeting the Moulin à Vent café, a cafe frequented by Nazi soldiers at the time .

Traboules

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-02 01:11:26 UTC

HISTORICAL SITE: Theorized to have been built back in Lyon in the 4th century, used to allow for people to get from their houses to the river quickly. These are secret passageways all across the city, forty of which are marked for the public. They were used by Lyon's 25,000 silk workers to transport silk during 19^th century silk trade. In World War Two, the traboules were used by the French resistance, preventing Nazi forces from ever truly taking the city, using the tunnels to get to resistance meetings in secret.

Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-02 01:21:03 UTC

HISTORICAL SITE: The Basilica was built between 1872 and 1884, dedicated to the Virgin Mary who allegedly saved Lyon from the Black Plague which seeped over Europe during the medieval era. Each year on December 8th, the Basilica lights up with lights in a festival known fittingly as Fête des Lumières, referred to as a must-see international event. The chapel within has spectacular paintings and sculptures depicting religious stories of Mary's life, with rosary gardins beneath the building.

La Fresque des Lyonnais

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-02 01:23:42 UTC

HISTORICAL SITE: One of the most popular sites in Lyon, the site is a mural on the back of a bright yellow building with some of the most important historical figures that had lived in Lyon. It features people such as Emperor Claudius who was born in Lyon and would grow up to be a Roman Emperor, Jean de Verrazane, a Renaissance explorer who is said to have discovered the modern-day site of New York City, and Louise Labé, a female renaissance poet who encouraged women to write.

Private Transfer From Lyon To Monaco With a 2 Hour Stop in Nice

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-02 01:41:06 UTC

On one of my days I will take the 6-8 hour tour from Lyon to Monaco. "This tour will allow you to see one of the gems of the area, with a very popular experience that's totally worth your time. On your way from Lyon to Monaco, you will have a nice and calm time, and still have the chance to learn something unique and special, an experience that makes you connect with history, culture and the locals." This will cost $1,742.91 and will be my big splurge event. https://www.viator.com/tours/Lyon/Private-Tour-From-Lyon-to-Monaco-With-a-2-Hour-Stop-in-Nice/d829-137266P1187?mcid=56757

Aquarium of Lyon

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-02 01:47:03 UTC

For $19, I will get to go to an aquarium!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (very exciting.) They have sharks and a touch tank!!!!! I will set aside another $100 to splurge at the gift shop! (I love aquariums)

Pedicab

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-02 01:51:28 UTC

For a day I will reserve a pedicab to take me on a historical tour throughout Lyon in style! This tour will cost $165.36 with breakfast.

Afternoon Old Town Food tour

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-02 01:55:33 UTC

For a day I will pay $77.17 for this experience. "Meet and talk with local artisans as you sample their cuisine on this afternoon food tour that offers access to people and places only locals know. Savor more than 10 local specialties over four separate stops as you stroll among the murals and alleyways of Old Town, Lyon’s UNESCO district." https://www.viator.com/tours/Lyon/Food-Tour-in-the-Alternative-District-of-Terreaux/d829-6778P10?mcid=56757

Market Tour, Cooking Class & Lunch with Chef in a Private Atelier

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-02 01:59:24 UTC

I will pay $558.38 to cook regional specialties under the guidance of a private chef, "learn French cooking techniques, and discover Lyon's rich culinary history.

https://www.viator.com/tours/Lyon/Market-Tour-Cooking-Class-and-Lunch-with-Chef-in-a-Private-Atelier/d829-75909P911

Lyonnais Culture

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-02 02:05:58 UTC

Alive since the days of the Roman Empire, the city is very Catholic with several notable Cathedrals. The predominant language is French (One of the reasons I chose this city is because I took French for four years in school and can understand a decent amount), although English is also spoken. Lyon is well known for its unique culinary impact, and food is a massive part of its culture. Lyon also has a strong rebellious spirit, as it is in this city that French resistance forces took several acts of protests against the Nazi invasion in WWII.

Lyonnais Foods

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-02 02:14:21 UTC

There are numerous cultural dishes that stand out to me, and here I will go into detail of five of them. Salade Lyonnaise is one that I will try on my trip, a simple salad, historical in the city. It combines bitter frisée lettuce, crispy bacon lardons, and croutons, and a soft poached egg. The second dish: Quenelle, a dish of oval-shaped dumplings of meat, poultry or vegetables. Personally sounds delicious to me. Third is Pâté en croute, a medieval era dish from Lyon, a meat pâté wrapped in crispy baked pastry. The meat is marinated in wine and spices traditionally, which honestly sounds decent given its age. Rosette de Lyon is the fourth dish, a famous Lyonnais sausage. Even though I don't like sausage, this kind of looks good thanks to the pepper seasoning and herb garnish, usually paired with cheese. Finally: Tarte aux pralines, the best looking dish in my opinion. It's an iconic dish recognized for its bright pink color, dating back to the 17th century. The filling is made of tiny, caramelized almonds coated with pink-tinted sugar.

FINAL BUDGET!!!

abigailhermanson1 — 2024-03-02 02:31:02 UTC