Lyon Funicular F2 9-5-26
A return to more mundane territory today, indeed a slightly bigger drop than we had wished in some respects. Our first target today was to visit the two funiculars which I suspect I traversed on my previous visit to Lyon in 1982 but my memory of that is dimmed by time. Both funiculars commence at Vieux Lyon Cathedrale Saint Jean Metro station in the old town. We take the F2 line first which goes up to St Just with an intermediate stop for the Roman ruins. It is very warm in Lyon today so we do not feel like walking around Roman ruins and return to the starting point.
Lyon Funicular F1 9-5-26
There are significant queues for the second funicular – it all seems busier than I had anticipated. At the top of this funicular is the Cathedral named in the metro stop from which our journey commenced.
Cathedral St Jean 7-5-26
This photograph shows the Cathedral from the river level when we were walking around earlier in the week as none of the photographs taken up there actually demonstrated the full majesty of the building – it looks far more impressive from a distance as it is an elevated position over the city.
Lyon City 9-5-26
However from the elevated position the city can can be seen with the Saone river in the foreground and a little further back is the Rhone.
We had planned to walk down through the adjacent gardens but the route appears closed. We are walking as our destination is allegedly 5 minutes – although as it is steep and indirect it is a lot further before we reach La Table de la Villa Florentine which has recently re-opened following extensive refurbishment. However despite a Michelin recommendation our view was that it was slightly disappointing and unlike yesterday not really value for money.
In the evening we get to eat some of that cheese we bought and drink some more wine.
We travelled home on 10 May 2026. No fuss over getting through passport control (we go out on an early tram just in case there is a disaster) and as it is there we have a Burger King in the airport. Once back it is then pod to the car park and home with very little to report.