Tres Francais in Lyon!

Hi! Wow! I cant believe another weekend of traveling has come and gone. What a great weekend it was. I was in Lyon, where I stayed with my friend from UVA Clare, and also met up with my second cousin Meredith. I had such a nice time! Clare was a great tour guide and hostess, and I feel like I had my most authentic weekend abroad so far, I really got to see what it was like to live, rather than just be a tourist, in a city I was visiting. Lyon is a really beautiful, lively city that I think a lot of travelers overlook, and I am so glad I got to enjoy it from an insiders perspective. Here goes the recap…

I was traveling alone again this weekend, but my train did not leave Luxembourg until about 4pm. It was nice being able to go running, shower, and pack before my departure and not feel rushed. When I did arrive in Lux City to catch the first train of my journey (I thought I would be taking a train from Lux to Metz, then getting a connection from Metz to Lyon), I was surprised to find half of MUDEC (for those who don’t know MUDEC is the abbreviation for where I study- Miami University Dolbois’ European Center) would be on the first leg of my journey as well. A huge group- like over 40 kids no joke (too big for my taste)- was going to Interlaken and riding my first train for a few hours to get to Basel. I was happy to be able to go with other people I knew, and I sat with some friends for what was supposed to be the quick forty-minute train to Metz. This is when trouble struck however, and the beginning of my train fiasco- an experience I am not likely to soon forget- began!

I was supposed to have 25 minutes to transfer between trains in Metz, which I had thought would be plenty of time. Since I was using my Eurorail pass, and the trains I was going on didn’t require seat reservations, I didn’t actually have a ticket for them, rather just my Eurorail and the printout with the times the ticket office had suggested for me. Anyway, 25 minutes is apparently not enough time and the train that had been suggested for me is apparently notoriously late. It took its sweet time getting to Metz, and it seriously stopped in one station for 20 minutes. I began to freak out at about 4:45, I was supposed to arrive in Metz at 4:50 and board a train to Lyon at 5:13, but at 4:45 we were no where close. I started sweating, and my friends I were with tried to convince me it would be ok. As the minutes ticked, and our train moved very slowly along, I knew I was in trouble. Finally, an older man near us who could clearly understand English and my panic said there was no way I was going to make it and since trains didn’t leave from Metz to Lyon more than once or twice a day, I better find the conductor quick. At this point, I was in a panic and all kinds of things were rushing through my head. I started quickly walking through compartments looking for a man in a blue suit. At this point, it was 5:13 and although we were close to the station, I knew I wasn’t going to make it (trains take awhile to slow down, park, open doors etc). I couldn’t find a conductor anywhere, until finally the very last compartment there he stood. I quickly said “”parlez vous Anglais?” (I knew I couldn’t explain my conundrum in rapid French) and he said “Non.” I almost cried right then (I seriously considered staying on the train and just going to Switzerland with the big group even though I had no place to stay) but then the conductor pointed to the young girl next to him, who was probably a few years older than me, and said she spoke English. I cried out, I am trying to go to Lyon and I am going to miss my connection, and she said I was supposed to be on that train too, I am going to Dijon. Then she said the words that changed my life (ok I am exaggerating, but its true also- it was scary because I was really alone on this trip and possibly stranded in Metz) “Don’t worry, come with me.” In the end, the girl, whose name was Chloe, was my savoir. Those who think French people are mean and rude obviously haven’t met her. She took me with me as we tried to figure out the best way to get to Lyon and jumped through many hurdles along the way. We stopped in two ticket offices in Metz (they were giving us the run around I think according to my French translation) before one guy finally stamped her ticket and wrote on Eurorail that we could take the TGV (the fastest trains, pronounced tay-jay-vay) that was delayed and therefore coming soon and going to Paris, and then another TGV from Paris to Lyon. We found the platform, and eventually boarded the first one to Paris, but then had to find another conductor, who could give us info on our connection. He was unavailable for quite some time, and we stood in a crammed, very sweat compartment with other frustrated travelers for quite a while. Eventually, he talked to us and told us since we didn’t have reservations, we may not get a seat on the train. He was quite nice though and told us which times and from which station trains were running from Paris to Lyon and Dijon. The funniest part came in the middle of him and Chloe’s French conversation when his cell phone rang and the ringtone was the Police’s “Losing My Religion.” It was so random I almost burst out laughing! At this point since I had Chloe with me, I was calming down, and could see the humor in this strange situation. In the end, we luckily found free seats and made our way to Paris which was a quick ride- less than 90 minutes. On the way I found out Chloe was going to her belated graduation ceremony from business school and she was missing an important dinner because of the train confusion! She had finished classes last year and was now working from KPMG in Lux, she is originally from near Nancy, France. She was so nice and I really enjoyed talking with her. Anyway, we got to Paris so quickly that it was possible for me to maybe make the 7:54 train to Lyon instead of the 8:54 that the conductor had said was a safe bet. It was close though, because we had to use the Paris Metro to get to a totally different train station. Luckily, Chloe was thinking and we bought tickets for the metro on the train (weird how you can do that- in gratitude, I paid the 2 Euros for hers- it was the least I could do). We ran through the metro, and after lots of sprinting and 2 changes, we made it to Gare Lyon, where Chloe walked me to the departing train for Lyon before even finding hers. We said goodbye, and I said many, many thanks to her! I seriously don’t know what I would have done if she was not there! My last step was asking the conductor if I could ride with a Eurorail, this time he was very nice and jokingly told me I could not only ride, but even sit first class if I wanted! I made it on, and breathed a sigh of relief- at last I was on a train headed directly to Lyon. Turns out, because I was riding TGVS and had caught the 7:54, I would be arriving in Lyon half hour earlier than expected! Funny how some things can just work out for the best, even when you think all hope is lost. I arrived in Lyon before 10, where Clare was waiting for me! It was so good to see her and I recounted all my adventures to her as we walked to her apartment! She was impressed by Chloe’s kindness too, and so glad I had figured it out! Our lovely Lyon weekend could begin!

Clare is doing a UVA program in Lyon, and she lives in an apartment with two roommates- one from a school in California and one from UVA. Their place is in a great location right on the Rhone River, one of the two rivers that runs through Lyon (the other is the Saone). Her apartment is smallish, but very cute and in an excellent location! She has her own room, and they have a fold out couch in the main room that I slept on. On Friday night, some girls in her program were using her kitchen to make dinner, and when we got back we snacked on some of the left overs, had some wine, and caught up on our trips home from Dublin and our weeks. I was able to meet some of the girls in her program, as well as her two closest friends, although just for a sec- they were going to a techno concert. After hanging out for awhile, we decided to go out for a bit, even though we were tired Clare want to show me vieux Lyon (old Lyon), an area on the other side of the Saone with cute cobblestone streets and lots of bars. We ended up reliving our Dublin weekend in an Irish pub called the James Joyce that was a lot of fun. We met some American guys who were there watching the NCAA tournament, it turned out they were on the Lyon basketball team and had played in the US in college- one played for UConn (I think this is maybe a big deal) so they must have been semi-decent. They were characters and gave us some laughs. It was a fun, relaxed night and a good introduction to Lyon!

The next morning, we arose pretty early and made it out of Clare’s apartment before 10 am. We went to a really cute café near her house, it was all decorated in purple and green and had the nicest embroidered chairs, and had a petite dejeuner classique (classic breakfast) that consisted of a pastry, bread with jam and butter, and coffee. It was tres francais (this was a theme of our weekend I think, everything just felt so authentic) and delicious. Then we headed to presqu’ile (this literally means almost island, it is a peninsula with rivers on both sides), the center part of Lyon. The two rivers really make Lyon a unique place, and this center part is the focal point of town and just a gorgeous area. The two rivers also made (and still make) Lyon a major trading center, the city was actually a former Roman capital, as well as one of the leading producers of silk in early Europe. Today, it is the 5th biggest city in France, and the major commerce center in the Rhone-Alps region. But anyway, in the morning we headed to Presque Ile, and for the next several hours Clare played the role of tour guide and did an excellent job. We saw several of Lyon’s major squares including the Place Bellecour and Place de Terraux. We also went into the courtyard of the Musee des Beaux Arts, where blooming flowers hinted at the beginning of spring! Clare had a guidebook, as well as a head bursting with knowledge about the place she has lived for the past three months- and at all the sights she would read to me about what we were looking at and fill in with her own tidbits. It was tres bien! We also just wandered and took in the streets, being sure to window shop in the many, many tempting chocolate shops and bakeries, as well as some cute boutiques. After presqu’ile, we headed over to vieux Lyon again (where we had been the night before) and explored.

Next, we climbed one of the two major hills in Lyon- the fourviere. This is where the Roman ruins - including a really neat amphitheatre that was slightly more impressive than UVAs- are, so we explored that area. At the top of the hill is the Basilica de Notre Damn (do you know the difference between a Basilica and a Cathedral??- my brilliant guide Clare told me- turns out a Basilica is blessed by the pope and therefore more important). It is very beautiful on the outside, and the inside honestly took my breathe away. I have seen a lot of churches since being in Europe, and this one was probably my favorite (ok, maybe second but only to St. Peters). The inside ceilings were decorated with incredible detail, and the main color scheme was gold and a tealish blue green that is my favorite color in the world. The décor was so unusual and ornate that it just had a beautiful effect. Clare, who is quite well traveled, is very good at picking up on details, and she pointed out a lot of beautiful decorations that I probably would not have noticed. We also went down below the main room to the crypt, which had a very different feel but was nonetheless beautiful.

Outside the Basilica was a really nice viewpoint of the city- we were quite high up- the climb, which sloped along the hill and took us a decent amount of time- was really challenging- we def got out work out of the day in on that! It was really neat to see the city from this bird’s eye view, it was a little cloudy that day but we were still able to see a lot. Clare pointed out her apartment, her school, and many of the sights we had visited before. If I was just a regular tourist I don’t think I would have been able to locate all of these things, but with Clare pointing it out I really felt like I was able to get my bearings and get a pretty good understanding of the city even though I was there for a short time. Lyon is a big city, but not huge like Paris or Berlin, and it was a nice change to be in a place that felt manageable to see in a weekend. Everything was in walking distance, and we saw most main parts of the city on foot.

After that, we headed back down the hill and had lunch at a nice place in vieux Lyon, I had a crepe with ratatouille and it was yummy! Then we headed to a gourmet food market on Clare’s side of the river called Les Halles (you don’t pronounce the h) that was super cool! Clare and I both share a love for food, and Lyon is very well known for its many gourmet options. This market really showed that off! There were tons of little shops selling all kinds of delicious specialties and we just enjoyed walking through and drooling over all the delicacies. I picked up some unusual tea in one shop and we also just had to try a macaroon from the most impressive patisserie/chocolaterie there. My macaroon was actually pink metallic, it was so cool! Macaroons are all the rage in France right now, and I promise to bring some back for you guys. I actually just made reservations for Sunday brunch with my parents in Paris at the mecca of all macaroon shops Laduree in Paris, and I cant wait! The one I had in Lyon was delicious though, I don’t know how Laduree can top it! Anyway, Les Halles was great, and another one of those things I do not think I would have seen if I wasn’t with a Lyon insider.

From Les Halles, we headed to Clare’s favorite coffee shop, a really funky, almost underground place that had a cozy and warm vibe. I had a latte with nutella that was to die for, and it was nice to just relax for a little after walking around so much! We didn’t stay too long though, and then headed out for another walk- this time with one of Clare’s best friends to the major parc in Lyon Parc Tete Or (literally means head of gold). It was beautiful and nice to get to know one of Clare’s friends. Clare and her 2 closest friends are very assimilated in French culture, their accents are marvelous and they often speak French amongst themselves. They are also just chic and have many French friends. While I love Lux, being in a big American program does not make this level of immersion possible, so it was neat to see another study abroad program’s experience. Again, tres francais.

After freshening up at Clare’s apartment, we headed to meet my second (or maybe third it is confusing) cousin Meredith for dinner on one of the main streets of presqu’il. We ate at a restaurant called the Winch, and I had a tres francais meal of a salade with egg and meat (I think it was duck actually), frites (French fries) and a chocolate gateau (cake) for dessert! We also shared some lovely white wine. Meredith is a bit older than me, and we had not seen much of each other in the past except perhaps when I was little. It was really nice to get to know her better over dinner, and I am so glad we met up. She is studying contemporary dance in an intense ten-month program in Lyon, and she has such an interesting story. I really admire her passion for dance and the way she is dedicated to doing what she loves no matter where it takes her! We talked a lot about her life in Lyon (her and Clare exchanged notes), as well as my experience abroad, and our loving and sometimes crazy family! It was so nice to chat, and I hope we can catch up! Also, it was the first time I saw any family since being here, so that was a nice feeling.

That night after dinner, Clare, some of her friends and I went bar hopping a bit. We started on the other hill in Lyon Croix Russe at a small place called Atmosphere and then went back to pubs in vieux Lyon. It was so fun to be with Clare, and meet her friends (I practiced my French a bit), and as always we had a blast.

The next morning we woke up early again and headed out to meet another one of Clare’s friends at a market by the river. We shopped and got a ton of delicious tres francais food- including 2 types of cheeses (random fact I learned in Politics, France produces 375 types of cheeses, the most in the world), bread, fruit, and eggs! The market was so fresh and yummy- totally beats the Towson or Cville farmers market I must say. We took the stuff back to Clare’s apartment and made a delicious brunch complete with scrambled eggs and fizzy peach mimosas. It was such a fun and relaxing way to end my trip. The food was great and we all just stuffed our faces and chatted until I had to go to the train station at 2pm. I did buy some cheese and fruit to take back to Lux, and I can’t wait to enjoy it this week. My train ride back was far less eventful than my one there, I had no problems and was able to catch up on some reading. In a funny twist, I saw Chloe on the train back, she sat like 2 seats ahead of me! I thanked her again and we both exchanged stories about the weekend! Crazy how that all worked out!!

Overall, my trip was one of my favorites of all my travels. It was relaxed, but I saw a ton and got to really immerse myself in a cool part of France. I feel like Lyon is definitely overlooked by most tourists (I think I am the only person from my program to visit) and I really recommend it to any traveler! Thanks to Clare and Meredith for making my weekend awesome!!

This week is a pretty busy one at the Chateua, but I hope to write one more post before Friday when…..MY PARENTS COME!! I don’t think caps, bolds, or italics can express how excited I am to see them and spend time together in the coolest place every- Paris!! I want Friday to hurry up and get here soon. Have a good week all!

Care