Lyon – Paris to Paris

I really must buy more food for breakfast ! We ran out of meusli this morning and also forgot to buy milk last night. It was so nice to be starting off early while the air was nice and cool and we made good progress to our first stop at Jons

**Food !! We could smell the fresh bread and croissant**s **100 metres away**

It’s not far to Lyon today, less than 40kms but we want to get in early to do some sightseeing. We finally got back beside the river again at Jonage

It’s gravel for most of this section into Lyon but it’s very smooth. These huge stopbanks raise the river level well above the adjacent land so that hydroelectricity dams can be built along the river.

*To give an idea of how high we are those are garden allotments down there*

The dark blue is the dammed section which we followed going along side the large lake. The green dotted line is where we **should** have gone, through the blue lakes.

This route was still pretty though. Heaps of rowing teams out practicing on the Great Lake

Somewhere further along here we should intercept the Rhone route again

**Somewhere !!** We really should keep a better lookout for the trail signs

Lyon ! Huge barges and houseboats lined our side of the river and this coffee shop was a welcome sight

We had just left the pirate ship cum coffee shop when heard a cheerful shout from our neighbours from last night. They’ve just been away for a 4 day ride down the river and are returning home to Valence

Anne. *You are always meeting the most interesting people* *biking*

We’ve booked an Ibis hotel in the centre of Lyon. It’s only 11.30 but they let us store our bikes and then get in to our room early so we could go look around. We bought tram tickets and then on Anne’s advice headed for the Vieux Lyon ( Old part) and the cathedral.

The Cathedral. Stunning ! It’s much more than a church, it’s the very best mankind was able to construct at the time.

The shade in the narrow streets was a godsend

We dropped in on an art class where they were being taught to paint fruit.

I waited until 5pm for a trumpeter to come out the top door and all the other characters to start beating their bells . Mmmmm it’s not a Glockenspiel

*Now that’s what I feel like. No NOT A DOG. a ride !*

It was just after 5 and the trams were full so we put on our masks. First time we’ve ever felt nervous about covid since we’ve been here. We actually got off at the next stop , had our dinner then got back on later when they weren’t so full

Now these fellows weren’t worried about covid ! They were selling cigarettes,€5 a packet ! ($10 NZ) I told them the same packet would cost $30 in New Zealand. Funny guys !

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Published by Wallis Don