Lyon is the second biggest city in France in terms of both size and population and is only behind the capital, Paris, which is about four hours away. However, whilst Paris has a population in excess of 10 million, Lyon's population is just a snip of that - estimated at being under three million.
The city is divided into three parts by two rivers which flow through it; the River Saone and the River Rhone and though it's well spread out so there's still plenty of sightseeing that can be done as well as picturesque views that you get.
Amongst the main attractions in the city centre are the Quartier Saint-Jean, the Presqu'ile District, the Primatiale Cathédrale Saint-Jean Baptiste; all of which are close to the riverside - though don't ask me which rivers is which! The 'La Basilique de Notre-Dame' can also be seen on the sloping hillside which acts as a backdrop to the city and is, apparently, worth a visit - though I haven't been myself.
If you're here for football purposes then, interestingly, the local football team, Olympique Lyonnais (to give them their proper name), don't actually play in Lyon but instead in a nearby town called Decines which is an absolute pain in the arse to get to by public transport.
On my visit, a metro train was needed to reach Gare De Lyon (as I was staying on the opposite side of the city), then followed what felt like a half-hour or so tram ride up to a random stop, before a two kilometre walk to the ground. It's akin to Sheffield United moving to Mexborough or somewhere really bloody obscure, so it's perhaps understandable why Lyon fans haven't taken well to their new 'Grand Stade' home and much prefer the Stade Gerland (pictured below) which is in the city centre with really good connections to everywhere else.
I can't speak much of the French language but 'Le Grande Stade = Le Grand Voyage' so if you happen to be thinking about going here at some point then you've been warned.
If travelling on local public transport, then you might also want to be aware that pocket-sized 'London Underground' style maps haven't quite reached the consciousness of the locals here yet. Instead, they have incredibly large, fold out and fill-a-wall style maps which definitely fit into a 'Le Grande Maps' category if there ever were to be one.
Overall, I've been here. I've seen it, conquered it and got out the trip what I wanted, but I've no plans to rush back to Lyon at any point in the future...
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