Lyon is the next largest city in France after Paris and Marseilles and is also located between these two cities. The story of Lyon can be learned by visiting one of the many museums, art galleries and monuments which display the events that have taken place throughout this historical city. Contrary to what one may think, Artipan was the original language in Lyon back in the medieval times but has been replaced by what we now know as French. There are, however, still some words that have remained throughout the years which reflect the Artipan dialect.

In 1895 the Lumiere brothers invented cinema. The movie industry of today was built upon the works of these siblings. Visit the Musee Lumière which shows some of the Lumière brothers’ first inventions and is still recognized as the place where cinema was born.

For several hundred years the French have been known as leaders in the culinary world. Some of the most famous chefs in the world are from Lyon. These talented chefs have a unique way with their creative style of cooking, making Lyon the most desired city to visit for world class cuisine. There are little cafés that dot the city to enjoy old world wine and delectable cheeses.

In the Parc de la Tête D’or there are beautiful grounds with flower gardens, ponds filled with lily pads and a zoo that children and adults alike will love. This is a great place for the tourist in you to sit down on a bench and capture your thoughts and experiences in your journal while they are still fresh in your mind.

The faith of the French is shown through a fabulous light show called Fêtes de Lumière occurring every year on December 8th which signifies thanks and respect to the Virgin Mary who saved the city from a plague in medieval times. Lyon is probably more famously known for its old churches such as the grandiose Notre-Dame de Fourvière Basilica which is situated on the hill offering the best view of the city.

The two main rivers are the Rhône and the Saone. Many of Lyon’s vineyards rely on the waters of the Rhône River to nurture their vines. Two very well known wine regions are the Beaujolais and Cotes de Rhône regions. Light bodied Beaujolais is a very popular wine which is sometimes even consumed with breakfast.

Walk the cobble stone streets of the Medieval Quarter in downtown Lyon for unique shops and wonderful dining. At the centre of the city stands Place Bellecour, the largest square and the main metro station connection. This is also where the two major streets known for fabulous shopping meet. The Euro is the official currency. American Express, MasterCard and Visa are all widely accepted. ATMs are available everywhere. In the summer months you can count on warm summer days with average temperatures of about 20° C. During the winter, temperatures can dip below zero with the average temperature being around -2°C so be sure to shop for that exquisitely styled French coat and scarf. At any time of the year in Lyon, a warm feeling of love seems to be floating throughout air. Lyon-St-Exupéry Airport (LYS) which was formerly known as Lyon-Satolas is located 25km to the east of Lyon's city centre. France operates at 230 V, 50 Hz. The official language spoken in Lyon is French. A typical flight between Toronto or Montreal and Lyon would have a flying time of about 8 hours. If you are flying from Vancouver or Calgary the flight time would be about 10 1/2 hours. The Consulate of Canada

Address: Lyon, 21 rue Bourgelat
Lyon, France. 69002

Tel: (011 33 4) 72 77 64 07
Fax: (011 33 4) 72 77 65 09

Email: consulatcanadalyon@wanadoo.fr GMT+1 (GMT+2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Other than a couple of weeks where Daylight Saving dates differ, Lyon is six hours ahead of Montréal and Toronto, eight ahead of Calgary, and nine ahead of Vancouver.