continued

Settled by the Romans in 43 BC, Lyon is bisected by the Rhone and Saône Rivers which converge to the south of the historic city centre forming a peninsula known as the Presqu'île.

The original medieval city (Vieux Lyon) was built on the west bank of the Saône at the foot of the Fourvière hill. Today this region is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site. In the old town you’ll still find some surviving silk workshops, an industry for which the city was once renowned.

But for many visitors, culture comes a distant second behind gastronomy as a reason for visiting. The legendary chef Paul Bocuse, who has several restaurants in town and was named chef of the 20^th century, is just one of the many famous Lyonnais pan handlers. But it is not all haute cuisine. Lyon is dotted with small, friendly restaurants serving traditional local dishes and wines, which are known as bouchons.

The food in these lively establishments is usually red-meat dominated; think charcuterie dishes like rosette Lyonnais and saucisson de Lyon or hearty fare like andouilletes (tripe sausages often smothered in mustard), the traditional chicken casserole known as coq au vin, tripe cooked with onions or the small pike mousses known as quenelles.

Cervelle de canut is a cheese spread much beloved by the locals with curd mixed with chopped herbs, shallots, salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar.

On my most recent visit to one of my favourite French cities, we dined at Cafe des Federations, a lively, jovial little spot where you drink local wine from small carafe bottles known as “pots” and a massive platter of charcuterie is slapped down in front of you on arrival.

This is the real deal: checked tablecloths, closely-packed tables and sausages hanging from the ceiling. You eat what you are told here, although you do get a choice of hearty mains; dishes like black pudding with apple, calf head with ravigote sauce, cake of chicken livers (and delicious it was, too) and stew of pork cheeks. The owner here is a friend of Sydney chef Guillaume Brahimi, so it might pay to name drop a little. Set menus here start from just 19 euros.

Other similarly-styled bouchons include La Meunière; Daniel et Denise, Chez Hugon and Le Poêlon d'Or, as well as the character-filled Restaurant Le Musèe. 

More sophisticated (and expensive) dining choices include the venerable Le Mère Brazier, where Bocuse did his apprenticeship, Auberge de I’lle, La Rotonde Leon de Lyon and Le Maison Clovis. In all, the Lyon region has 14 Michelin-starred establishments

The Auberge du Pont de Collonges, super chef Bocuse’s main restaurant is out of town on the banks of the Saone. The only time I have eaten here I was disappointed – but I was dining as part of a large group. Far more affordable, and enjoyable, are his small brasseries dotted around town: Le Sud, Bistro de l’Est, Le Nord, L’Ouest etc.  

Plenty to see

Among the “must see” Lyon sights are: The Roman ruins on the hillside near the Fourviere Basilica, St John Cathedral with elements from the 13^th, 14^th and 15^th centuries; Old Lyon, the Medieval and Renaissance quarter, with its quant cobbled streets, shops, and dining and the majestic Place Bellecour, one of the largest town squares in Europe and a great spot for people watching.

The 19^th-centruy Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière and the neighbouring metallic tower, a mini Eiffel Tower, overlook the city from the hillside while the Fine Arts Museum is one of the largest in France. Also don’t miss the former Roman amphitheatre.

At the foot of the Croix-Rousse hill in the old quarter, take a stroll through the many “traboules”, passageways that traverse the old silk workers’ quarter. For those who love shopping, major stores including Printemps and FNAC can be found in the Bellecour district with the Carre d’Or, or golden square, home to no fewer than 70 luxury brands. The 19^th-century Passage de l‘Argue is a step back in time with old fashioned millinery stores and cutlers.

Lyon is a terrific walking city but the integrated public transport system comprising metro, tramways and buses is extremely easy to navigate. You’ll need to catch a tram or bus to visit the Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, the city’s best covered market.

This is paradise for anyone who loves gourmet goodies. Among the stalls not to miss are Mère Richard, a decadent cheese shop, Sibilia, a stunning charcuterie, and the chocolates and sweets at Sève.

If you are into food it is a delight to spend a few hours here tasting the many local specialities from the 56 merchants, many of whom also have small restaurants or cafés attached to their stalls. An alternative is the Saint-Antoine Market, a food market along the banks of the River Saône from Tuesday-Sunday. There is also another, smaller, market in the Croix-Rousse quarter, also from Tuesday-Sunday.  

If you want to get out of town, the Kanpai group offers a range of half- and full-day wine tours to Beaujolais and the northern Rhone. See www.kanpai-tourisme.com. And if you don’t have time to do some tasting you can pick up some well-chosen bottles at the Cave Valmy, probably the best wine store in town.

THE FACTS

Getting there: Etihad Airways flies 24 times weekly from Australia (Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne)  to Abu Dhabi, with seamless connections to Paris and other European capitals. www.etihad.com.

Getting around: You don’t need to drive on the wrong side of the road. France has 31,000km of railroad tracks that cover virtually the entire country. Choices include the ultra-fast TVG trains, as well as scenic and regional services. Regular France Rail passes start at $263 for three-day pass and $340 for a five-day pass – and premium passes are also available. Visit Rail Europe www.raileurope.com.au or contact your local travel agent. Rail Europe can organise train passes and tickets in France, Italy, the UK, Switzerland, Spain, and across the continent.

Lyon has two major railway stations: Lyon Part-Dieu, which was built to accommodate the TGV services and has become the principal railway station for long-distance trains; and Lyon Perrache, which is an older station that primarily serves regional rail services.

Where to stay: Hotel Le Royal Lyon, 20 Place Bellecour 69002 Lyon. www.lyonhotel-leroyal.com has just 74 rooms, is luxurious and superbly situated on the city’s major square, just a short walk from both the Saône and the Rhone. Other good options include the mid-price Globe & Cecil Hotel and Hotel des Artistes, which is well situated near bars and restaurants but in a calm setting.

For more information: www.lyon-france.com.

1. It is never too early to book your flights  and accommodation. July and August are peak holiday times in Europe and  flights are invariably full at that time of the year. Book and confirm your  flights as soon as possible to make sure you are not disappointed – and try to  select your preferred seats in advance if that service is offered by your  airline. Consider flying from Australia to other destinations in Europe and then using rail or budget airlines to get to London if that is cheaper. When it comes to accommodation, do as much research as possible before making a payment. Check out the www.tripadvisor.com website for reviews and try to get friends to take a look at your choice. There can be many untruths on websites  and it is all too easy to turn up to a luxury hotel and find there is a  building site next door, or the promised room refurbishments are still  underway. Many London hotels plan price hikes and to introduce a minimum  numbers of nights for stays during the Games. Book before these are  introduced.   

2. Turn off data roaming on your mobile phone  and do not turn it back on again until you are safely back on Australian soil.  Data roaming charges can come to thousands of dollars on just a short overseas trip if you send a  few emails and check a few times for local news. Look at the  possibility of getting a British or global roaming SIM card and leave a message bank notification for anyone calling you that they should ring your new  number. Even a handful of calls and a  few SMSs made in the UK can add hundreds to your bill. Companies like TravelSIM (www.travelsim.net.au) or GoSIM.com issue you with a new SIM card that simply  replaces your regular Telstra, Optus or Vodafone SIM. If your service is  locked, however, you will need to contact your service provider to get it  unlocked so it will accept another SIM. Do this well in advance, however. I am  still waiting for Telstra to get back to me about unlocking my iPhone – and  I’ve been back from London for several weeks.

3. If you are arriving at Heathrow Airport, as most Australians do, splurge on the Heathrow Express train. If you are tired and jet-lagged you are an easy target, so it pays to avoid traffic jams, taxis queues or a long trek into town with commuters on the tube. The express  train travels between Heathrow and central London's Paddington Station in just  15 minutes. Trains leave every quarter of an hour and you can even buy a ticket on board. www.heathrowexpress.com.

4. Look at commuting from regional areas to  London to save on hotel costs. There are many  attractive regional cities with direct rail access to central London within a one  or two-hour commute. Places like Peterborough and Norwich are within casual   commuting distance. Attractive towns within an hour of London on the train include St Albans, Canterbury, Tunbridge Wells, Brighton and Oxford. Find a hotel or rental accommodation that’s close to a station and you will spend as little time travelling as someone crossing from one side of London to the other. Rail fares in Britain are best booked as far in advance as possible, and rise dramatically for travel on the same day as you book – but most can be booked online. Many of the trains  have free, or affordable, pay as you go wi-fi so you can send some emails or catch up on what has been happening back home on the internet.

5. Be prepared for transport delays and plan ahead. While the London Transport system has been much improved and offers seamless links between bus, underground and overground, there can be works  going on, particularly at weekends, with lines sometimes completely closed. There are usually alternative routes available, but it can take time – which could mean you miss that 100 metres final you paid so much to watch. On a recent  trip to London, overhead wiring issues at Wembley meant my train was over two hours late getting to Birmingham – and even later getting back. Virgin Trains  offered no refund, either, so allow plenty of time if you absolutely,  positively have to be anywhere at a specific time - and suss out an alternative route in advance.   

6. Don’t be afraid of fast food. There are  several fast food outlets in Britain that offer affordable and palatable meals  without breaking the bank. The sandwich chain Pret a Manger has outlets all  over London and while its sandwiches are wrapped in plastic they are made on site at each restaurant every day and choices like Tandoori chicken and  cucumber with yogurt sauce are actually quite tasty. Fish and chips, although  it can be hard to find the traditional cod, is also often a good choice, while  kebab restaurants are another good option – with London having a large Turkish  population.   

7. Do your research as it can be hard to find internet cafes. They are often hidden up dodgy-looking stairways or in gloomy basements, but when you discover one they usually offer an hour of internet access for between £1 and £2. Often, however, the printer will not work, or the guy manning the facility will have minimal English. Britain is using a lot of imported labour from places like Poland and Estonia – and this will only increase during the Olympics. The good news is that you can find a lot of free wi-fi, sometimes offered by local councils. Fast-food outlets like Starbucks and McDonalds offer free wi-fi, so you can check your emails for the price of a cup of coffee, or use software like Skype to phone home. Also check out tourism offices and local libraries. Many will offer free internet access (usually limited to an hour) to visitors.

8, Look out for lunchtime specials – and don’t be afraid to try hotel restaurants.  Many British restaurants offer lunchtime deals, or set menus at far below the cost of dinner, so it can pay to have your main meal in the middle of the day. Good pubs often serve very good food to their lunchtime clientele, while good hotels often offer bargain dining. In central London, one of the hottest places to eat in London right now is the new The Balcon restaurant in the Sofitel London St James Hotel (www.thebalconlondon.com). Chef Vincent Menager combines British and French traditions with dishes like shepherd’s pie with foie gras (which is gloriously rich). The charcuterie bar here is an ideal spot for a snack and a glass of wine in comfortable surroundings.

9. Unless you have several suitcases or are in a screaming rush avoid traditional London black cabs. While they are clean and fast and the drivers are wizards at avoiding traffic black spots or hold ups, nothing can burn a hole in your budget like a couple of trips in a cab – particularly at night. A trip from central London to a suburb like Southfields can cost £35 or more – and the underground doesn’t run all night. Buy a pre-paid Oyster card which works on all buses, underground and overground trains and saves you money on standard fares. Oyster cards be recharged at most stations and can also be used on the very useful all-night bus services. And despite what you might have heard, public transport in London is quicker and more efficient  than you might imagine – just don’t expect a smile in the morning from your fellow travellers.

10. Get online and download maps, apps and more to your phone or laptop before you leave Australia. And check out online bargains in the lead-up to the games. Not all London hotels are expensive – it just pays to pick the right one.  Who would have thought, for instance, that you could stay in a centrally located new-build hotel for just £45 per night? Or that one of London’s most gracious hotels would be offering accommodation for just £159 a night, with a lot of extras thrown in? The two hotels in question are The Tune Hotel Westminster (www.tunehotels.com/our-hotels/westminster-london), just a short walk from Waterloo Station, and the venerable The Athenaeum (www.athenaeumhotel.com.) on Piccadilly overlooking Green Park. Both offer exceptional value at different ends of the scale, but I also paid almost £130 for a hotel room at Paddington that I would not wish upon my dog.

# Qantas operates direct daily services from Sydney to London. To book, visit www.qantas.com or call 13 13 13.