Last month I decided to finally visit Lyon after dreaming about it for years. Booked my flight kinda last-minute, packed a small backpack ’cause I hate checking luggage, and figured I’d just wing it. Big mistake? Maybe. Still had a blast though. Here’s exactly how it went down.
The Planning Disaster (Or Lack Thereof)
I basically opened my laptop two nights before flying, typed “cool stuff Lyon” into a browser, and skimmed maybe three blog posts while eating cold pizza. My ‘plan’ was scribbled on a napkin. Seriously. First fail: I assumed Lyon was tiny. It’s not. Ended up wasting half my first morning backtracking.
Hopped off the airport bus at Part-Dieu station feeling smug. Dragged my bag straight to the Tourist Info booth. The lady took one look at my crumpled napkin notes and sighed. Golden tip I learned immediately: Grab their free city map. Way better than my napkin. She circled a few spots.
Getting Around Without Losing My Mind
Tried being brave and took the metro. Bought a ticket from the grubby machine. Machine ate my coin. Had to ask a teenager for help – felt ancient. Key move: Got the TCL day pass thing the next day. Saved my sanity and my feet.
My strategy? Walked everywhere stupid until my legs screamed, THEN used the pass. Explored Vieux Lyon’s tiny alleys, got totally lost near Place des Terreaux, stumbled upon a random market selling cheese bigger than my head… all on foot first. Pass was backup for when I was too tired to care. Perfect.
Food: Hits, Misses, And One Regret
Wanted real Lyonnais food, not tourist junk. Wandered away from the main squares down smaller streets. Saw a tiny, crammed bouchon with handwritten menus slapped on the window. Took the plunge. Ordered the weirdest thing on the menu – some sausage thing with lentils. Looked rough, tasted amazing. Paid cash like the locals. No regrets.
Massive fail: I skipped breakfast one morning to “save room” for lunch. By 11am I was so hangry I bought the first sandwich I saw near a big church. Tasted like cardboard soaked in regret. Expensive cardboard. Learned hard way: Always eat breakfast. Seriously. Find a bakery (“boulangerie” – had to google how to say it) and get a cheap croissant. Fuel.
Oh! Almost forgot my major regret: I only bought ONE bag of those pink praline pastries. Ate it on the flight home. Should have bought five. They looked simple, just sweet bread with crunchy pink sugar bits. Incredible. Thought I’d find them easy later. Nope. Kicking myself.
Stuff I Did Right (By Accident)
- Rode the stupid “Ficelle” funicular up to Fourvière Basilica. Was tired, almost skipped it. Went anyway. The view? Unreal. Panoramic city shots. Just sat up there for an hour watching clouds. Worth the small queue.
- Stayed near the river in a cheap, noisy hotel. Perfect spot. Easy to get everywhere, and walking along the Saône at sunset? Free and beautiful.
- Brought decent walking shoes. No flip-flops nonsense. Cobblestones are brutal. My trusty sneakers saved me.
Flew home exhausted but grinning. Lyon ain’t about ticking famous boxes. It’s about getting a bit lost, eating weird sausage, sitting by the river, and definitely buying multiple pink pastries. Planning? Yeah, maybe get a map first. But mostly, just go wander.
