🇫🇷 Lyon, France | Exploring the Old Town & Basilique Notre-Dame

Cover image details: Sony α7 II FE 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS ISO 100, 24mm, f/11, 1/25s Lyon is one of France’s most prominent cities, second only to Paris in fame ✨ Founded by the ancient Romans, Lyon served as the capital of Gaul. The city still boasts numerous Roman-era ruins 🏛️ Despite wars and the French Revolution, the old town miraculously survived and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site 🌍 The city is crisscrossed by the Rhône and Saône rivers. Key historic sites in the old town, along with Fourvière Hill, lie on the west bank of the Saône. The Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière atop Fourvière Hill was completed in 1884, making it a relatively modern church ⛪ I visited Lyon in late November and was lucky enough to book tickets on the last day before the bell tower closed (it shuts in winter for safety reasons). From the bell tower, you can overlook the entire Lyon old town. In the foreground stands the statue of Archangel Michael atop the church’s nave. The statue’s right wing shows signs of severe damage and reattachment (though I couldn’t find details online about what happened 🕊️). Pics 3 & 4: The pedestrian bridge spanning the old town’s east and west banks, plus Église Saint-Georges 🌉 Pics 5 & 6: Streets of Lyon’s old town and a vintage funicular (Line F) leading up Fourvière Hill 🚠 Pic 7: Interior of the basilica’s nave ✨ Pic 8: Chapelle Saint-Thomas next to the basilica, with a gilded Virgin Mary statue on its bell tower 🌟 📌 La Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière, Lyon #Travel #Europe #WorldTravel #France #Lyon #Church #Sony #Photography #PhotoSpot