[Sept. 2025] On our second day in Lyon, France, we climbed Fourvière Hill after lunch.
There’s a funicular, so we decided to use that.
The 72-hour metro ticket we bought on the first day was valid for the funicular as well.
However, this funicular, like the one we took in Athens, Greece, a few years ago, goes through a tunnel, so you can’t see the scenery.
When we reached the top of the hill, the enormous church of Notre-Dame de Fourvière loomed before us.
It was simply gorgeous, both inside and out.
To be honest, it felt a bit over the top.
The pamphlet said that the first chapel here was built in the 12th century, but the current church dates back to the late 19th century.
Apparently, this cathedral was built in 1870 as a token of gratitude for the city’s protection during the Franco-Prussian War.
It was elevated to basilica status in 1897.
It underwent extensive restoration work from 2016 to 2022, which gave the entire building a brand new feel.
There was a partition to prevent tourists from getting close to the altar while some people were praying.
One man climbed over it and barged in, taking photos everywhere, though.
We also went down into the crypt, which was also huge and somehow lacked a sense of profound feeling.
By the way, pamphlets were available in various languages.
Leaving there, we headed to a good view point.
The red roofs of the old town lined the foreground, with modern skyscrapers in the distance.
The view really showed what a big city Lyon is.
We also heard that the hill is also home to the ruins of an ancient Roman theatre, so we walked there.
It was Monday, so the museum was closed, but admission to the ruins themselves was free.
So generous!
This theatre was built in 15 BC, during the reign of Roman Emperor Augustus, and was said to have been large enough to accommodate 10,000 people.
It’s still used for concerts, operas, and more.
We were thinking of walking around the ruins, but my husband started feeling unwell, so we decided to turn back.
The distance we walked wasn’t that great, but we kept walking, and by this point, our total for the day had exceeded 14,000 steps.
