We spent two memorable weeks in this very charming old house which has been lovingly restored. Its thick walls and shutters protected us well during ...
Read More...We spent two memorable weeks in this very charming old house which has been lovingly restored. Its thick walls and shutters protected us well during the initial heatwave! Equally quaint is the little town of Grézieu la Varennes which is so peaceful to return to after a day in the city and is well served by shops and restaurants just a short walk from the house. If you arrive during the August holiday when some of the local shops are closed (they reopened on 20th August this year), the L'Eclerc supermarket is within easy walking distance and stays open during the holidays (except for Sundays). The Intermarché in Craponne, a short bus ride away, is open on Sunday mornings.
We were easily able to access and explore Lyon by public transport. The C24 bus to Gorge de Loup, a major Lyon transport hub 35 minutes ride away from Grézieu, was impressively reliable, its only limitation being the lack of a late evening service. Once in Lyon, there is an easy to navigate integrated metro/tram/bus/funicular system. There is so much to see, do and eat in Lyon! For a culinary treat, head for lunch at Les Halles de Paul Bocuse. Our favourite museum was Lugdunum, the Gallo-Roman museum, with the Musée des Confluences and the Musée des Beaux Arts (a must if you're interested in 19th and 20th century art) coming a close joint second. The old town was fascinating but busy - go in the morning or avoid weekends if you can. The wide streets around the Bourse du Travail lent themselves better to relaxing on shady restaurant or bar terraces. For days off from city life, we enjoyed scenic walks direct from the house and cooking regional produce from the local farmers' market in the well equipped kitchen.
Communication was excellent throughout and Marc and Christel were very friendly, helpful hosts whom we enjoyed meeting before we left London and briefly in Paris on our return train journey. Thank you for your recommendations and to Augustin, Suzanne and Jude too for looking after our cats and leaving our home so clean and tidy. Thanks also to the chickens for the few delicious eggs which they didn't manage to hide from us!
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