The Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière may not be the oldest church in Lyon, but it does have the best view. Built on a hilltop between 1872 and 1896, it’s four neo-gothic towers loom over the city below – serving as a constant reminder of the power once wielded by the Catholic Church.
When we visit, the Basilica is closed to tourists due to COVID restrictions. But my companion – who grew up in the city – assured me that our hair-raising drive through the winding roads of Old Lyon to the spot where the Romans founded the city in 43 B.C. would be worth it.
And he was right.
Like any self-respecting church, the Basilica of Fourvière is surrounded by a large piazza. This one offers a panoramic view over the city.
It’s almost like looking through a time machine. Here are the two rivers, the Rhône and the Saône, waterways that helped the original Roman outpost of Lugdunum grow to become the capital of the Gauls. Presqu’ilse is situated in between, stretching 5 kilometres from Place des Terreaux to La Confluence, where the two rivers meet. With it’s majestic 19th-century squares, this half-island remains the cultural, political, and culinary heart of the city.
Directly below the basilica lies Vieux Lyon. Its cobblestoned streets are crowded with tourists – even during this COVID-summer – drawn to its colourful Renaissance buildings and mysterious traboules, the secret passageways that helped the city become a centre of resistance during the Second World War.
Looking further afield, across the Rhône, we admire the striking modern glass towers of Lyon’s La Part- Dieu district. As the second-largest city in France and a centre for banking, higher-learning, and the chemical, pharmaceutical, and biotech industries, this is a place that respects its history but looks confidently to the future.
After taking it all in, we turn our backs to the view, take the requisite selfies, and head back to the car. It’s time for a gelato, and my companion says he knows the best ice cream place in town.