Dijon & Lyon


old Skool

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Mar 31, 2008
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glamourous central & hot west
Will be travelling from Paris to Lyon and to Dijon in Nov. Anyone have been there and have stayed in Chateau or Villa near vineyard in Lyon and Dijon? Any information will be appreciated! ;)
 

Word of advice, if this is your first time traveling to France. It would be a better experience not to fly in from Paris CDG(Charles de Gaulle). If your main destination is Lyon, it would be better to get a connecting flight to Lyon from Paris. The services at CDG are quite erratic and troublesome. Maybe it's just me, but on all the eight occasions I've flown in or departed from CDG, I've always gotten delayed.

Other than that, I don't have much advice regarding stays at a chateau or a villa. I've always stayed with friends(being a budget backpacker with french connections), but Dijon is a marvelous city, historical and all. Don't forget to buy mustard! And Lyon is a city, a lot of quaint french cafes with a nice cathedral overlooking much of Lyon. But a pointer though, it might be closed for renovations or restoration during that period. Helps to check.

Also, in between Dijon and Lyon, there are a lot of very nice little towns like Cluny, or Cormatin. But they are truly off the beaten track, I know because I spend a lot of time on a little hill around that area called Taize(with an accented e), it's a little religious community.

Near Lyon also, there is the city of Grenoble, at the foot of the French Alps. Very picturesque.

Ahhh I'm sorry, I guess I dragged on too long and too off-topic. I guess because Lyon though a nice city is lacking somewhat compared to bigger cities like Paris. Or more picturesque cities like Grenoble. Hope this helps!
 

Word of advice, if this is your first time traveling to France. It would be a better experience not to fly in from Paris CDG(Charles de Gaulle). If your main destination is Lyon, it would be better to get a connecting flight to Lyon from Paris. The services at CDG are quite erratic and troublesome. Maybe it's just me, but on all the eight occasions I've flown in or departed from CDG, I've always gotten delayed.

Other than that, I don't have much advice regarding stays at a chateau or a villa. I've always stayed with friends(being a budget backpacker with french connections), but Dijon is a marvelous city, historical and all. Don't forget to buy mustard! And Lyon is a city, a lot of quaint french cafes with a nice cathedral overlooking much of Lyon. But a pointer though, it might be closed for renovations or restoration during that period. Helps to check.

Also, in between Dijon and Lyon, there are a lot of very nice little towns like Cluny, or Cormatin. But they are truly off the beaten track, I know because I spend a lot of time on a little hill around that area called Taize(with an accented e), it's a little religious community.

Near Lyon also, there is the city of Grenoble, at the foot of the French Alps. Very picturesque.

Ahhh I'm sorry, I guess I dragged on too long and too off-topic. I guess because Lyon though a nice city is lacking somewhat compared to bigger cities like Paris. Or more picturesque cities like Grenoble. Hope this helps!

Hey articulate,

Thanks for the info. It wasn't off topic at all! Tell me more! ;)
 

Hey articulate,

Thanks for the info. It wasn't off topic at all! Tell me more! ;)

Well ok, since you asked for it ;)

Although I have friends who live in Lyon, I never really spent time there. To me it's just another city. And if you want to see a nice city, do Paris. It's expensive, picturesque, cheesy, culturally vibrant, dangerous, and romantic all at once. They even speak quite a bit of English over there nowadays, unlike 5 years ago.

If your itinerary is only to and from Paris to Lyon with Dijon in the middle, then other than what I mentioned, most other places I know are quite out of the way. If you stay at a villa or a chateau though, then it really matters how much you're paying and not so much a location, all of France is mostly quite beautiful, and the people in the countryside are mostly quite friendly. Just don't run into France's version of 'ah bengs', unlike our local breed, the French version steal cars and carry knives, and they love picking on people who are not white.

If you have time, I really suggest Grenoble. All French combined with the alps make for a fabulous place to wake up to. There is a monastery near there, on top a mountain clearing, which you can write to, they run a guesthouse where you can stay for a couple of days. I think they're called, La Salette if IIRC. You don't really have to be Catholic, they're quite open there. It is a very beautiful place, even the sample pictures are jaw dropping I think.

Other than that, not much more to add. :p
 

Well ok, since you asked for it ;)

Although I have friends who live in Lyon, I never really spent time there. To me it's just another city. And if you want to see a nice city, do Paris. It's expensive, picturesque, cheesy, culturally vibrant, dangerous, and romantic all at once. They even speak quite a bit of English over there nowadays, unlike 5 years ago.

If your itinerary is only to and from Paris to Lyon with Dijon in the middle, then other than what I mentioned, most other places I know are quite out of the way. If you stay at a villa or a chateau though, then it really matters how much you're paying and not so much a location, all of France is mostly quite beautiful, and the people in the countryside are mostly quite friendly. Just don't run into France's version of 'ah bengs', unlike our local breed, the French version steal cars and carry knives, and they love picking on people who are not white.

If you have time, I really suggest Grenoble. All French combined with the alps make for a fabulous place to wake up to. There is a monastery near there, on top a mountain clearing, which you can write to, they run a guesthouse where you can stay for a couple of days. I think they're called, La Salette if IIRC. You don't really have to be Catholic, they're quite open there. It is a very beautiful place, even the sample pictures are jaw dropping I think.

Other than that, not much more to add. :p

Thanks again for those useful info! ;)