LYON

Lyon is widely praised for this enviable quality of life, mind-blowing gastronomy and UNESCO world heritage architecture. The city boasts a rich history and buzzing cultural life. The city is also ideally located, at less than two hours from the Europe's finest ski slopes. (see the Lyon website)

Lyon is France’s #2 city for culture according to Journal des Arts, just behind Paris. And for good reason, as the city has an abundance of museums, from the Musée des Confluences (opened in December 2014) to the Musée d'Art Contemporain (Contemporary Art Museum), to the Musée de la Résistance and the Institut Lumière (Cinema Museum), allowing you to immerse yourself in Lyon’s history and heritage.

The city’s cultural life is also punctuated by over 21,000 events all throughout the year, ranging from exhibitions, concerts and plays, to festivals, biennial celebrations and much more. These include major international events such as the Festival Lumière (Grand Lyon Film Festival), the Biennale de la danse(Biennial Dance Festival), the Biennale d’Art Contemporain (Biennial Modern Art Festival), the Nuits Sonores (electronic music festival) or the renowned Festival of Lights.

Finally, you can stroll through the city’s historical districts, such as Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon) and its traboules, the hillsides of Croix-Rousse, Fourvière and its stunning view of the city. Lyon is a city of history, listed as part of UNESCO’s World Heritage since 1998, making it Europe’s 2^nd-largest Renaissance site after Venice.