People who go to Paris and then maybe go to Cannes, Versailles, and the Provence area may not feel the need to stop in Lyon, France. It should be, though.

Lyon is the third biggest city in France, after Paris and Marseilles. It’s only a two-hour train ride from Paris and is close to the Alps and the Swiss border. Katherine Torres, who has lived in Lyon for four years and interviewed me for the PhotowalksTV series, said that it is “more calm” than Paris. “It’s not too big, and you can do some great walking.”

She speaks my language!

That’s what Frommer says about Lyon: “a more authentic taste of what French life is really like.”

Yes, there is a new part of the 2,000-year-old city. It’s cool that it’s international and full of big buildings and plazas.

And the old town, which is also known as Vieux Lyon? That will show you how people used to live in France.

This is the area Katherine meant when she said Lyon is a great place to walk because it has so many small streets, alleys, and secret paths. You can watch the most recent PhotowalksTV show to find out for yourself. It was shot with an iPhone 14 Pro Max and an Insta360 X3 camera.

You don’t need a plan or steps to follow. “Vieux Lyon,” which is across the river from the “New” part of town, is like getting into a time machine because it is full of beautiful French cafes, bistros, gelato shops, and other things to look at.