Cath’s sister Sally came to visit this weekend so we took the chance to go up to visit La Basilica Notre Dame de Fourviere- the big white cathedral at the top of a hill looking down on Lyon.
Although I tried to visit in my first week here, I failed to get to the top so it was time to put that right.
This time we sensibly took the funicular up to the top and we’re rewarded with some tremendous views.
The cathedral was paid for by the people of Lyon and built in 1872. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary who it is said protected the city from the bubonic plague in 1643.
The basilica is built on the site of a Roman forum built by Trajan – Fourviere being a corruption of Vieux Forum (so the guidebooks say)
Next door is an equally impressive Roman amphitheatre from which you can see the snow-topped Alps.
The basilica is know locally, affectionately, as l’elephant renversé – the upside down elephant.
Thrown to (the) Lyon 
Wow! What a place. Beautiful. (Doing some catching up on the blog here!!)
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