And just like that, I’ve been in Lyon for two years.

It was two years ago that I failed to buy any alcohol and couldn’t get a security guard to understand me when I asked for a bag.

I have since managed to have a few drinks and to get myself understood more often than not – at least I think so.

Encore une fois j’ai vu un martin-pêcheur au bord du Rhône mais cette fois vous pouvez le voir aussi.

Et j’ai vu aussi une aigrette près de la Saône.

I have just finished reading my third book by Marcel Pagnol.

A good friend and former colleagues gave me a copy before I came to Lyon. Turns out it is a very funny book.

Here is an example of that humour – a discussion between the titular père and a brocanteur about a chest of drawers.

🤣🤣🤣

Surely I’m allowed onboard?

I get a monthly email from my French teacher’s website alerting me to interesting activities happening each month.

Strangely this one caught my eye – a wine-tasting event in Ampius featuring 300 wines and 66 winemakers.

So off we went to sample some varieties.

We paid for a ticket that allowed dégustation so when we arrived we were handed a little wine glass and then it was off to sample the produce.

There was a lot of choice.

These are wines from the Côte-Rôtie region which is on a hillside above the river. Apparently prices can be as steep as the hills.

In the end we settled for a few bottles of Condrieu from André François and some of Saint Joseph from Jean-Pierre Lezin.

Before Christmas one of our local chocolate shops had a crib made entirely out of chocolate.

But how do you follow that? What can take the place of the baby Jesus.

Un hérisson bien sûr.

Et trois petits ours.

Ce soir j’ai vu deux beaux oiseaux sur le Rhône.

Un martin pêcheur et une aigrette.

Le martin pêcheur était trop difficile à photographier.

Il est là-dedans de quelque part.

Et l’autre jour sur la Saône…

Having finished reading Manon des Sources I have now moved on to La Gloire de Mon Père.

I learned something new.

Que les Anglais nous ont imposé!

🤷🏻‍♂️

People who live near this Metro station must have a nice relaxing life.

Lyon – or I should say Lyons – has made it into the national media.

A young TikTok travel and food blogger came to the gastronomic capital of France and it made her cry.

She was shocked that everything was closed on New Year’s Eve and that the people were not very welcoming or helpful.

“People here seem very indifferent

“I don’t recommend it for a solo traveller or someone who doesn’t speak French.”

I find that surprising as most people in Lyon when they hear my accent start speaking to me in English.

But those who live here do accept that the Lyonnais can be a bit hard to get to know.

Pour revenir sur l’Américaine à Lyon, elle a raison : les Lyonnais sont froids et fermés!

Ma prof de français

In fact to help with loneliness we have a new addition to the family.