You Won’t Believe These Stunning Shots of Lyon

A group of colorful buildings

Often referred to as France’s Second City, Lyon is a gem often overlooked by tourists trying to snap a pic of the Eiffel Tower or relive royal summers in Saint-Tropez or Nice.

But this city of over 500,000 people is a bustling metropolis with all of the stunning architecture of Paris as well as a rich and palpable history. Founded by the Romans in 43 B.C., the town developed into the banking capital of France, which it remains today. Each year Lyon hosts the Festival of Lights in December, once a religious holiday and now a stunning intersection of art and technology that showcases the most elaborate light displays in the world. The city is also considered the gastronomic capital of the world, made such by chefs like Eugénie Brazier and Paul Bocuse.

Enjoy this timelapse video of everyday life in Lyon, from gorgeous rooftop panoramas to gothic cathedrals to the omnipresent pétanque players in the local square.

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