A bus took me from my apartment up hairpin bends to La Croix-Rousse district on a 250m hill, high in the city of Lyon.
The district has been shaped by the silk industry. Silk workshops moved from the old town to La Croix-Rousse in the 18th century. Buildings were designed with higher ceilings to allow for the tall silk looms used in the industry. In subsequent years, the silk workers (canuts) staged many uprisings, known as the Canut revolts.
My first stop was to see the Mur des Canuts. It’s a huge fresco of silk workers who rebelled against poor working conditions. When I saw a photo of the fresco on the Lyon tourist website, I thought it was a real building with real people and a central staircase. The fresco looks just as realistic when you’re standing in front of it.
One of the highlights of La Croix-Rousse district are the traboules. These are secret passages that connect streets in a way that you’d not think possible. They’re like the self-contradictory staircases in Escher’s paintings.
At one point, when looking for a traboule, Google Maps was sending me along the main roads. Out of curiosity, I saw a small passage. I entered and, after a few twists and turns, navigating courtyards and staircases, I was where I needed to be! It was like teleportation! La Croix-Rousse is filled with these. Only locals know how to navigate these maze-like paths.
The temperature has been a torrid 37°C in Lyon. And it’s getting hotter! The official warnings say “everyone is in danger, even those in good health. Danger is greater for elderly people, people suffering from chronic diseases or from mental health troubles, people on medication or who are isolated…”. The list goes on. Then you’re told to “drink water several times a day; eat normally; wet your body several times a day using a spray, a washcloth or by taking warm showers or baths. Don’t go out between the hottest hours (11am-9pm [!])” We’ve been told to limit physical activity and, at home, close shutters, curtains and windows during the day.
As a result, I’ve had to slow down. La Croix-Rousse, by virtue of being on a hill, seemed slightly cooler. The breeze helped. However, when I descended the many staircases, losing altitude, it got hotter.
