Lyon: Falling in Love with Walking, One Step at a Time
For ages, any time I heard a city described as “walkable”, it was an instant turn-off for me. Now to be clear, this didn’t mean that I was against exercising or exploring new cities. On the contrary, I love a good Vinyasa yoga class at Squashbusters, and I spend the majority of my summers exploring Boston by foot. But for me, one of the most efficient ways to get my bearings in a new city is to test the accessibility and expanse of its transportation networks, whether that be by bike scheme, bus, or rickshaw.
For a smaller European city, Lyon has an extremely impressive tram and metro system. I was pretty spoiled during my time in NUin, as Melbourne has the most extensive tramway network in the world. Regardless, Lyon’s public transportation is on par with the Aussies. While the subway maps are not as easy to understand as NYC’s grid system, or the city loop around Paris’ arrondisements, Lyon makes up for all of that in its cleanliness and efficiency. I can confidently take a seat without having to examine it for any food spills or mysterious stains, and the ticket machine is simple enough for any non-French speaker (moi!) to understand. Plus, as a frequent rider of Boston’s Green Line, the fact that all of my trains have been right on time is quite notable.
But here’s the most impressive part— at least for me. Although taking the metro or tram is a breeze in Lyon, walking is definitely my most used form of transportation. The streets are safe, open, and organized enough that I can get from Point A to Point B without having to waste time waiting for cars, or trying to figure out where I am. Even the jay-walking is less aggressive and stressful in this city!
I’ve never walked so much in my life (by choice), and encouraged others to do the same. Our commute to school is a short 5 minute walk from residence to classroom, and I often wish we had more time to take in the beautiful sights, sounds, and colors around us in the morning. The constant sunshine casts a warm light over every building, and turns the surfaces of the Rhône and Saône rivers into shimmery reflections of Lyon’s landscape.
