Postcard from Lyon - postmarked 13 March 2019

I last wrote you from Lyon over a decade ago. France's second largest city -- some say its third largest -- hasn't changed much in 200 years let alone during the last decade. I remember then recounting to you about this amazing experience I had. With the tap of an icon on his phone, my French friend, Christophe, liberated two public bicycles from their stands, and he treated me to a two-hour bicycle tour of his town. I remember writing how I must inform Montreal's mayor about this bicycle sharing concept. True to Canadian form, the city invested, created and mismanaged Bixi until it went bankrupt. But Lyon is not resting on its laurels. Once again I am charmed by the latest: there are little electric scooters left about everywhere. I really do mean everywhere. On every block, in every park, at random places there is a scooter perched on its teeny kickstand. Anybody with the app simply scans the QR code affixed to its handlebar, steps on the tiny platform, accelerator on the left handle and brake on the right, and scoots away, always standing while riding. They are such popular means of transportation that you can see somebody scootering this way and that every minute or two, anywhere you may be, day and night. Some of the more brave, or more stupid, not sure which, can be seen weaving around in traffic at 30+ km/hr sans helmet, rather than sticking to the bike lanes and the usual cycling speeds.


In spite of the charm that this city offers, there is one aspect of this year's version of Lyon that I find troubling. I have never had to breathe in so much side smoke as here. It seems that every second Lyonais is a smoker. A chain smoker, likely. As France has finally caught up with the rest of the world and banned smoking in restaurants and cafés, smokers here have to double down on their addiction by puffing away on every city street and sidewalk. In other words, I am nearly always downwind of somebody's cigarette smoke. By design, I normally refrain from reporting on negative experiences however I believe I am marked now, and cannot shake this trauma from my thoughts. I am racking my brain for a solution which I would gladly pitch to the local authorities.

Thinking back to a time in my early 20's when I first visited France, I note another big change in French culture. Back then, most everybody bought a fresh baguette at the bakery, tasty cheese at the fromagerie, meat at the boucherie, and voilà lunch was ready to be eaten during a break from work. These days, the average Lyonais will stop instead at a local café, eat a ready-made sandwich, have a coffee and cigarette, while seated outside regardless of the weather. Twice the price and half as healthy since the sandwiches are mostly bread and mayonnaise. I know this firsthand as I had to eat one to learn about their popularity. It seems to me that the culture here is in decline. Healthy food appears to be out of financial reach of the average French citizen. Unless they make wine cheaper than water, as the Russians have engineered with vodka pricing, I understand why the population continues protesting in Lyon, Paris and elsewhere every Saturday -- you can Google gilets jaunes for the latest news. When the day comes that a single banana costs 60 cents at home, too, we may yet see Canadians marching in the streets demanding affordable groceries.

Every place you visit invariably has its pros and cons. One lovely aspect of Lyon is its nightlife. Sprinkled around town are concentrations of clubs, lounges and bars. The weather in March is already warm so many of the revelers are seated or standing outside in front, the easier to smoke for sure. Vieux Lyon is one of my favourite areas. I am the first to admit that, like Old Montreal, it is somewhat touristy, although less so at night. Unlike Old Montreal, however, Vieux Lyon is very old. The streets are uneven, narrow, nowhere even close to being parallel or perpendicular, laid down as cobblestone. The buildings are 300, 400 years old, two or three stories high, mostly. What I find appealing is that the shops, bars, etc., are inside these antique structures. Normally, there are multiple rooms, connected at odd junctures, ancient brick walls, thick wooden beams holding up the low ceilings. Depending on the decor, it all comes together as being one establishment. Easy-going the Lyonais are, no bartender or shopkeeper is rushing you to buy something. It's rather a pleasure just to breathe it all in, relax, and enjoy the evening over strong European beer or a renowned French wine.

Here's to us all sitting back to relax sometimes, no matter where in the world we may be.

Barry from Lyon