Surroundings, Lyon

The Cerdon Caves begin where a former river sunk below ground and winds to where the river would have resurfaced. The cavities have been used for many purposes since prehistoric times. Originally they were used as shelter, then as refuge for lepers in the Middle Ages, and more recently as storage for maturing blue cheese.There are many geological wonders in the cave, including formations called the "Cambodian Statue" and the "Canopy." There are also various porches, including one that is 30 meters high.

The convent of Sainte-Marie de la Tourette (1957-60) designed by Le Corbusier is located in a small valley and was built in the midst of nature at the edge of the forest for the Dominican monks of Lyon. The program consists of study halls, library, a refectory, a church, work and recreational areas and 100 dormitory cells for teachers and students. The spaces enclose and are unified by a courtyard which acts as a traditional cloister. As in many religious buildings, light is used in symbolic ways. Le Corbusier employs light "cannons" to specifically direct light and tinges it with color reflected from and onto painted surfaces to reinforce the symbolic and narrative aspects of the building as one travels though it. The pervasive use of robust reinforced cast in place concrete complete with the visible "scars" of its form work, while consistent with other architectural preoccupations at this time of his life, also gives the building its tone of abject poverty.

The Northern Rhone region takes in the appellations of Côte Rotie/Condrieu and St-Joseph. Vines have probably been grown on the sun-trapped slopes of the Côte Rotie ("roasted slope") for more than 2,000 years.The Côte Rotie has two main slopes: the Côte Brune, named for its dark soil, and the Côte Blonde, with lighter, chalkier soil. In the town of Condrieu a visit should be made to the impressive 16th century Maison de la Gabelle.There are many other villages of interest in the Northern Rhone, including Ampuis and Malleval.

This excellent museum covers the development of electricity from the time of the Greeks up to the developments of Coulomb. It is presented in a simple fashion so that children and laymen will be able to understand the concepts behind the science of electricity.

Suze-La Rousse Château is a medieval fortress that was built between the 12th and 14th century. It began as a wooden tower and was upgraded to the building that stands today. The interior of Suze-La Rousse Château features a grand staircase that occupies an entire wing of the palace, Hall of Arms and octagonal salon.

This little town of Ambronay (pop. 2,144) grew up around a Benedictine abbey, of which it preserves the church (mainly 13th and 15th C.), a cloister and the chapterhouse.

Above the village of l'Etoile is the Château de l'Etoile. Panoramas of the Jura also make the climb up the hill worthwhile. Château de la poupée houses a collection of dolls, dollhouses and other doll related items.

A decent collection of memorabilia has been displayed around this hangar museum. Of particular note is the Broussard which is used for flights around Lyon.

The Château Grillet, just to the south of the village of Vérin in the Northern Rhone region surrounds the medieval château of Viognier.