After Provence, we drove north to Lyon, where we would catch our flight home from France. But first we enjoyed a day of sightseeing. Of course that included a garden! Lyon’s botanical garden is part of Parc de la Tête d’Or, a large city park that also encompasses the city’s zoo, a lake, running and cycling trails, and a velodrome.

Jardin botanique du Parc de la Tête d’Or

The botanical garden at Parc de la Tête d’Or is just a small portion of this bustling urban park, and it felt a little haphazard, with formal beds planted next to moated zoo enclosures and open lawns where people were doing yoga. It didn’t really feel like its own place or clearly defined within the larger park.

Even so, I enjoyed details like this, a tentacle-like swoop of clipped groundcovers and echeverias.

Hot color? Yep, they have that too.

I was surprised to see familiar plants like gaura, Mediterranean fan palm, and crape myrtle along the entrance walk. Looks like central Texas!

These heat-loving stalwarts of the Texas garden looked happy here.

Bold foliage ruled one section of the garden near some greenhouses. Palms, yuccas or sotols (not sure which), and agaves reminded me of home once again.

There’s an agave lover at this garden!

Large agaves were planted in half-barrels, a container choice you don’t see much in Austin but which seems appropriate for wine country. Is now the time to confess that I did not enter the lovely glasshouses pictured at the top of this post? What can I say? I prefer outdoor gardens to indoor ones.

Lyon sightseeing

That afternoon we rode a funicular to the top of Fourvière Hill to see the basilica and admire sweeping views of the city.

Nearby are two Roman-built theaters, still in use today for an annual festival.

At night the Old Town buildings are beautifully lit.

People gather for a late dinner at sidewalk cafes…

…and stroll, as we did, taking in the sights of this interesting and lovely old city.

This ends my France vacation recap. For a look back at the awe-inspiring Roman ruins at Pont du Gard and the Arena of Nîmes, click here.

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Digging Deeper

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