The church nestled between the old city and modern railway station.

The church is built in a gothic style – a piece of triva I recently learnt thanks to How to Build a Cathedral on BBC Four. The arches within the church are pointed, rather than sections of a circle. This detail marks the style out as gothic.

Mural behind the alter in St Vincent and St Paul in Lyon.

The alter and pipe organ.

Close up of the spire of St Vincent and St Paul in Lyon.

Coloured shadows through stained glass.

A view of Lyon at night from the River Saône.

For the last weeks and months we have been focused on getting a few big tasks done. Now the situation has been reversed. Suddenly we have many small tasks demanding our attention.

For a moment it felt overwhelming, but the calm is returning and the future is looking good. Very good.

I have previously rented properties in the UK and Australia; two countries similar in style and manner. Looking at property after property is not enjoyable. The first few viewing appointments elicit a sense of possibility but that fades as the process soon weighs down on me. A pragmatic focus takes over and just getting a reasonable apartment found, signed, and secured becomes the only goal.

Lyon’s buildings tend to be much older than those I have seen in the UK and there is nothing in Australia to even compare for age.

The buildings we have looked at tend to fall into two groups; those built in the later 1900s and those built in the late 1800s. Oddly the latter, older buildings from 1870 – 1890, have been in a better state. Their age ensures they have been renovated. Without some renovation they could not be rented as habitable.

Many of the buildings have hauntingly beautiful stone staircases spiralling up four, five, or six floors.

Looking down a flight of stairs from a different era

Such stairs can be a nightmare for residents without a retrofitted lift. Imagine the problems of moving in or out of an apartment on the higher floors.

There are modern buildings going up in Lyon, but they are not where we wish to live. Having avoided a lengthy commute for Megan in Melbourne, we are keen to do the same here. Being central matters. Being central in Lyon means living in an older building.

A striking difference in renting between the UK and Australia compared to France is that what you rent is often minimal. Many properties have no more than sinks in the kitchen. Just four walls and a free standing sink.

I have mentioned the electrics in France before, but I continue to smile when I see exposed wiring and bulbs left dangling freely.

At least they left in a bulb

Mechanical door bell - wind it up to start the ringing

Do not turn the small handle unless you want someone to answer the door. I learnt the hard way.

Surprisingly difficult knowing what to say in an unfamiliar language to a confused soul having just accidentially rung their door bell.

It is only on closer inspection of this photo that I notice the words “Tournez SVP” embossed on the plate; this translates to “turn please”.

A red squirrel eating a nut in the park in Lyon, France

We watched quietly this weekend as a man hand fed two red squirrels. Each squirrel approached slowly and carefully before standing upright and stretching out a small paw to take a small nut. Then a quick scurry back to safety before eating and repeating the rewarding routine.

Greenhouses in Parc de la Tête d'Or, Lyon

Underneath the glass, a banana tree seemed to thrive alongside numerous other tall trees reaching up towards the curving roof.

Looking up at a banana tree

Bunch of bananas hanging from the tree

Below is a short film of the greenhouse. As usual the footage was taken with my small point and shoot camera, and edited with iMovie. A High Definition edition is also available.

Thanks to Vidian for the soundtrack. The track Flowers Die is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial via ccMixter.

Inside the greenhouses at Parc de la Tête d'Or

Spikes, flowers, and palm leaves

Fresh fruit and vegetable market shopping has been a weekly task for us since Melbourne. In Melbourne, we were close to the massive Queen Victoria Market and all it had to offer.

In Lyon, we have a sizeable market at the end of our street. This market is best for food on the weekend when the number of stalls and the shoppers increase. The stalls open early and vanish soon after lunch.

Market stall selling fruit and vegetables in pre-divided containers in Lyon, France

In just a few weeks we have picked out a handful of favourite stalls. I have gravitated to those stalls offering pre-divided containers of fruits and vegetables. The choice tends to be fair, clearly priced, and easy to buy.

As we get more settled, we will probably end up moving to another market but for now this weekly trip is a welcome morsel of routine.

What stands out are the small touches. These plants sitting respected, enjoyed, and flourishing on a stairwell window sill hint at friendly residents.

Plants on a stairwell window sill

Horse meat for sale in Carrefour in Lyon

Around the Easter weekend, rabbit appeared in a separate freezer unit. The unit included whole rabbits, headless cuts, and the heads alone. I have no idea who would buy just the head, but at 25c for two they were not expensive. The limited number of packs of rabbit suggests few buyers.

Rabbits whole, part, and just the heads for sale

Offal is considered part of Lyon based food culture.

Offal including brain packaged ready for sale

Aston Martin in Lyon

In Sydney and Melbourne, I regularly spotted and photographed expensive cars motoring around the streets. The wide streets and undercover parking made owning such an expensive car in the city only a question of money.

Here in Lyon, the chances of returning to your car to find it damaged, scratched, or knocked must be unnervingly high.