Lyon's tea-bags

After a fantastic breakfast of beer waffles (yes, also kid friendly) and a bowl of coffee, I'm back on the road. The sun peaks through the clouds and rain is reduced to a few drizzly moments. 

The choice is to stay on the circuitous EuroVelo 17 (Route de Rhône) or depart from it saving more than a few Kms. As there is a host waiting in Lyon, I opt for an easier day and in the end it is still 95km. 

The route is mostly flat and I enjoy an extended lunch break in the picturesque Chemieu. It's May 8th, which is a holiday in France celebrating VE (Víctory in Europe) post World War II, so there is not much traffic in the cities. 

I am having a lot of luck/ success using the warmshowers platform and Fannie has. Invited me to stay one night in Lyon. She has dinner prepared and after putting her son, Silvestre, to bed, we find out how many similarities we have - bike activism, bike touring and general attitude to life. She is going on a small bike ride with pneumonia - pretty bad ass. 

I spend my day in Lyon chilling in some parks and biking about the more interesting cycle spots. There is a car tunnel (Tunnel de la Croix Rousse) which has been converted to a bus lane and dedicated bike and pedestrian lanes. It is 1.6km long and even has some art on the walls. 

Actually large party's of Lyon are being ripped up and converted into more friendly biking infrastructure and more tram lines. However, it does seem that motorbikes, even big ones, use these bike lanes to weave through the traffic. Infrastructure is only part of making cycling safer, you also need someone checking that the rules adhered to.

All in all, Lyon is a pretty and livable city with lots going on and taking back the streets from the ubiquitous car/ motorbike culture here.