After having been in Paris for a month, a change of scenery felt extraordinary this weekend and Lyon was the perfect place to take a breath of fresh air.

While it’s known as the smaller version of Paris, Lyon actually has a very different atmosphere than bustling Paris. The buildings are more colorful and the terrain is hilly with a lot more vegetation. It’s known as the city of two rivers, because the city follows both the river Rhone and the river Soâne. The rivers have two different colors and on a sunny day you can see how the color changes where they meet. Not only is it beautiful, but it’s the gastronomical capital of the world, and I had some delicious food, and some new food that I’d never tried before.

My favorite highlights of the trip were walking along the Rhone river at night, eating gourmet macarons from les halles de Lyon, wine and chocolate tasting, and enjoying the view of Train l’Hermitage, a wine making village near Lyon.

I also really enjoyed the chance to get to know a few of my other freshmen friends in a smaller setting, as well as the opportunity to talk to some of the junior students who went on the trip as well.

(I didn’t take that many pictures of the trip because I am planning on making Friday’s video about Lyon, so look forward to that!)

XOLily