The walk to work

What do you see on your route to work or school? Really think about it. Do you walk? Is any part of it walkable? Are there any independent businesses, or is it mostly chains? Do you see many sidewalks? Would it be possible to bike?

France, as well as most other western European countries, puts a high premium on city walkability, independent artisan outlets, and mixed traffic. Lyon usually has three lanes on the non-pedestrian roads: cars, bikes, and the trams/buses. I see all of this on my daily walks to work, which I am going to share with you below.

There are two flower shops between my apartment and work. They’re both pretty small. I’m always tempted when I walk by, but then I remember that with the weather turning cold and my lack of access to inexpensive quality soil, I wouldn’t do a great job. Besides, the prices are nuts. The other day they were selling a pot of mums for sixteen euros! Who pays that much for mums?

A Singer sewing machine store. Closed on Mondays.

One of many real estate agencies. Houses and apartments, for bonkers prices.

A store just for stairs. Hand on heart, it just sells stairs. The sign says it’s “always a step ahead.”

A park with a fountain and playground equipment.

One of many bodegas. You can get basics here, but not basics like Walgreens, basics like gas station basics.

A theatre (like a stage theatre, not for movies).

A hundred-year-old butcher shop.

This is a yacht broker. Some days I think about wandering in there and seeing how far I can get with the salespeople.

The firefighter station. Firetrucks are kinda small, or at least smaller than American ones. Maybe that’s a city thing.

One of many bakeries. You can’t really get pastries here — for that, got to a patisserie.

A store just for bathroom decor. They’re probably not checking where you put your golden bird urns, so I guess you can get general decor here, too.

A locksmith and plaquemaker, all in one. The plaques are important for your apartment door and mailbox. They’re pretty cheap and you can get one in a couple of minutes.

A travel agency. These are everywhere! This one is specifically for Asia.

Another butcher, but this one is bigger and has halal and kosher options. Also as much Orangina as you can drink.

The prefecture, or main government administration building, for the Rhone region.

A small cathedral attached to an art studio/supply shop. Notice the electric lines; those power the trams.

This is literally a Subway sandwich shop. It smells exactly like every Subway in the States. Do they pipe that in? Peep the sign advertising “Texan steakhouse” sandwiches.

A Covid stand. If you want to get tested but you don’t want to go to a doctor, you have to do it at one of these huts.

This kebab takeout place is thirty feet from my front door. I love it. As much as French people don’t want to admit it, kebab is nowadays a deeply French thing. But, it’s an immigrant product, and French culture is broadly against incorporating immigrant culture.

Here’s another little park, but mostly used by adults on lunch break. No playground equipment here.

A leather goods store, and they make the products here. Or most of them.

One of many, many pharmacies. Pharmacies here give me a headache, but that’s for another post.

One of a couple of bike stores. There are different stores for bike accessories.

A vet’s office! Every ounce of my willpower is dedicated to preventing me from adopting a cat while I’m here. The hassle, Allison, the hassle… how would you even get it back to the States… your landlord said no…

This place is kinda like a Goodwill and a Dollar General. Just the clothes are second hand, everything else is just cheap bulk. I never know what they are going to have, so I try to stop in whenever I think about it.

My school, Lycée Edouard Herriot.

Not pictured: a kindergarten, a car store (with two small cars inside), a couple motorcycle stores, countless restaurants and cafes, wine caves, a couple banks, a tailor, plenty of organic produce stores, about a dozen tabacs, hair salons, nail salons, and clothing boutiques. Almost everywhere in Lyon is mixed zoning, which means the bottom floor is always business, and the rest of the floors are apartments. I see all of this during a twenty minute walk. How long would you have to walk in the U.S. to see all those things?

Cordialement,

Allison