Lyon 2025 Part 2

We spent a sunny afternoon at the top of the Fourvière hill! 

You can see the basilica from all over Lyon - and you can see a lot of Lyon from the hill!

Basilica 

Lyon

We walked through the basilica (which has an elevator entrance on the side), admiring the architecture and mosaics

Joan of Arc*

I only saw one description of the mosaics - here's what it says about Joan of Arc:

Joan of Arc

Work by Charles Lameire (1909) and Georges Décôte (1917)

THE EVENT

At the time of the construction and decoration of the basilica, Joan of Arc was already a powerful symbol of France.

Inspired by a fearless faith, she supported the Kingdom against the English. She acted under the banner bearing the names of Jesus and Mary. Her commitment, even to the point of death at the stake in Rouen, testifies to authentic holiness.

She was beatified in 1909, during the episcopate of Bishop Coullié, former Bishop of Orléans, then Cardinal Archbishop of Lyon.

At both ends, the beginning and the end of her life. On the right, Joan listening to her voices, Saint Michael, Saint Catherine, and Saint Margaret.

Above this scene, the image of Our Lady of Le Puy recalls that Joan of Arc's mother, Isabelle Romée, went to the sanctuary of Le Puy-en-Velay during the Jubilee of 1429 to commend her daughter, who had just left for war, to the Virgin Mary. In the center, the triumphal entry into Orléans, on May 8, 1429.

To the left, the pyre, on the Old Market Square in Rouen, on May 30, 1431. Joan's eyes are fixed on the crucifix held out to her by a monk.

In the upper section, we see, in the center, the coronation of Charles VII in Reims, on July 17, 1429. On the cathedral square, the king appears beside the woman who has returned his crown to him. In the same scene, on the right, John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, defeated at the Battle of Patay (June 19, 1429), surrenders his sword to Joan of Arc.

On the left, Joan is taken prisoner at Compiègne (May 23, 1430).

THE INSCRIPTION

Blessed Joan of Arc, at the command of her voices, frees Orléans, besieged by the enemy. Amidst a large crowd of people, she stands victorious beside King Charles VII, who is crowned in Reims. She dies amidst the flames of Rouen in 1431.

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After touring the main floor, we went down to the crypt. To us, a crypt is usually a small, dark, almost depressing place. But this one had the same footprint as the main floor, and had renditions of Mary from around the world. It was very interesting to see just how much her image can differ!

After the basilica, we sat in a restaurant, enjoying the view - I had some fun identifying some of the landmarks, and making some things up 😉

Opera house (black roof), and Hôtel de Ville (rainbow flag)

Hôtel-Dieu 

Squint, and you'll see 4 sailboats!

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There are more photos in the Lyon 2025 Fourvière album.

We had a few false starts due to problems with metros and buses - more on that next!