Les Traboules

 Les Traboules are passageways through old parts of Lyon.  Some were built in the 4th century and people used them for quicker access to the rivers to get water.  Then in the 1800s the silk workers used the traboules for carrying silk.  And in WWII, Resistance Fighters used the traboules to organize secretly. 

I took a walk to find some traboules and I did find 3.  I followed a small group of people into one of the traboules on Rue St. Jean in Old Lyon.  I lagged behind them to take pictures.  When I got to the end of the passage and tried to exit onto Rue Le Boeuf, it was quite dark and I could not find the door handle.  I wasn't panicked because I knew I could turn around and get back to Rue St. Jean, but it was somewhat annoying to be twisting the lock latch over and over again, without being able to pull or push the heavy door.  After awhile the people I had followed, now outside, opened the door for me. They were laughing a little, but not too much and I thanked them for their help and went on my way. When you're traveling in Lyon, you have to have a hard shell about this kind of thing.

I'm looking forward to walking about with Mari Homme this weekend to look at more traboules.  I wish we had traboules in Bloomington.  They're pretty neat. I love all the history here in Lyon.  Did I tell you that a large section of Lyon is a Unesco World Heritage Site???? C'est vrai.