Spent a weekend visiting a friend in Lyon in May 2005 and what a lovely city! Suffering from comparisons to Paris for centuries, I think Lyon wins out in many respects. The food, while simpler, is heartier and is served in the more comfortable confines of the local 'bouchon.' The people are generally more outgoing and more tolerant of those of us who make an attempt at speaking French. And finally, the city is a wonderfully eclectic array of elements, boasting Roman amphitheatres, medieval alleyways, grand palaces, and modern accoutrements, all gloriously straddling the confluence of the rivers Saone and Rhone. This is not to say that I do not like Paris,far from it, but for those seeking a more relaxed and, in some ways, authentic introduction to French urban life, Lyon should be the city of choice.