NEW YORK -- Delta's April 14 inauguration of nonstop flight service
between New York and Lyon now gives travelers easier access to
France's Rhone-Alps region.
The airline launched daily flights from New York (Kennedy) to
Lyon's Satolas Airport, a service code shared with Air France.
The Rhone-Alps region lies midway between Paris and Nice,
bordering the provinces of Burgundy and Provence.
Rhone-Alps attractions include:
The University of Wine in Suze-la-Rousse, housed in a medieval
castle and offering courses in enology conducted in English, is
perfect for individual and group wine lovers.La Route des Vins, north from Lyon, links Beaujolais villages
whose wineries and cellars are open for tours and tastings.Along the way in Romanche-Thorins is the Hameau du Vin de
Georges Duboeuf, a museum illustrating the history of wine and
wine-making, set in a turn-of-the-century rail station.
Specialty museums highlight regional creativity. They include
the Fabrics Museum in Lyon; the International Shoe Museum in
Romans, showcasing styles by Kelian and Charles Jourdan; the Hat
Museum in Chazelles sur Lyon; the Clock Museum of Cluses; the
Museum of Tableware of Roanne; the Ski Museum of Grenoble,
showcasing Rossignols' latest models, and the Figurines Museum
(16,000 miniatures) of Marboz.Natural sightseeing includes Chamonix, which looks straight up
at Mont Blanc, the highest peak (15,780 feet) in Europe. What is
said to be the world's highest cable-car ride takes visitors to the
summit of Aiguille du Midi (12,600 feet). The cog railway of
Montenvers leads to the Mer de Glace glacier.The Monastery of the Grande Chartreuse, where the Carthusian
monks first created Chartreuse in the 16th century, is on the route
between Lyon and Grenoble. In nearby Voiron, travelers are welcome
at the distillery where the famous liqueur is still made.