Lyon

If you get Rick's France book, it has a very good chapter on Lyon. Highlights for me were the Resistance Museum (which also has extensive material on collaboration) and the Lumiere Museum (probably not as meaningful if you're not a photography or movie enthusiast). I also just liked the vibe of the place - it's my favorite city in France after Paris, and a great place to spend a few days, so congratulations on your choice.

There is a Roman arena with accompanying museum which I found very interesting. Lypn is foodie heaven. Allow plenty of time for enjoying the food.

The museum of art and textile and the catherdral are nice to see. The old town for sure. 2 days recommended.

If anyone in your party is interested, there's a good motor museum at Rochetaillee, a little way up the river Saone from Lyon. You can get there by bus with a normal city transport ticket.

Lyon is a great place to visit (and probably to live). Besides the other recommendations, I'd suggest the unusual Museum of Miniatures (http://www.museeminiatureetcinema.fr/accueil_eng.html) in Vieux Lyon. And if you're looking for a non-hotel place to stay, send me a message and I can dig out the info about the apartment we stayed in.

We enjoyed the Musée des Beaux-Arts - a fine arts museum located in a former abbey followed by lunch in the Place des Terreaux next to the impressive fountain designed by the same French sculptor who also did the Statue of Liberty. Also, be sure to explore the "traboules" or passageways in Vieux Lyon. Great walking city, especially at night when it is floodlit.

We had just one day in Lyon this past July, and visited the Beau Arts museum (sadly, the sculpture wing was closed!) and the textiles museum (surprisingly good). The metro system was clean and fast, although one "station" had 3 entrances at a big intersection, and we had to go down 2 before we found the right one for our subway platform, and upon returning "home," we wound up exiting the 3rd! Check signs or ask -- the bigger metro stations had several helpful employees to assist travelers.

Have at least one meal in a traditional "Bouchon." Some places claim to be an authentic Bouchon, but look for a colorful sign featuring Gnafron, an iconic Lyonnaise puppet (whom you'll also see if you go to the puppet museum) to ensure you're in a proper Bouchon. Some traditional dishes, eaten by poor silk workers more than a century ago, feature offal, but we enjoyed a great lunch without resorting to organ meats. Passing thru a traboule and hearing voices on the other side of the exit door, it turns out there was a big tour group gathered at the door, and the guide was giving a long explanation about its history. I guess I became part of the show as I popped out thru the door, to curious onlookers! We had dinner at one of Paul Bocuse's restaurants, highly recommended for a fantastic, memorable, albeit expensive meal!

Lyon was really a welcoming place, and we hope to return soon, for more than just a day.

Wow thank you all so much for the wonderful suggestions...this makes me excited we get to spend 3 full days there :)

Le Parc de la Tête d'Or- if you'd like a walk in the park. We also walked all over the amphitheatre, the roman museum that is there, Beaux Arts museum, walked all over Vieux Lyon, up to Fourviere. Nice city. My daughter was a teaching assistant for a year there, then went to school there for another year, its her favorite city in France so far.
The 2 restaurants I remember were Brasserie Georges and a Tartine place in Vieux Lyon called LeBecquee- very interesting place! Tartines, salads and soup were very good.