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 Lyon, France. (Shutterstock.com) |
Q: We took a cooking class with a French chef from Lyon who mentioned the Confluence district. What is it?
— E. Garenowski, Richmond Hill
A: Lyon’s once-gritty Confluence district is being redeveloped. The 150-hectare site on the southern tip of the Presqu’ile peninsula — between the Saone and Rhone Rivers — previously housed slaughterhouses, prisons and a wholesale market. These have been relocated and delapidated buildings have been transformed into stylish shops, cafes and homes.
The area is attracting a trendy crowd. Chef Nicholas Le Bec — a rising star on France’s culinary scene — chose a former warehouse at 43 Quai Ramaud for his Michelin-starred restaurant Rue Le Bec.
“With the Confluence redevelopment Lyon has doubled its city centre,” said Benoit Bardet, a spokesman for the project.
Still very much a “work in progress,” the area will also be home to the much anticipated Musee des Confluences, which opens in 2013. The new museum will house France’s best Egyptology collection. See lyon-confluence.fr.
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Q: We recently purchased a motorcycle. The guys at the bike shop told my husband about some good routes along Lake Erie. Do you know anything about this area?
— C. Mair, Toronto
A: Three areas along Ontario’s Southcoast — Haldimand County, Norfolk County and Elgin County — promote routes for motorcycle enthusiasts. See cruisethecoast.ca for information on routes including Cruise the Coast, a six-hour coastalride past lighthouses and windmills. The shorter Norfolk route, clocks in as a 1.5 hour scenic drive. Just head south from Brantford through Waterford to Port Dover then cruise back out to Simcoe and Tillsonburg. The Friday the 13th Route — named for the gatherings of bikers in Port Dover every Friday the 13th — is another favourite. This one-hour drive follows Hwy. 6 south from Hamilton into Port Dover. For maps and more, see cruisethecoast.ca.
Q: I’ve taken some creative writing workshops and want to branch out. Do you know of any travel writing courses?
— K. Judd, Peterborough
A: Check with your local community college to see if they run courses of this nature. You might test the waters by entering a contest for aspiring travel writers run by guidebook publishers Rough Guide and website WorldNomads.com. The contest is open to non-professional or emerging writers, including journalism students, 18 years of age or older.
The winner will get an all-expenses paid trip to Istanbul, Turkey, to work with author Terry Richardson, who is researching a new edition of the The Rough Guide to Istanbul.
Entry deadline is March 28. See Click here for details.