la fresque des canuts, or le mur des canuts, & lunch at un atelier

While looking to understand the Fresque des Lyonnais that I had happened upon a few days earlier, while walking across the Saône in Lyon, I learned that several other wall paintings existed in Lyon. To my surprise I saw that a larger fresque could be seen in the Croix-Rousse quartier and not far from my neighborhood.

I had a tourist destination for the next day. I decided that I would walk to the painting, getting some exercise at the same time, since I would need to climb a series of stairways to reach the Croix-Rousse. I could easily enough use an electric scooter but the walk might offer some adventures and certainly more opportunities for taking pictures. I chose where I wanted to eat as well.

Unlike most days, before I left the apartment this day, I had chosen how I would get around, where I was going, and where I wanted to eat lunch.

Soon enough I turned a corner and stepped back and stepped back again and saw la Fresque des Canuts.

All of the buildings here are painted images, trompe-l’oeil, a part of le fresque des Canuts, including the cream-colored one in the background.  (Click on any photo to see it larger and in more detail. Cliquez sur une vignette pour l’agrandir.)

The painting is astonishing when viewed more closely, too. One can see the buildings in ‘real’ space and the perspective in relation to the people who are nearby.  (Click on any photo to see it larger and in more detail. Cliquez sur une vignette pour l’agrandir.)

The wall was bare and bleak once upon a time. The same group–Cité de la Création–who painted La Fresque des Lyonnais was asked by the owners of the building to represent the quartier where it stood. For a theme they chose the silk trade.  (Click on any photo to see it larger and in more detail. Cliquez sur une vignette pour l’agrandir.)

Here one can see the stages of the painting. It evolved dramatically over the years. Images were added or changed and some were embellished to reflect the changing quartier.  (Click on any photo to see it larger and in more detail. Cliquez sur une vignette pour l’agrandir.)

Many who come to look will inadvertently become a part of scene and easily extended into it. Sometimes tourists will purposely pose with the characters on the wall.  (Click on any photo to see it larger and in more detail. Cliquez sur une vignette pour l’agrandir.)

Sometimes the small scenes, scattered along the painting, seem to invite the viewer into the world of the painting. We look at them, and they in turn return the glances.  (Click on any photo to see it larger and in more detail. Cliquez sur une vignette pour l’agrandir.)

The little girl was a favorite. The artist loved her (his) model and subject. Parents with children had them pose for photographs next to her. Sometimes they rested a hand on her shoulder.  (Click on any photo to see it larger and in more detail. Cliquez sur une vignette pour l’agrandir.)

A portion of the painted plaster has fallen, exposing the underside of the wall and breaking the illusion of the trompe-l’oeil. It is arresting when viewed within the context of the entire painting. One wonders if it might have been an intentional feature. It reminded me, curiously, of the scar on Tess’s face in the film version of Hardy’s novel Tess of the d’Urbervilles.  (Click on any photo to see it larger and in more detail. Cliquez sur une vignette pour l’agrandir.)

Normally, I will eat lunch in the quartier where I am when the noon hour approaches. This day I wanted to go a bit further away, within walking distance and not difficult to reach.  (Click on any photo to see it larger and in more detail. Cliquez sur une vignette pour l’agrandir.)

I chose l’Atelier des Augustins which happens to be in my neighborhood. I had discovered it a few days earlier while exploring a side street that from the edge did not suggest any promise. Mid-way I saw the restaurant and a Michelin sticker on a window.

It is not clear to me how the menu is presented every day. But this day the menu was offered verbally. I had three choices: the chef choice consisting of three dishes; the entrée and plat; or the plat and dessert. I believe he would have given me some further choices if I had asked for the latter two, but I ordered the déjeuner surprise avec accord mets & vins, three courses with two glasses of wine.

The entrée was a foie gras and beef paté, the main dish was a canette (duckling), and the dessert was mixture of many tastes centered on the theme of cardamon.

The meal began with an amuse-gueule (amuse-bouche) and later, after the main course, I was served another one.