VISIT ONE OF EUROPE’S ICONIC NEW MUSEUMS IN 2015 - LA MUSÉE DES CONFLUENCES OPENS LATE DECEMBER 2014 IN LYON

This December, the eagerly anticipated Musée de Confluences will be opening on the outskirts of Lyon. Located on the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône, this incredible contemporary building designed by Austrian architects Coop Himmelblau will push the boundaries of innovative design and offer a dynamic new concept that is unrivalled in the museum world today. 

Resembling a floating crystal cloud made of stainless steel and glass, its raison d’être is to question the history of the Earth and mankind from their origins through the powerful architecture and the 2.2 million objects that have been gradually amassed over half a millennium, from the 16th to the 21st century. Drawing on this extraordinary collection of curiosities, The Musée des Confluences will combine the most recent research in every field of science and technology and in disciplines ranging from archaeology and ethnology to museology and the mediation of knowledge.

The Austrian architects, Coop Himmelblau, are internationally recognized for their deconstructed architecture (as seen BMW Welt Museum in Munich and the Akron Art Museum in Ohio) and this project is their first in France. The symbolic site demanded a powerful architectural statement, and Coop Himmelblau’s response to it was a combination of three key architectural units, the Crystal, the Cloud and the Plinth.

Lyon, known as the ‘gastronomic capital of France’, is the ideal weekend escape, taking only five and a half hours on the Eurostar or fly direct on one of the three flights to depart daily from London Heathrow to Lyon with British Airways. Stay at Cour des Loges, one of the much-loved properties of Maisons & Hotels Sibuet’s. Superbly located in the heart of Vieux-Lyon, Cour des Loges is a luxurious hideaway with a history dating back to the 1300s. Resembling a city castle, the 61 rooms are linked via secret passageways and winding staircases, with décor transporting guests back to the Italian Renaissance. Walls throughout are adorned with silks, as a further nod to the silk trade. The hotel's Les Loges Restaurant was awarded a Michelin star in 2012; and the indulgent Pure Altitude spa and stunning roof gardens offer a true sanctuary in the heart of Old Lyon.

Enjoy a two-night getaway and enjoy a 10% discount on the room rate for both nights up to 21/12/14. Double rooms at Cour des Loges are available on a B&B basis from 220€ per night, based on two people sharing a classic room.