Twisted Tour Guide: Lyon, France

Evade the Tourist Herds and Enter Into An Insider's Lyon.

For the infinitely curious, this edition offer known and unknown history, hidden delights and fascinating stories pervade the history of Lyon. This kaleidoscope of discovery, personalities, egos, scandals, conflict framed by sheer beauty creates a vivid tapestry defining over two millenniums.

This guide transports you geographically and photographically to the precise famous and infamous locations where history occurred. The scenes may sometimes appear ordinary, weird, but often illuminate the physical background and descriptions behind events. Many of the narratives defy believability, yet they are true.

This Twisted Tour Guide is your alternative to conventional travel. It accommodates the restless visitor, tourist and resident seeking a unique and different perspective to traditional tourism. Lyon remains one of the most beguiling, seductive and enchanting cities of the world.

Historical Attractions:
Settlement of Lugdunum, Fourviere Hill, Roman Amphitheatre, Aqueduct of Gier, Ancient Bath Sites, Amphitheatre des Trois Gaules, Montees du Gourguillon and Saint-Barthelemy, Chateau Pierre-Scize, Ille Barbe, Place Sathonay, Guillaume Leroy Studio, College of the Trinity, Ancient Astronomical Clock, Place Bellecour, Beaux Arts Museums, Traboule Passageways, Passage de l'Argue, Charvet Clock, Gadagne Museum, Celestins Theatres, Notre Dame Basilica, Bartholdi Fountain, Feyssine Park Bunkers, Immense Glacier Stone, Tata of Chasselay Cemetery Memorial, Hotel Terminus, Building Façade Murals, Deportation Center and Former Saint Paul Prison Inmate Mural Gallery

Famous Architecture:
Grand Hotel Dieu, Saint Bonaventure Church, Maison Lantillon, Hotel Paterin, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Cathedral, Saint Polycarpe Church, Maison Brunet, Fort de Caluire Ruins, Maison des Canuts, Fort Saint-Jean, Fort de Loyasse, Church of the Immaculate Conception, Bon Pasteur Church, Fort de Brun, Fourviere Tower, Fort Montluc, Fort de Montessuy, Lyon Music and Dance Conservatory, St. Nizier Church and Le Kraken Sculptural Installation

Historical Noteworthy Events:
Papal Coronation of Clement V, Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre, Eleven Lions Heads Mystery, First Hot Air Balloon Flights, Siege of Lyon, The White Terror, Revolt of the Canuts, Legendary Peeing Child Statue on Rue Lanterne, Festival of Lights, Lyon Commune Movement, Auguste Burdeau Memorial Omission, Invention of Cinematography, The Mitraillades Killings, Cognet de Seynes Automobile, World War II Jewish Deportations, Bombing of Grand Synagogue, Bron Airport Execution, Tablets and Memorial of Stolen Lives, Vinatier Mental Hospital Starvations, Sex Workers Church Takeover, Trial of Klaus Barbie, Ballet Maternity Leave Scandal and Rhone River Homeless Camp

Criminality:
Sadi Carnot Stabbing Death, The World's First Forensic Laboratory, Serial Killers Martin Dumollard and Luigi Richetto, Police Commissioner Rene Lacroix's Killing, Gros Caillou Gang Shootout, Mobster Jean Auge's Murder, Judge Francois Renaud's Contract Hit, INTERPOL Headquarters, Jean-Claude Romand's Family Slaughter and Axelle Dorier Car Dragging Death

Profiles:
Blandine The Slave, Saint Justus, Pere Auger, Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier, Architect Pierre Bossan, Explorer Charles de Chavannes Mayor Antoine Gailleton, Lumiere Brothers, Edmond Locard, American Wartime Spy Virginia Hall, Butcher of Lyon Klaus Barbie, French Resistance Symbols Jean Moulin and Rene Hardy, Sister Elise Rivet, Historian Marc Bloch, Marguerite Flavien, Abbe Pierre and Pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet

Visual Artist, Writer and Photographer Marques Vickers is a California native presently living in the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle, Washington regions.

He was born in 1957 and raised in Vallejo, California. He is a 1979 Business Administration graduate from Azusa Pacific University in the Los Angeles area. Following graduation, he became the Public Relations and ultimately Executive Director of the Burbank Chamber of Commerce between 1979-84. He subsequently became the Vice President of Sales for AsTRA Tours and Travel in Westwood between 1984-86.

Following a one-year residence in Dijon, France where he studied at the University of Bourgogne, he began Marquis Enterprises in 1987. His company operations have included sports apparel exporting, travel and tour operations, wine brokering, publishing, rare book and collectibles reselling. He has established numerous e-commerce, barter exchange and art websites including MarquesV.com, ArtsInAmerica.com, InsiderSeriesBooks.com, DiscountVintages.com and WineScalper.com.

Between 2005-2009, he relocated to the Languedoc region of southern France. He concentrated on his painting and sculptural work while restoring two 19th century stone village residences. His figurative painting, photography and sculptural works have been sold and exhibited internationally since 1986. He re-established his Pacific Coast residence in 2009 and has focused his creative productivity on writing and photography.

His published works span a diverse variety of subjects including true crime, international travel, California wines, architecture, history, Southern France, Pacific Coast attractions, fiction, auctions, fine art marketing, poetry, fiction and photojournalism.

He has two daughters, Charline and Caroline who presently reside in Europe.