photo: Patricia Feaster
Nestled between the Beaujolais wine region and the peaks of the French Alps, in miles of rolling, sunbathed farmland, perhaps it’s no surprise that Lyon should be the home of French gastronomy. The natural abundance of the surroundings ensures fresh ingredients fill the markets each morning. Food is at the heart of Lyonnaise culture, just as Lyon is at the heart of French culinary culture.
But unlike in the grand restaurants of Paris, Lyon’s gastronomic culture comes from the local workers. That’s why there is an emphasis on local ingredients and making full use of the livestock that was available around the city.
In years gone by, Lyon’s silk workers would stop off for something hearty to eat before a long day at the mill and, instead of being served the expensive prime cuts, they would get what their bosses and the wealthy silk traders didn’t want. So the local cooks got creative and created signature local dishes out of the stomachs, cheeks, intestines and other off-cuts of pigs and ducks. Don’t be put off by the idea… what the cooks achieved is quite spectacular and forms the basis of France’s tastiest cuisine.
photo: Patricia Feaster
The tradition of delicious, simple food lives on today in the bouchons that dot the city. For a modest price you can tuck into sublime local dishes made with fresh ingredients from the local countryside. A glass of Beaujolais is the perfect accompaniment to the rich meats, soups, sausages and sauces that typify local cuisine.
Alongside the affordable, exquisite food of the bouchons, you can go upmarket and experience gastronomic masterpieces in the hometown of legendary chef Paul Bocuse.
The smells that waft out from the kitchens into the network of traboule (Lyonnaise alleyways) of the old town make it hard not to stop of for something to eat even when you are already wondering if you will ever be hungry again! A stroll along one of the city’s two rivers – the Rhone and the Saone – will give you the chance to regain your hunger in beautiful surroundings.
Lyon is a beautiful place too. There is a unique aesthetic in the bouchons that is distinctly Lyonnaise, at once cosy and rustic but also stylish. They spill out onto the cobbled streets, which have changed little in the past two centuries.
photo: Patricia Feaster
The local Roman amphitheatre hints at Lyon’s ancient history and is best visited early in the morning, when the warm sunlight starts to spread over the ancient remains. When Lyon was known as Lugdunum, 20,000 people would pack the amphitheatre, although it’s hard to imagine that nowadays.
A city that values beauty and good living, a city where the sun is usually shining and where you can enjoy sublime food day in, day out… Lyon has never reached out to tourists in the way that Paris or Nice does, which makes it all the more alluring for visitors and a superb place to learn French.
Have you been to Lyon? Lovely city, non? You can share your experience in the comments.
What do you think?