The Secrets of Lyonnais Gastronomy
When gastronomy become an art de vivre...
The city of Lyon draws its renowned excellence from the surrounding region and the expertise of its chefs. And this is no doubt why Curnonsky, the famous culinary critic, called it the "capital of world gastronomy" in 1935!
From the silk workers’ mâchons to the contents of the cooking pots of the Mères Lyonnais (the “Mothers of Lyon”), Lyon has earned itself a reputation of a town in which the “art of cooking” has become a veritable religion.
Paul Bocuse has inspired this heritage by adding his own expertise as a top chef of international influence.
In the heart of the Presqu’île district and Old Lyon, this visit includes culinary anecdotes, food tasting and a historical presentation of the UNESCO site, and will enable you to discover Lyon's heritage as well as its gastronomy.
Worth knowing
- Guided tour not accessible to PMR.
- A tasting can be organised, quote on request.
The advantages of this visit
You will be able to discover during this guided tour
- The history of mâchon in Lyon
- The Bouchons Lyonnais label
- Tastings of local products (optional)
The guides
Delphine
Hej, hallo, hello, bonjour I'm Delphine, one of the twenty or so lecturing guides that work for the Guides' Bureau.Our service is incredibly rich: we all have our own profiles, our own interests, our own areas of study and our own favourite type of public.
And we all have one thing in common: LYON
What I love is the variety of its districts and their architecture, the wealth and diversity of its history and the Men who built it, the beauty of its monuments, particularly the light reflected from the façades that border the Saône early in the morning or at the end of the day; it's a trip in itself!
So after language studies which took me to live in Denmark and Germany, I returned to Lyon to work as a guide to lift the veil on "Myrelingues la Brumeuse"* and to share my enthusiasm with you who have come here to discover it or immerse yourself in it. (*title of a book by Claude le Marguet, set in 1536 in Lyon)
Paa gensyn, bis bald, see you soon, à bientôt !
Anne
I started out by working as a lecturing guide for a travel agency for 7 years. Then I decided to settle permanently and resumed my initial job as a guide in my hometown.
I have a passion for History, and the Middle Ages and the Renaissance in particular, and the history of art, and therefore particularly enjoy being in this city which boasts several centuries of history.
I love good food, and really blossom in this capital of gastronomy, where good food is part of local culture. So I quite naturally took an interest in the history of food and chefs.
So many passions I intend to share with you during your next visit.
Kind regards from Lyon!
Claude
Lyon adopted me 34 years ago and I love it!
Studying languages and the history of art as well as having a passion for history determined my career as a lecturing guide.
Although I moved to Lyon by chance, I must admit I love this city and feel happy here!
I love Lyon for its past and present that combine and merge in the melting pot of history, and are also apparent in its incredible vitality that many city's envy!
I adore the uniqueness of Lyon… its glorious Roman past which archaeologists never tire of revisiting, as well as Vieux-Lyon, its Renaissance area (second only to Venice) and its secret and mysterious traboules.
My love for Lyon also resides in my love of food, as this world capital of gastronomy boasts a record of one restaurant for 294 people!
I love Lyon for its culture, its biennials and its museums which are the stuff dreams are made of!
So many reasons that explain why I'm so very attached to Lyon and wouldn't leave it for an empire..., as far as I'm concerned, it's ONLY LYON!
Claire
I was born in the north of France and decided to come to Lyon about fifteen years ago to finish my studies… and I've been here ever since!
My interest in foreign languages and heritage led me to study for a lecturing guide diploma prior to branching out to accompany groups in France and abroad
Having starting out in Bourgogne, I now work as a guide in Lyon and the surrounding area (Vienne, Beaujolais, southern Bourgogne, Pérouges).
What I still really enjoy about this job are the human encounters and the wide variety of themes broached. It's never boring!
My favourite place in Lyon: Les Jardins du Rosaire… an absolute must!
Bénédicte
My tours invite you to view the city like a tightrope walker balancing between light-heartedness and knowledge, gastronomy and architecture, silk and alchemy, football and botany, cinema and historic periods... And many other subjects that are the essence of Lyon.
Although I'm interested in the world in general, I chose to return to the city where I grew up, not to work but to pursue a passion: guiding visitors through Lyon, my home town. I will take you on a trip through time, from past to future, in a city where you can never be bored, and where there's something of interest for every generation. .
So if you want to discover the different areas in Lyon like a real little "gone" (street urchin), don't hesitate to follow me! I've worn out many pairs of trainers in the traboules and on the slopes of the three hills, I'm acquainted with Guignol's entire repertoire, and know where you can enjoy the best mâchons.
If you're interested, I'll be waiting under the horse's tail!
Véronique
When seeking to share Lyon's heritage with people, I like to broach the question from the viewpoint of technical skills and know-how, and even economy, whether it's architecture and town planning, or vineyards and gastronomy.
& practical information
Duration
2h visit
Type
Walking guided tour
Meeting place
At the exit of the métro "Vieux-Lyon", avenue Adolphe Max - Lyon 5th
Access
Metro D > Vieux-Lyon
