When J and I were thinking about where we wanted to visit on our first big trip out of Riyadh easily agreed that we wanted eat at Michelin starred restaurants and drink great wine. We had a few cities short listed that we thought could deliver both and Lyon quickly rose to the top.
Lyon is the second largest city in France. It’s not as cosmopolitan as Paris in that it doesn’t have the glamorous nightlife, number of museums or amount of luxury shopping, BUT it is known for its’ food and wine scene. There are 117 Michelin starred restaurants in Lyon. It sits on two rivers, the Saône and Rhône. You may have heard of a little area called the Rhône River Valley, which produces some of my personal faves – Cote-du-Rhone, Gigondas, and Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
We stayed in a lovely and artfully styled Airbnb in the 2nd. It’s central and a quick walk across the river to old Lyon. We’re finding that Airbnb is more cost effective and super easy with the Gents. Baby proofing is a bit of a challenge, but having the room for them to spread out and a proper place for us to prepare meals for them is great. And being able to wash and dry clothing is key! The downside was that it was a walk-up building and we were on the third floor, but it made for good exercise. The big bonus was that we were situated a block away from a really nice park so that C&R we able to get outside and play, which has been a rarity for them. We also rented a car for the week, knowing we’d want to explore wine country. Lyon is very reasonably priced so a week is easily doable.
We arrived in the city at around 10a Sunday morning. Unfortunately we couldn’t get into our Airbnb until 4p that afternoon. The farmers market, along the Saône, was a block away from the flat. I had read about this before arriving and had high expectations. It did not disappoint. In-season fruit and veg, locally produced saucisson, any French cheese you can imagine, poulet roti, bread, pastries, wine and flowers. This farmers market is open every day, except Mondays, and was a frequented spot during our stay.
We killed time that day by roaming the streets, sitting at outdoor cafes, and discovering a great coffee shop called Slake. Boutique coffee shops are not common in France, like the US, as the café is the usual spot to grab your pick-me-up. We drank quite a few coffees here during the week.
We’ve gotten in a routine in France, which started during our Paris trip. Jeff runs out to Eric Kayser (it’s chain) is the mornings to get the obligatory petit dejuner items – coffee, pastries and quiche lorraine. It makes mornings a bit more leisurely so we don’t have to rush to get us all ready, out the door, and sit in a café that might be crowded. Also our fruit finds from the market were a precursor for the Gents that held them over until their quiche arrived. Then it was time get out!
It’s said that Old (Vieux) Lyon is one of the more extensive Renaissance neighborhoods in Europe. It really is unlike any area I’ve visited in Europe, making me feel like I’d been transported to the middle ages…and not in a gimmicky way. It’s been preserved so well - the gothic cathedrals, buchons, shops, the nooks and crannies of the meandering cobble stone streets. In the evening it’s juxtaposed with college students, spilling out bars and wine caves. It sits at the bottom of a very steep hill that we really wanted to explore, but there was no way were making that hike with the stroller. We figured we’d wait on that. In the meantime, we scoped out wine caves and picked up lunch for C&R at a boulongerie.
That afternoon, we picked up the Gent’s godmother from the train station. We call her Tia. She happened to be heading to London for work so she carved out some time to spend with us. Note – driving in Lyon is a bit nerve wracking because you have to circumnavigate the streets that only allow buses, trams, bikers, and pedestrians. It was a little stressful so by the time we picked up Tia we were ready for lunch and glass of wine. We weren’t too far from a bouchon that I wanted to checkout so we made our way over towards the Opera House and Hôtel de Ville. Of course by the time we got there they were no longer seating anyone. Also something good to note is that most of the smaller restaurants only have about an 2-hour window for lunch (noon-2p), but you need to get there no later than 1p to get seated and ensure there is food as many items are made to order. We opted to eat a café outside Hôtel de Ville.
Before going home we made one last trip to pick up a few bottles in wine at Guyot, a sizeable wine shop a few blocks from the flat. We were feeling rosé (shocking) and the person manning the shop was helpful in making our final decisions. When he asked where we were from Tia said, “Chicago”. To which he replied, “In Michigan?” You can imagine a French person knowing of the state of Michigan put an immediate smile on my face. By time we got back to the flat that babes had woken up from their nap and already had some time in the park.
We sat with the Gents while the had their dinner, played before their evening bath, and kissed their golden locks goodnight before we left for our first Michelin starred dinner of the week at La Mere Brazier. (le sigh) This really was a lovely kick-off to our dining experiences of the week. I didn’t take any pics of the dinner and I wish I had because it was really special. The restaurant was started in 1921 by Eugénie Brazier…a woman! And under her reign she was awarded 3 Michelin stars, twice. The restaurant now has 2 under Mathieu Viannay and he’s even kept some Madame’s signature dishes on the menu. The food, wine, the ambiance, the staff…everything was impeccable and the restaurant deserves its notoriety. We particularly enjoyed the sommelier, Jeremy. Not only did he hand write a list of ALL of the wines we had (each of us had different pairings for each course), but we mentioned that we were driving to Chateauneuf-du-Pape the following morning and he suggested a couple places wineries to visit. To cap off the evening, after closing down the kitchen, Mathieu Viannay come to each table in the dining room to say hello. It was a nearly 4 hour dinner and we were beyond ready to get some rest before our morning road trip.
After that decadent meal we we’re all a bit slow moving the next morning. We got on the road as quickly as we could though to get to C-d-P. It was a picturesque drive, nestled in a valley with the Alps to the east in the far distance. We made it to the village just in time to be seated for lunch La Mere Germaine. The dining room is really pretty, but it was a perfect day and we took advantage of sitting outside. It felt like we were in Italy, and when we realized how far south and which Italian cities we were longitudinally aligned with, it made sense! We didn’t have much time, so we had to make the most of this vsit. After an elegant three-course lunch, it was time to start tasting more of the local product. There are a lot of tasting rooms in the village, but there was one nearby on my list that I wanted to check out, Boutique Santa Duc. Tia had mentioned to the person working the wine room that she wanted to learn more about the various blends and make-up of the different wines. He ended up giving us a nice little overview, education and tasting. And for that we walked out with two great bottles. We popped into a couple more shops, J bought another bottle while the Gents stretched their legs running about the sidewalk. We were running out of daylight so we decided we better drive out to one of the reco’d wineries before the tasting rooms closed. We made it to Chateau La Nerthe with an hour left to spare. We had already had La Nerthe the night before and we ordered a bottle a lunch, so we knew this was going to be good. Again we bought another bottle, took advantage of the photo opp in the country, let C&R stretch their legs a bit more, and it was time to make the two-hour trek back. If I had to do it over I would have stayed overnight so we could have experience more, but I’m glad we were there if even for a short time.
Since we sat in the car most of the previous day is was time to get out an walk a bit on Wednesday. We ended up at the farmer’s market to grab items for the day. And knowing we’d have a rich dinner that evening we wanted to keep it light and simple for lunch. Tia took charge with getting a poulet roti, hericot vert, and a head if greens. We also needed more cheese, so we stopped at the fromagerie in the market to get our favorite truffled brie and comte for the boys. One last stop for a baguette and we were set for our lunch at home. With one of the bottles of rose we had purchased and the French window doors open, it made for a ‘grama-able setting!
That evening we had a reservation at Paul Bocuse. We continued our nightly routine with the C&R before leaving, and sipped a little bubbly before heading out. Paul Bocuse is an institution in Lyon, as he should be with 50 years-worth of Michelin stars. The entrées and plats were quintessentially French, and so meticulously plated that they were almost too pretty to eat. That didn’t stop us though. And we pushed through to the cheese course/buffet. Our waiter was disappointed when we didn’t ask for more as we were saving ourselves for dessert. The funniest and fortuitous moment of the night when J said, “This may sound really cheesy, but I love a good dessert tray. You know, when they bring it to the table?” Then low and behold not one, not two, but three carts are pulled up to our table! One by one trays of the prettiest confections you’ve seen were placed on each. We all choose our own dessert. Yet, again our waiter is disappointed that we didn’t select more. Little did we know it really was a dessert buffet and we could have loaded our table with anything we wanted. Am so glad we didn’t know better. Mind you I still ate every bite of my beautiful floating island. (le sigh) Another 4-hour dinner in the books.
More walking was in order on Thursday so we thought it would be good to cross the Rhône over to Les Halles (Paul Bocuse’s indoor market). It’s kind of like Eataly meets Union Market, except it’s all French. There are a few restaurants there as well. We have family friends, a couple and their son, who recently moved to Lyon. The father was working and the son was in school, so the mother, D, met up with us for lunch. To be honest, I think she really wanted to see C&R more than anything! I don’t blame her. It was great to see another familiar face. After more rosé, salads, and escargot we ventured back over the river to their new flat. En route D picked up some champagne and patisseries. We settled in to their home, relaxing, enjoying the view, and letting the boys scamper about. It’s so nice when you can go to a foreign country and be in a friend’s or family’s home. After this respite it was time to venture back to our flat.
This was our second to last night in Lyon and we had to make it count as we already had plans for our last evening. When doing some research before arriving I came across a little wine cave in Old Lyon, Le Cave du Voyageurs. A handful of tables are lined on the sidewalk, but inside only has two tables and five bar stools, in which we were fortunate to get three. They have an extensive cellar, with a glass trap door as soon as you enter (I don’t know why I didn’t take a picture of that!). We maybe sat there for 20 minutes before we piped up that we wanted to order. It didn’t really bother us though because the scene was entertaining. I theorized that it was a brother owned operation, one managed the bar and the other the kitchen. One was short haired and clean shaven, the other a bit of a disheveled mess. The guy in the kitchen, with a long French nose and thick bushy beard, walked out shaking a baguette and speaking loudly in French to an overdressed patron in a suit and tie. He and his two friends were buying bottles at the corner table. The patron smirked and didn’t say anything back. In this place, the maison is right and you better put up with it, smug guy in suit! I knew this was place was awesome and I wish I could be a regular. On the bar, lined up in front of us were bottles, to be ordered by the glass. When looking at these bottles of wineries and varietals that we didn’t recognize, admittedly, we were a little intimidated…or as Tia aptly put, “I feel like a dummy.” The one additional guy working the bar was great though. We each had something in mind that we wanted and that helped guide him to a recommendation for us. Two glasses in, it was time to find a quick bite somewhere before closing time. Again, we were too late for most places. But not too late for the kabob place, where J and I practiced Arabic and Tia got the BEST falafel we’ve ever eaten. But we didn’t go home just yet. We had a recommendation from an Embassy friend to have a beer at Les Fleurs du Malt. It may not have had a ton of character compared to other bars in the neighborhood, but it had an extensive selection of beers. I founds the lightest blonde on the menu at 5.5% for my nightcap and drank it out of plastic cup with the college kids standing on the sidewalk outside of the bar.
Every evening ran late on this vacation and every morning started early with toddlers being mere feet away from us. By Friday morning we started really late. We had the grand idea to trek up the Old Lyon hill to the Basilica. It was one thing I really wanted to do, but I knew wasn’t going to happen. Maybe next time. At that point coffee became a necessity and Tia got a good reco from a friend, called Puzzle. I was just what we all needed After coffee we shopped a bit. It was now the perfect time to hit the bouchon that we couldn’t get into earlier in the week, Bouchon Lyonnais Chez Hugon. We walked in just after noon. It seats 20 people and was already half-full. We were asked if we had a reservation, of course we didn’t. We were almost turned away again when the owner, Arlette Hugon, held up her hand and pointed to the end of one open table and started moving place settings around to squeeze us in. The waitress asked if the table arrangement was OK with us. I was thrilled they were nice enough to make room for us (this would never happen in Paris). A traditional Lyonnais bouchon menu is VERY country – tripe, brains, blood sausage, pigs feet, coarse pate – essentially, all of the parts on an animal that might go to waste. We started with the pate and some lentils with a vinegar dressing. It was a nice balance to cut the richness of the pate, which was so good! J and Tia went with the house traditional plate of blood sausage. My first choice wasn’t available, so the runner-up was chicken in a vinegar sauce. The creamy tomato based sauce was reminiscent of Thanksgiving, full of rosemary and thyme. With the dark meat quarter chicken and pasta it was served with, it was pure comfort food. The blood sausage was served with baked apples. The flavors were great, but the texture was mushy and not what we expected. The food is unique and we definitely appreciated the style of cooking. It may not have been our favorite meal of the trip, but we all agreed that we’re glad we tried it!
As this point we were full of wine and food and I was ready to see the boys since we left them at home for the morning with Joy. She needed a break too, so we took them out for the afternoon. The day before Tia had done some pharmacy shopping. French pharmacies really are like candy stores for adults who love beauty products. I’ve never really delved into them, but now that I’m 40 and dealing with a desert climate it’s time to take a cue from the French. I’ll write another post in a few weeks about my new skincare regimen. For now, I will say I noticed an immediate difference overnight. With our new beauty finds we walked through the park and let the boys run free. It was so fun to watch them in this environment since we don’t have anything similar in Riyadh. Carter ran up to a group of people kicking a soccer ball, then tried to steal it. Royce just ran in the wide open, giggling while being chased. I marvel and how quickly they can develop their social and motor skills when given the chance. Their vocabulary has expanded. This week they didn’t have high chairs but still sat up like big kids in regular chairs at a normal table to eat their meals. They used adult utensils and fed themselves. Carter even proved he can hold a champagne glass without breaking it! These are testaments to allowing them the space to grow and them proving the can meet the challenge.
It was time to get them home for dinner though. Tia decided to take a break from 4-hour dinners to stay back that evening and cook her Godsons dinner…spaghetti with red sauce no less. They were a mess and enjoyed every bite of it! At this point we had one last bottle to drink before the end of the trip, so we toasted our last evening together in Lyon before J and I left for our last dinner. I specifically made the restaurant reservations in the order I did so we could get a culinary history of Lyon. Ending the week with La Neuvieme Art made for such a vastly different experience compared to its’ predecessors since it’s rooted in molecular gastronomy, but you can feel and taste the influence of the chefs that made Lyon what it is today. In total we had 9 different courses (pics are in Instagram). It was spectacular and surprising well priced! It reminded me of being at Alinea or Next, but at a fraction of the price.
When I think about this we just scratched the surface on all that is available in this area of France. I’d love to go back and check out more restaurants and other wineries. Maybe in a few years when the C&R are a little older and can actually remember the trip. I’m glad we were able to explore a different corner of the world and make some wonderful memories doing it. These trips are also even more special when we can share them with family and friends. So when you start thinking about your travels, let me know. Who knows? We may be able to link up with you!