Two cities have vied for the position of France’s Second City: the port town of Marseille, and the river-bound Lyon. This video is not about Marseille.
Lyon sits squat at the junction between the Rhône and Saône rivers, which made it historically a communications hub for the Romans, and later a star of the silk trade in Europe. You can still visit canut, or silk weaving, shops and learn about the trade’s colorful history. The city is also tied together with traboules, secret passages used to transport silk, and later to smuggle people to safety during Lyon’s Nazi occupation in World War II.
But the one thing you absolutely cannot miss in Lyon is the food. Lyon is often considered not only the gastronomical capital of France, but of the world at large, and iconic chefs like Eugénie Brazier and Paul Bocuse have made the city the home of their culinary legacies. So grab a glass of Beaujolais, find your nearest bouchon, and taste the history of France’s foodie mecca.
Wondering where to eat in Lyon? Check out these 7 foodie spots.
