Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse

Welcome to Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse (Lay-zal duh Lee-on Pole Bo-kooz), an establishment that transcends the simple definition of a market to function as a secular temple of French gastronomy. As we stand here, we are at the…

Before we immerse ourselves in the interior, we must address the exterior, specifically the monumental mural that graces the wall opposite the market. This large-scale portrait of Paul Bocuse (Pole Bo-kooz) serves as a sentinel,…

Our first interior destination is Sève (Sehv), a name synonymous with the highest echelon of Lyonnais pastry and chocolate. As you approach the stall, your eyes will likely be drawn to an incredibly vibrant, almost fluorescent…

We now move to the savory heart of the market: the charcuterie (shar-koo-tuh-ree) stalls, with Cellerier (Seh-leh-ree-ay) being one of the most prominent. If you look at the display cases, you will see a 'meat cabinet' that seems…

Turning our attention to the fromageries (fro-ma-zhuh-ree), we encounter a diversity of cheeses that could overwhelm even a seasoned taster. In Lyon, cheese is the essential bridge between the main course and dessert, and the…

As we continue, we encounter the poultry and butcher sections, where you will see birds that look quite different from those in a standard supermarket. The crowning glory of French poultry is the Bresse (Bress) chicken, which…

As we reach the further reaches of the market, the atmosphere shifts slightly toward the maritime. Despite being an inland city, Lyon has a long-standing tradition of excellent seafood, primarily due to its position at the…

As we conclude our journey through Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, I hope you carry away more than just a few shopping bags. We have traversed a landscape that is both a historical archive and a vibrant, living organism. …