Pig’s nasty bits…
Quick, can you name the 2nd largest city in France?
Can you name the gastronomic capital of France?
Don't feel bad, most people would have difficulty naming any another city in France besides Paris. That's because most people casually traveling through the country believe there's nothing else worth seeing outside the capital city with the possible exception of the French Riviera, also known as the Côte d'Azur. Not visiting some of the smaller cities and regions throughout France is a big mistake!
Why?
There are several reasons including: French people are nicer outside of Paris, the food is more authentic, the wine is cheaper and of higher quality, and there is less pressure to schedule time for all the sights. Want to leisurely peruse the weekly book market along the river? Want to sample some of the local cheese and charcuterie at the local market? Want to see some beautiful churches with beautiful stained glass and breath-taking hand-crafted mosaics? Want to do some fantastic window-shopping at unique boutique stores or world reknowned designer labels? Want to do all these things without the annoying tourist filled crowds? Then head to the Rhône-Alpes region to the second largest city in France, Lyon.
Nestled between the Rhône and Saône rivers, the heart of Lyon, can be found on a peninsula where the rivers converge. The public transportation is well developed however the city is small enough to wander around on foot (recommended). If biking is more your thing, cruise the streets on 2 wheels using the Velo'v. It's fun and you get some exercise in the process. This will allow you to chow down at one of the local Bouchon's. Bouchon's are traditional Lyonnaise restaurants that often specialize in pork - specifically pork's nasty bits - loosely ground sausage made of intestine called andouillette or stomach fried in a batter called tablier de sapeur or animal feet called pieds de mouton/veau/couchone are all common specialties. Don't let your mind deter you from tasting some of these delectable treats. Have an aperatif of creme de cassis (blackcurrent liqueur) or a local bottle of Beaujolais. This is the right way to start off any meal. Many Bouchon's keep very strict hours (which we found out the hard-way since most are closed during the entire month of August) so be wary of that. If fine dining (Michelin-rated)is your thing, several world-renowned chefs including Nicolas Le Bec and Paul Bocuse have several restaurants spread throughout the city.
We had dinner at one of Bocuse's less pricey restaurants (he has four named after the cardinal directions each specializing in a particular type of cuisine) called L'Quest that specializes in seafood. The food was excellent, the service was good but slow, but the most interesting part if you sit inside, you get a front seat view to all the action. The kitchen is exposed to the public so you can watch the Head Chef call out all the orders while all the sous chefs run around preparing dishes. This is actually much more fun than it sounds - I didn't see anything get dropped while I was there although the sous chefs take their sauces quite seriously.
Some of the sights worth checking out include:
-the cobble stone streets of Vieux Lyon
-Cathedrale de St-Jean
-Basilique Notre Dame de Fourviere
-Theatre Romain
-Les Halles de Lyon
There are tons of cafes spread throughout the city. Make sure to take advantage of the slow paced drinking style. If you are lucky, you may eat at local cafe where Bill Clinton ate. Hint - if you use the restroom and you see the scene from the picture below, you're at the right place. This means you are one cool cat.
