How I Spent 48 Hours In Lyon

Notes from a pre-pandemic visit to France's capital of gastronomy.

In the kitchen at the Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie of Lyon.

When I visited Lyon for the first time in January 2020, it was tempting to do nothing but eat my way across France’s third-largest city.

While it boasts plenty of cultural, historical, and architectural attractions, Lyon’s well-deserved gastronomic reputation means that a seductive plate of food seems to be calling out from every direction. The city has more than 4,000 restaurants and 19 chefs with Michelin stars.

During a long weekend in Lyon, I resisted that siren song as much as possible so I could explore the city. Eventually, I just gave in, and happily so. France’s food culture in general is such a profound and pleasurable sensory experience. Yet Lyon somehow manages to take that to new levels of joyfulnesses, a heightened conviviality, and a belief that eating is a kind of spiritual moment.

Unfortunately, a weekend was only just enough time to get the smallest taste of Lyon’s culinary might. Still, if you’re making your first visit, here’s my 48-hour itinerary.