A Trip to France in
the Rhone Valley...
to Lyon and the Beaujolais Region. Spring 2008
No Wonder the French Have Such Clean Arteries!
April in France 2008 didn’t find us there for “April
in Paris” ... this trip found us in France alright, but attending an
industry meeting for a cultural and culinary exchange conference in Lyon,
France. What a difference compared to Paris! We found the local Lyon citizens
supremely patient with and tolerant of our faulty high school French with a
Texas twang (“bone jur” ya’ll in a ”Howdy neighbor”
style).
If you want a taste of France outside the big city atmosphere
of Paris, try Lyon, the Rhone Valley and Beaujolais region for a real immersion
into the finer things of French life.
Lyon is arguably France’s
2nd or 3rd largest city behind Paris and perhaps Marseilles. Having been to all
three cities, our vote is Lyon first for gastronomy, culinary delights, old
world charm and overall friendliness of the the citizens. We stayed in the
“Old Town” part of Lyon, a narrow peninsula that splits the Rhone and
Saone Rivers where they join up on their trip through southeastern France on
their way to the Med.
You can visit Lyon year round and enjoy not only
the local area but also the ski region near Chamonix-Mont Blanc and the French
Alps and Geneva, Switzerland, only an hour to two away. Plus Provence, another
gastronomically pleasing region of France, is only a couple of hours south near
the the Med. If you can’t find something enjoyable to do close by,
you’re not looking.
To focus on Lyon, Old Town is the heart of
the city with night life, shopping, bistros, bars, world-class designers and
museums, all within walking distance. The best part we enjoyed were the wealth
of modest hotels and bouchons (local restaurants serving regional specialties)
located conveniently near each other. With over 2,000 restaurants and bistros
in Lyon, you have any type of cuisines to choose from.
Numerous hotels
from 3 to 5 star classifications dot the area dating from medieval foundations
to the most contemporary in designs; you will find something that fits budgets
for each traveler. Fashion choices range from Paris brands, local designers and
home grown silk products of all kinds. Lyon has been a silk manufacturer and
design center for centuries since the first explorers returned hundreds of
years ago from the Orient, bringing gifts and surprises to wet anyone’s
appetite including spices and dishes never seen before in France.
Fine
dining, culinary treats and discoveries filled our week in Lyon. What a week to
enjoy life and living. We were treated to dishes personally prepared and
supervised by France’s most famous chef, Paul Bocuse, who owns several
restaurants in Lyon plus his Paul Bocuse Institute, across the street from the
tourist office at Bellacour Square.
In 1975, Bocuse was given the
Legion of Honour by the President of the Republic Mr Valéry Giscard
d'Estaing at The Elysée Palace. By 1989, Paul Bocuse was elected " Chef
of the Century" by Gault and Millau. Today, Paul Bocuse is still considered one
of the greatest cuisinary chefs of his time.
Some of the chef’s
creations included: Breese chicken cooked in cream and mushrooms (Volaille de
Bresse a la creme et aux champignons) and mini black and white quenelles made
by Giraudet served with a Nantua sauce, half a St. Marcellin Etoile du Vercors
cheese served on a bed of mesclun and drizzled with hazelnut oil, finished with
a praline tart made by Maison Seve.
Wines from the nearby Beaujolais
region included five of the 12 appellations served with these special meals.
There is more to Beaujolais then Beaujolais Noveau.
Although Nouveau
is the most well known ambassador for the region, there is an entire range of
other appellations which are well worth getting to know. It’s no
coincidence that Beaujolais is spelled with an “S” as there are more
than 12 appellations in total.
Chef Bocuse featured the following 5
Beaujolais appellations during his gastronomically delightful evenings:
Brouilly, Chenas, Chiroubles, Morgon and Beaujolais Villages. We were fortunate
enough to discover and enjoy the remaining Beaujolais “family
members” on our wine adventure in the Rhone Valley which included all the
Beaujolais Crus, the so called 10 jewels in the Beaujolais crown: Brouilly,
Cote-de-Brouilly, Fleurie, Julienas, Morgon, Moulin a Vent, Regnie, Saint-Amour
(plus the Chenas and Chiroubles above) and a lesser varietal of white, the
Beaujolais Blanc from Chardonay grape, known locally as the “Perle
Blanche,” which produces a light wine white with a slight touch of citrus
fruits. See: www.beaujolais.com
Undoubtedly, the best dining we
experienced was at the Opera House Restaurant in the famous building
overlooking the Lyon seat of Government, the Hotel Dui, where our welcome
reception was held featuring French appetizers too varied to mention plus the
Beaujolais wines. The culinary highlight of the evening at the Opera House
Restaurant was an incredibly fresh green salad with homemade dressing (olive
oil, lemon and roasted scallops), the best whole fried salmon appetizer
we’ve ever had (suitable as a complete entrée) plus a truly
memorable lamb dish with the most incredible brown wine-based sauce we’ve
ever tasted.
The actual menu reads: Lightly cooked Scottish salmon
with sage and dill, Thai prawns plus the main dish: Roast lamb with honey and
garlic, potato gratin with cream....followed by dessert: Molten chocolate cake
with vanilla ice cream. All are simple dishes but with outstanding sauces to
cap them off we didn't want to leave.
The top hotel we visited
undoubtedly was the Cours des Coleges, parts of which date to the 15 and 16th
century. The hotel in the oldest part of Lyon, near the famous basilica, Four
Couvlres, is surrounded by numerous structures dating back to the 11th to 16th
centuries. The entire area of Lyon’s “Old Town” has been
designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
The best day spent was a
comprehensive tour of the lower Beaujolais region in the Rhone Valley where we
visited beautiful French villages and wineries plus the medieval village of
Terrand and its local winery, Boul Terrand. The best treat was someone else
doing the driving while we were able to enjoy the wine tastings guilt free.
Next time you’re ready for a truly French immersion in
southeastern France, please give us a call to plan and arrange your trip. Donna
Daniels & Jim Bailey, Owners 281-363-0808
For Reservations, contact
Jennifer at Castaways
Travel.
Escorted by James, Champagne and your favorite host couples you've
enjoyed over the years.
800-470-2020
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