The counters in Lyon worth queuing for: bread, pastry, and the morning ritual.
Bakery counters in Lyon worth queuing for: levain breads, laminated pastry, regional bakes and the morning ritual.
Bernachon in Lyon's 6e is the bean-to-bar chocolatier founded by Maurice Bernachon in 1953, with a Rue Franklin Roosevelt salon de the and a full pastry.
Worth the queuePresident cake, chocolate, hazelnut praline
TipThe President cake is the order; a slice with espresso at the salon is the form.
Jocteur runs a Halles Paul Bocuse counter from the family bakery on the Ile Barbe, with naturally leavened breads and long fermented sourdough loaves.
Worth the queuePain au levain naturel
TipClosed Monday; pain au levain is the loaf; arrive by 09:00 for the warm batch.
Pignol is the multi-generation Lyonnais bakery and patisserie with a Place Bellecour counter for the pink-praline tart, sandwiches and chocolate eclairs.
Worth the queueTarte aux pralines
TipThe tarte aux pralines (pink praline) is the order; sold by the slice from 11:00.
Bouillet on Place de la Croix-Rousse in Lyon's 4e is Sebastien Bouillet's patisserie and chocolate counter, with the city's most-faithful coussin de Lyon.
Worth the queueCoussin de Lyon
TipThe coussin de Lyon (marzipan-and-chocolate pillow) is the order; closed Sunday-Monday.
Pralus Presqu'ile on Rue de Brest in the 2e is the praluline-brioche counter for the Lyon peninsula, with whole loaves of pink-praline brioche from Roanne.
Worth the queuePraluline brioche, plain and chocolate
TipA whole praluline loaf travels for a day; ask for the freshly-bagged hot one.
Boulangerie du Palais in Vieux Lyon is the praline-rose specialist run by pastry chef Sebastien Bouillet on Rue du Palais de Justice, with a queue.
Worth the queueTarte aux pralines roses
TipArrive before 11:00 on weekends for the full counter; the box of six small praline tarts is the form.
Partisan Boulanger on Rue du Chariot d'Or in the Croix-Rousse 4e bakes ancient-grain levains: khorasan, einkorn, methil, petit epeautre, alongside walnut.
Worth the queueKhorasan and einkorn levain
TipThe khorasan loaf is the order; closed Monday.
Les Co'Pains d'Antan on Cours Franklin Roosevelt in the 6e is the small neighbourhood boulangerie whose pain au chocolat won regional best, with a second.
Worth the queuePain au chocolat (regional best)
TipArrive early for the pain au chocolat; the queue is shortest at 08:00.
Boulangerie Jocteur at Ile Barbe in the 9e is Philippe-Marc Jocteur's flagship, he was Best Apprentice of Rhone-Alpes 1981 and the official baker of Bocuse.
Worth the queueTarte sablee aux pralines
TipThe tarte sablee aux pralines is the order; Halles Paul Bocuse stocks the loaves daily.
Bouillet's Presqu'ile counter on Rue des Archers in the 2e is the Sebastien Bouillet patisserie showcase south of the river, with tarts, macarons.
Worth the queueChoco-fruits and seasonal entremets
TipThe choco-fruits selection is the gift box; the macaron line moves daily.
Maison Pignol on Rue Vendome in the 6e is the Pignol family's quartier patisserie counter with the praline tart, macarons and a chosen lunch line for office.
Worth the queuePraline tart and macarons
TipThe tarte aux pralines by the slice and the built lunch box are the order.
Antoinette on Rue Sebastien Gryphe in the 7e Guillotiere bakes only long-fermented natural-sourdough breads and fondant brioches: no baguettes, no croissants.
Worth the queuePraline brioche
TipThe praline brioche is the order; closed Sunday-Monday; the shared loaf travels for a day.
Boulangerie Saint-Paul in Vieux Lyon is the 1899-founded boulangerie on Place Saint-Paul, where a relaunch under Maison Farine took regional vice-prize.
Worth the queuePain au chocolat and country baguette
TipThe pain au chocolat is the order; arrive before 11:00 for the warm batch.
Boulangerie Marcel on Rue Bugeaud in the 6e is pastry chef Mathieu Jullien's bakery, where trompe-l'oeil fruit patisseries (Granny Smith, lemon.
Worth the queueTrompe-l'oeil fruit patisserie
TipThe trompe-l'oeil Granny Smith is the signature; arrive before 11:00 for the croissant pick.
Voisin on Place Bellecour is the Lyonnais chocolatier founded in 1897, the originator of the Coussin de Lyon: a cushion-shaped almond marzipan filled.
Worth the queueCoussin de Lyon (almond marzipan)
TipThe Coussin de Lyon assortment box is the city gift; available by weight.
Bouillet on Avenue des Freres Lumiere in the 8e is the Monplaisir-side patisserie counter for Sebastien Bouillet's praline tart, macarons. Family-friendly.
Worth the queueTarte aux pralines and macarons
TipTarte aux pralines by the slice and the macaron line of the day are the order.
Le Pain des Jacobins between Marche Saint-Antoine and Place des Jacobins in the 2e is Hugo's contemporary boulangerie running quality country loaves.
Worth the queueTarte aux pralines and country loaf
TipTwo small tables only; the tarte aux pralines and the praline-sablee are the order.
Weiss on Rue de Brest in the 2e is the Saint-Etienne chocolatier founded in 1882, with the Lyon flagship counter and the Nougamandine praline as the city.
Worth the queuePraliné Nougamandine
TipThe Nougamandine box and the bean-to-bar slabs are the order.
Zoi Patisserie on the Montee de la Grande Cote in Lyon's 1er bakes without milk, eggs or butter: croissants, pains au chocolat and a vanilla flan.
Worth the queueVanilla flan
TipTwo levels of bistro tables on the pedestrian path outside; coffee is among the cheapest in the city.
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