Food destinations within easy reach of Lyon. worth the train, the rental car or the early start.

Worth the trip

Beaujolais Wine Villages ★ 4.7

30 to 55 min by car or train north of LyonTrain from Part-Dieu to Romanèche-Thorins (45 min) or drive the D17 route des Crus from Villefranche-sur-Saone

Famous for: Gamay Cru tastings at village domaines: Morgon, Fleurie, Moulin-a-Vent

The Beaujolais Cru villages lie 30 to 55 minutes north of Lyon, where ten AOC Crus produce Gamay wines of genuine depth. Morgon and Fleurie offer domaine tastings, village restaurants serving andouillette and charcuterie, and the Le Hameau Duboeuf wine museum at Romanèche-Thorins.

Beaujolais Wine Villages

Vienne and the Cote Rotie ★ 4.5

20 min by TER south of LyonTER from Lyon Part-Dieu or Lyon-Perrache to Vienne (20 min, frequent daily service)

Famous for: Roman theatre lunch, Cote Rotie syrah tastings on the steep granite hillsides

Vienne is 20 minutes south of Lyon by TER and combines France's finest Roman theatre with Cote Rotie, the steep Rhone Valley appellation where syrah grown on granite terraces produces some of France's most aromatic reds. Lunchtime brasseries near the Temple of Augustus and afternoon domaine visits on the Cote Blonde and Cote Brune.

Vienne and the Cote Rotie

Perouges (Medieval Village) ★ 4.4

37 min by car or 40 min by train then bus east of LyonTrain from Part-Dieu to Meximieux-Perouges then 20 min walk or taxi to the village gate

Famous for: Galette de Perouges (caramelised brioche) and Bleu de Bresse cheese

Perouges is a walled medieval hilltop village 40 minutes east of Lyon where the Galette de Perouges, a flat caramelised brioche sold from a window counter at Place du Tilleul, is the food reason to come. The village also supplies Bleu de Bresse cheese to Lyon's finest kitchens.

Perouges (Medieval Village)

Bourg-en-Bresse (Bresse Chicken AOC) ★ 4.4

55 min by TGV or 1 hr by car northeast of LyonTGV from Part-Dieu to Bourg-en-Bresse (55 min) or A42 autoroute by car

Famous for: Poulet de Bresse AOC with Dombes cream sauce at the source

Bourg-en-Bresse is the capital of the Bresse chicken AOC, 55 minutes from Lyon, where the blue-legged birds with their blue-white-red colouring have held protected status since 1957. Lunch at a Bressan farmhouse restaurant with cream, morels and a vin jaune from the Jura is the reason to come.

Bourg-en-Bresse (Bresse Chicken AOC)

Macon (Southern Burgundy) ★ 4.3

1 hr by TGV or 75 min by car north of LyonTGV from Part-Dieu to Macon-Loche (1 hr) or A6 autoroute by car

Famous for: Macon-Villages Chardonnay and Pouilly-Fuisse tastings; lunch at a Saone quay brasserie

Macon is the southern gateway to Burgundy, 65 km north of Lyon, where the Macon-Villages and Pouilly-Fuisse appellations produce crisp Chardonnay with limestone character. The medieval abbey at Tournus and the winemakers of Chaintre make a full day.

Macon (Southern Burgundy)

Food Day Trips in Lyon, FAQ

When is the best time to eat in Lyon?

Peak food season in Lyon is year-round.

What time do people eat in Lyon?

Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.

How does tipping work in Lyon?

service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.

What is the one dish to try in Lyon?

Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Lyon rewards trust.

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