A view of the Cathedral Saint Jean, Basilica Notre-Dame de Fourviere and the Saone river in Lyon, France.<\/p>\n
getty<\/p>\n
Lyon has a way of surprising travelers. Most people come for the food, and with good reason. This is the capital of French gastronomy, the city that produced the legendary chef Paul Bocuse. <\/p>\n
But spend a little time here and you\u2019ll realize that Lyon\u2019s superpower is its approach to craft: how seriously it takes ingredients, textiles and tradition, and how seamlessly those centuries-old skills still shape the city today. Silk once powered Lyon\u2019s economy and influenced its architecture. Cuisine made it famous. Both remain very much alive.<\/p>\n
Renaissance stone arches frame the entrance to Cour des Loges Lyon, A Radisson Collection Hotel, tucked along a cobblestone street in Vieux Lyon.<\/p>\n
Courtesy of Cour des Loges Lyon, A Radisson Collection Hotel<\/p>\n
To truly understand Lyon, it helps to start in Vieux Lyon, the Renaissance-era heart of the city, where cobblestone streets wind past silk workshops, historic restaurants and hidden traboules (the district\u2019s secret interior passageways). At the center of it all is Cour des Loges Lyon, A Radisson Collection Hotel<\/a>, which recently reopened after a meticulous renovation. The hotel has long been part of the neighborhood\u2019s history.<\/p>\n To get an insider\u2019s view of Lyon, I spoke to three locals who each represent different facets of the city: Joseph Doverman (chef de cuisine adjoint at Cour des Loges), Gabriel Hahn (a master printer and colorist at Brochier Soieries<\/a>, one of Lyon\u2019s historic silk houses) and fashion designer Morgan Kirch<\/a>. They share what makes Lyon worth the trip, as well as the places they return to when they\u2019re off the clock.<\/p>\n The Renaissance courtyard at Cour des Loges Lyon, A Radisson Collection Hotel, where arched galleries and a soaring glass canopy frame the property\u2019s gastronomic restaurant.<\/p>\n ERWAN FIQUET\/courtesy of Cour des Loges Lyon, A Radisson Collection HotelA Taste Of Lyon<\/p>\n Cour des Loges<\/a> has been part of Vieux Lyon since the Renaissance, originally built by Italian merchants and later home to religious institutions before becoming a hotel in the late 20th century. It recently reopened after a major renovation as a luxury Radisson Collection property, marking the brand\u2019s debut in France.<\/p>\n Today, the 61-room property spans four historic buildings organized around a dramatic central courtyard, with stone staircases, arched galleries and carved details that reflect the city\u2019s trading past. Rooms range from loft-style suites with exposed wooden beams to spacious chambers with soaking tubs and fireplaces.<\/p>\n A junior suite at Cour des Loges Lyon, A Radisson Collection Hotel.<\/p>\n ERWAN FIQUET\/courtesy of Cour des Loges Lyon, A Radisson Collection Hotel<\/p>\n Cour des Loges is also a serious culinary destination helmed by executive chef Anthony Bonnet, a Lyonnais native who earned a Michelin star at the property in 2012. The gastronomic restaurant, Les Loges,<\/a> sits beneath a soaring glass canopy in the enclosed courtyard. Just steps away on Rue du B\u0153uf, Le Comptoir<\/a> offers a more relaxed, bistro-style alternative. Le Bar 1341<\/a> draws both hotel guests and locals for its menu of craft cocktails and aperitifs.<\/p>\n \u201cCour des Loges feels like you\u2019re entering a different era,\u201d Joseph Doverman, the hotel\u2019s chef de cuisine adjoint, told me in an interview. <\/p>\n Doverman arrived in Lyon six years ago from Ireland. \u201cMy wife is actually from Lyon,\u201d he says. \u201cShe couldn\u2019t take the rain anymore and the lack of croissants.\u201d <\/p>\n Joseph Doverman, chef de cuisine adjoint at Cour des Loges Lyon, A Radisson Collection Hotel (left) and executive chef Anthony Bonnet (right).<\/p>\n NICOLAS VILLION\/courtesy of Cour des Loges Lyon, A Radisson Collection Hotel<\/p>\n He quickly understood why the city guards its culinary reputation so fiercely. \u201cThere\u2019s a heritage around products,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s the access and the quality that\u2019s always been at the forefront of cooking in Lyon.\u201d<\/p>\n At Cour des Loges, that philosophy guides both restaurants. Everything comes from one central kitchen. \u201cIt creates a lot of harmony for the clients,\u201d Doverman explains. Guests at Le Comptoir receive \u201ca light version of the fine dining,\u201d not something lesser. Menus shift constantly, depending on what\u2019s available and in season. One dish remains close to chef Bonnet\u2019s heart: pigeon, which he raised as a boy. \u201cWe always keep it on the menu,\u201d Doverman says. <\/p>\n A seasonal dish at Les Loges highlighting local ingredients, a hallmark of Lyon\u2019s culinary tradition.<\/p>\n NICOLAS VILLION\/courtesy of Cour des Loges Lyon, A Radisson Collection Hotel<\/p>\n Beyond the hotel, Doverman loves the feel of Vieux Lyon itself. \u201cPeople often talk about the charm walking through the cobbled streets and the little independent shops,\u201d he says. \u201cIt hasn\u2019t been overtaken by chains. It still has a homely feel about it.\u201d<\/p>\n Here are Doverman\u2019s favorite ways to eat and wander in Lyon.<\/p>\n Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse:<\/strong> Lyon\u2019s iconic covered market<\/a>, named after the city\u2019s most famous chef, is a temple to regional specialties, including charcuterie, cheeses, oysters and pastries. \u201cIt\u2019s a national pride,\u201d says Doverman, who recommends going on a weekend morning when the market \u201csmells of garlic and parsley.\u201d<\/p>\n Brasserie Georges:<\/strong> Founded in 1836, the Belle \u00c9poque Brasserie Georges<\/a> is one of the city\u2019s grand dining institutions. \u201cPeople go for the atmosphere and the traditional dishes, like boudin noir,\u201d says Doverman.<\/p>\n Bouchon Tupin:<\/strong> A bouchon is Lyon\u2019s traditional neighborhood restaurant, serving hearty local dishes like slow-cooked meats in an intimate setting, and Tupin<\/a> is the one that Doverman recommends. Don\u2019t miss the quenelles (\u201creally good\u201d) and the p\u00e2t\u00e9 en cro\u00fbte (\u201ca finalist in the World P\u00e2t\u00e9 en Cro\u00fbte Championship\u201d).<\/p>\n Facade of the famous Lyon pastry shop, Pralus.<\/p>\n getty<\/p>\n P\u00e2tisserie Chocolaterie Pralus:<\/strong> No trip to Lyon is complete without visiting an outpost of Pralus<\/a> to try the city\u2019s most famous brioche, praluline, studded with bright pink pralines and coated in rose-colored sugar. \u201cIt\u2019s an institution,\u201d says Doverman. \u201cEveryone stops there. Even at the airport, you can get them in tins. Everyone goes home with one.\u201d<\/p>\n Duclef: <\/strong>Part pastry shop, part specialty coffee bar and tea room, Duclef<\/a> sits just steps from Saint-Jean Cathedral in Old Lyon. It was founded in 2022 by pastry chefs Auriane and Maxime. Doverman praises its \u201cmodern takes on classics\u2014really tasty.\u201d<\/p>\n The fa\u00e7ade of Brochier Soieries, one of the few Lyon workshops still practicing traditional silk printing.<\/p>\n Brochier SoieriesSilk, Still By Hand<\/p>\n Long before it became synonymous with gastronomy, Lyon built its fortune on silk. In the 16th century, the city became Europe\u2019s silk capital. Today, that legacy lives on at Brochier Soieries<\/a>, a silk house with an atelier<\/a> in the Old Town and a museum<\/a> inside the restored Grand H\u00f4tel-Dieu, a former 18th-century hospital in the city center.<\/p>\n \u201cLyon is known for the work of weaving,\u201d Gabriel Hahn, a master printer and colorist at Brochier, told me in an interview. \u201cHere we do print, which is something a bit different.\u201d<\/p>\n The silk-screen technique Brochier uses is ancient in origin but was refined in Lyon during the Lumi\u00e8re era in the 1920s and 1930s through photo-engraving, an innovation that modernized the process while preserving its precision. Today, it is one of the few workshops in France still practicing this highly specialized craft.<\/p>\n Gabriel Hahn, master printer and colorist at Brochier Soieries, reviewing color samples in the Lyon atelier.<\/p>\n Brochier Soieries,<\/p>\n Everything in the atelier is done by hand, and the work demands both technical expertise and instinct. Hahn came to the craft unexpectedly. Eleven years ago, he left a job in banking to learn the trade from scratch. \u201cLife sometimes is made of luck,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n What keeps the workshop relevant today is its ability to produce small, highly specialized runs that few others can execute. \u201cWe allow people to have small productions using this very specific process,\u201d he says. \u201cBasically nobody else does.\u201d<\/p>\n Silk panels stretch across the print tables at Brochier Soieries, where designs are produced in small, highly specialized runs.<\/p>\n Brochier Soieries<\/p>\n Beyond producing scarves for museums and collectors, the workshop also offers paint-on-silk sessions allowing visitors to create their own piece using professional dyes\u2014a tactile way to experience Lyon\u2019s textile heritage.<\/p>\n Here, Hahn shares a few of his favorite spots in Lyon.<\/p>\n Rosary Garden (Jardin du Rosaire): <\/strong>Just below the Basilica of Fourvi\u00e8re, this quiet garden of roses<\/a> has one of the city\u2019s most beautiful views without the crowds. \u201cYou have a view of Lyon which is amazing,\u201d says Hahn. \u201cIt\u2019s very calm and very pleasant.\u201d <\/p>\n Colorful rose garden on the hills of Fourviere in Lyon.<\/p>\n getty<\/p>\n Gadagne Museum Garden:<\/strong> Located in the Old Town, the museum\u2019s rooftop garden<\/a> is a hidden oasis. \u201cYou have this big garden in the middle of the city,\u201d Hahn says, \u201cwith Roman architecture around you. I find it very pleasant.\u201d<\/p>\n Le Garet<\/strong>: For a classic bouchon experience, Hahn recommends the historic Le Garet<\/a>. The menu often includes special dishes not listed, including seasonal game. \u201cThat\u2019s the true experience,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Bridal creations by Lyon designer Morgan Kirch in his Vieux Lyon showroom.<\/p>\n Morgan Kirch<\/p>\n Bridal creations by Lyon designer Morgan Kirch in his Vieux Lyon showroom.<\/p>\n Maison Morgan KirchStyle And Tradition<\/p>\n For fashion designer Morgan Kirch, Lyon isn\u2019t just a backdrop. It\u2019s the foundation of his work. A Lyon native, Kirch launched Maison Morgan Kirch<\/a> more than a decade ago with his mother. Today, the brand is known for refined, feminine pieces that balance classic tailoring with modern lines. \u201cIt\u2019s a balance between tradition and modernity,\u201d he told me in an interview. \u201cTimeless, but creative.\u201d<\/p>\n That balance mirrors the city itself. \u201cThe heritage of silk is very present,\u201d he says. \u201cBut there is also an Italian influence in lifestyle and elegance.\u201d Lyon\u2019s proximity to Italy has long shaped its aesthetic in architecture, in craftsmanship and in the understated polish of its residents.<\/p>\n Lyon designer Morgan Kirch, founder of Maison Morgan Kirch.<\/p>\n Morgan Kirch<\/p>\n Kirch operates a ready-to-wear boutique in Lyon\u2019s 6th arrondissement and recently opened a bridal showroom<\/a> in Vieux Lyon. He also designed the uniforms for Cour des Loges, drawing inspiration from the property\u2019s architectural details. Scarves echo interior motifs, and even the buttons subtly reference the hotel\u2019s identity.<\/p>\n His attachment to the city runs deep. \u201cI am from Lyon. This city is part of who I am,\u201d he says. Unlike Paris, he describes Lyon as human in scale. \u201cLife here is good. One can breathe. One can create.\u201d<\/p>\n For Kirch, Lyon is a constant source of inspiration, from the \u201cquiet mystery and hidden beauty\u201d of the traboules to the banks of the Rh\u00f4ne, which he calls \u201calways vibrant and elegant.\u201d He also loves its location: two hours from the sea, two hours from the mountains and two hours from Paris. \u201cIt is a crossroads of influences,\u201d he says, \u201ca balance between tradition and modernity\u2014precisely the spirit of the Maison.\u201d<\/p>\n Inside Morgan Kirch\u2019s ready-to-wear boutique in Lyon\u2019s 6th arrondissement.<\/p>\n Maison Morgan Kirch<\/p>\n Here are some of Kirch\u2019s favorite spots in Lyon.<\/p>\n La Meuni\u00e8re:<\/strong> \u201cFor a perfect day in Lyon, you have to start early with a traditional Lyonnais m\u00e2chon at La Meuni\u00e8re<\/a>\u201d says Kirch. A m\u00e2chon is a hearty and savory breakfast, built around charcuterie and local specialties. <\/p>\n Les Puces du Canal:<\/strong> On Sundays, you\u2019ll find Kirch at Lyon\u2019s sprawling flea market<\/a>. \u201cWhen it comes to d\u00e9cor, I have a real soft spot for pieces with character, and I love hunting for unique furniture at the Puces du Canal,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Le Guilloux:<\/strong> For tailored suits, Kirch recommends designer S\u00e9bastien Le Guilloux\u2019s Lyon boutique<\/a>, where garments are custom made. \u201cYou can choose the color, the material, everything,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n The garden of the Mus\u00e9e des Beaux-Arts de Lyon.<\/p>\n getty<\/p>\n Mus\u00e9e des Beaux-Arts:<\/strong> Housed in a former abbey near Place des Terreaux, this museum<\/a> offers Impressionist masterpieces without the crowds you\u2019ll find in Paris institutions like Le Louvre. Kirch appreciates being able to \u201ctake your time\u201d with the art.<\/p>\n Parc de la T\u00eate d\u2019Or:<\/strong> In spring, the greenhouses and lake of this park<\/a> offer an elegant place to walk, reset and enjoy what Kirch calls a \u201cbeautiful moment\u201d in the city.\t<\/p>\n MORE FROM FORBES:ForbesThe 30 Most Welcoming Places On Earth In 2026, According To Visitor ReviewsBy Laura Begley Bloom<\/a>ForbesWhy Rome Is The Ultimate Destination For Car Lovers Right NowBy Laura Begley Bloom<\/a>ForbesThe 26 Best Places To Travel In 2026, Chosen By ExpertsBy Laura Begley Bloom<\/a>