From the morning oyster to the afternoon praline, follow the thread of a perfect day in the heart of the "belly of Lyon." A stroll for the senses among the artisans who make Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse the world's third-best market.
Mornings are savoured here like nowhere else. As soon as the doors open, you settle in before a platter of briny oysters and a glass of crisp white wine, that Lyonnais ritual the regulars call the "mâchon." All around, sixty artisans raise their shutters: the aroma of coffee, golden brioches, stalls of fish gleaming like polished pebbles. It is the perfect hour to breathe in the soul of a covered market born in 1971 and renamed in 2007 in tribute to Paul Bocuse, who came here to choose his produce himself.
The late morning calls for a leisurely wander between the counters. At la Mère Richard, the oozing saint-marcellin is something of an institution; a little further on, the Sibilia charcuterie unfurls rosettes and jésus like so many jewels. You drift toward Maison Bobosse, keeper of the string-tied andouillette, then to Giraudet, whose hand-moulded quenelles sum up the Lyonnais genius all on their own.
When noon arrives, being spoilt for choice becomes a pleasure. A Charolais rib of beef seared to order, a Bresse poultry roasted to perfection, or simply a seafood platter shared at the counter: cooking turns to spectacle, carried by artisans, several of whom are Meilleurs Ouvriers de France.
The afternoon ends gently. You give in to ruby-red pralines, to the chocolates of Maison Sève, to a signature pastry carried off in its little case. Nearly a million food lovers walk these aisles each year: a single day is all it takes to understand why.