At Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, the art of affinage composes festive platters where every piece tells the story of a terroir. The finest way to open your end-of-year tables.
When the holidays arrive, the stalls of the cheese affineurs at Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse dress themselves in their finest pieces. In the "belly of Lyon," the cheese platter is no mere indulgence: it is an orchestrated finale, a signature that closes the festive feast with flair. Here, you do not simply choose a cheese, you compose a story of flavours, textures and seasons.
Two emblematic houses guide the connoisseurs. La Mère Richard cheese shop, established at the Halles since 1971, built its legend on Saint-Marcellin and Saint-Félicien, once served at the tables of the greatest Lyon chefs, Paul Bocuse first among them. A few steps away, Maison Mons, a renowned affineur, ripens its cheeses in unique cellars and passionately advises the perfect pairing for every guest.
A successful festive platter is a matter of balance. You marry the milks, cow, goat and sheep; you alternate soft pastes and bloomy rinds, a fruity alpine Beaufort, a generous farmhouse Saint-Nectaire, a delicate Rigotte de Condrieu, a powerful blue for the final note. The cheesemongers guide you, recommend the ideal points of ripeness and even care for the arrangement, from the mildest to the boldest.
Paired with dried fruits, a characterful bread and a well-chosen glass, the platter from the Halles becomes the quiet highlight of the celebration. It is all the savoir-faire of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, and far beyond, gathered on a single board. To offer a cheese platter from the Halles is to offer time, patience and true taste: the warmest of gifts to share.