When the fine days return, Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse take on the tender colours of spring. On the market gardeners' stalls, asparagus and early vegetables announce the most delicious of seasons.
You only have to push open the door of Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse on a spring morning to feel it: the air has changed. Alongside the familiar winter stalls, bunches of freshly cut asparagus appear like bouquets. White, purple or green, asparagus has only a handful of weeks to shine, from March to June. Harvested by hand with the delicacy of a goldsmith, it demands a rare savoir-faire that the market gardeners of the "belly of Lyon" honour by offering only the very finest.
In this exceptional covered market, the third most beautiful in the world and championed by Paul Bocuse, spring produce takes centre stage. Peas to shell, tender green broad beans, crunchy radishes, the first new carrots and fresh onions form a palette that breathes of the kitchen garden. The market gardeners, faithful to the spirit of the house, select as close as possible to the seasons and the terroirs, from the Loire Valley to the sands of the Landes, whose asparagus has held a recognised IGP since 2005.
And then there is the queen of May: the strawberry. The long, fragrant Gariguette, the delicate Ciflorette, the wild-tasting Mara des bois... On the stalls of Les Halles, these little red jewels sit beside the first cherries and herald sun-filled desserts. A scent of sugar and sunshine drifts through the aisles.
Spring, here, is cooked simply. An asparagus barely blanched, a drizzle of oil, a few shavings of Parmesan; peas sautéed for three minutes; a handful of strawberries eaten by the fistful. The chefs of Lyon know this well, pushing open the doors of Les Halles each morning: the season does all the work. At Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, spring is not a promise, it is a flavour you pick with your fingertips.