Le fer à cheval

At Le Fer à Cheval, it all began before the market hall itself. The counter opened its doors in 1970 to quench the thirst and feed the workers finishing the construction of a building that would not be officially inaugurated until the following year. Born alongside the "belly of Lyon," the establishment has become one of its most endearing institutions, posted at the entrance to Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse.

More than half a century later, the spirit remains unchanged: you lean on the zinc counter from the early hours, order a coffee, then linger over a croque-monsieur reputed to be among the finest in the city, a board of saucissons from Lyon's great charcutiers, or a few generously served oysters. Here, conviviality reigns, and the counter remains the lively stage of market mornings.

Taken over in recent years by a new team passionate about gastronomy and the good life, Le Fer à Cheval cultivates its identity as a bistro of character without ever disowning its down-to-earth soul. It is the address where you begin — and gladly prolong — an ideal Lyon day, at the heart of the city's most iconic gourmet market.