Lyon Old Town Food Tour: 6 French Delicacies & Wine Walk

Summary

Walk Lyon’s oldest streets tasting cheeses, wine and praline brioches with a local guide

You’ll wander Lyon’s medieval streets with a local guide, tasting six French delicacies from charcuterie to pink praline brioches. Enjoy fine regional wines poured in traditional style, lunch in a family-run bouchon, plus sweet surprises from beloved Lyon chocolatiers. Every stop comes with stories—sometimes laughter—leaving you full in every sense.

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t expect the first bite to be so… sharp? We’d just ducked into this tiny spot in Lyon Old Town — I think the walls were older than my country — and our guide, Camille, handed me a slice of saucisson that smelled like pepper and cellars. She poured us wine from one of those funny “Pot Lyonnais” bottles (short and stubby — I tried to look like I knew what I was doing). The cheese was soft but tangy, and honestly, I could’ve stayed there all day. But Camille had stories about the Mères Lyonnaises and how these women basically invented half the city’s food traditions. I liked that she said their names like old friends.

We wandered down cobbled lanes that twisted between stone buildings. At one point, we slipped through a traboule — those secret passageways everyone talks about in Lyon — and the air suddenly felt cooler, almost damp. There was this moment where sunlight hit a pink praline brioche in a bakery window; it looked too pretty to eat but of course we ate it anyway (sugar everywhere). Camille pointed out scars on the cathedral walls from some war centuries ago. It felt strange to touch them — history right under your fingers, you know?

Lunch was in a bouchon that smelled like butter and something roasting. The menu had dishes I’d never heard of (quenelle? Cervelle de canut?) but the server grinned when I hesitated and told me her favorite. We talked about old family recipes while sipping more wine. Later, we picked up a chocolate treat at Voisin — apparently it’s a local secret — and finished with strong espresso in this tiny coffee shop inside Hôtel-Dieu. My feet were tired by then but honestly, my stomach was happy and my brain buzzing from all the little stories tucked into every bite. Still thinking about that brioche.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Lyon Old Town Food and Wine Tour

• Taste local charcuterie and cheeses with wine
• Walk through oldest street with medieval buildings
• Visit home of Pink Pralines brioches
• See 22nd Century Cathedral with war history
• Explore largest pedestrian city square and get chocolate treat
• Enjoy hot main course and wine at family Bouchon
• Have espresso and final sweet treat at coffee boutique

Top questions

How long is the Lyon Old Town food tour?

The tour lasts around half a day, including multiple tastings and lunch.

Is lunch included on this Lyon food tour?

Yes, lunch is included at a family-run bouchon with several menu options.

Are vegetarian options available?

Yes, vegetarian choices are available for the main hot dish at lunch.

Does the tour include wine tasting?

Yes, you’ll taste both white and red French wines during the experience.

What is a “Pot Lyonnais”?

A Pot Lyonnais is a short glass bottle used for serving wine traditionally in Lyon.

Are children allowed on this food tour?

Yes, children can join; infants and small kids can ride in strollers or prams.

Can dietary requirements be accommodated?

Please contact in advance so dietary needs can be arranged as best as possible.

What are traboules mentioned on the tour?

Traboules are hidden passageways between buildings found throughout Old Town Lyon.

What’s included

Your day includes guided walks through Old Town Lyon’s oldest streets with stops for charcuterie and cheese tastings paired with regional wines served from Pot Lyonnais bottles; freshly baked pastries; pink praline brioche; lunch at a historic family-run bouchon with meat, fish or vegetarian options; an espresso at one of Lyon’s top coffee boutiques; plus secret sweet treats from beloved local chocolatiers before returning to your starting point.