When they gave the RhoÌ‚ne-Alpes region its name back in the early 1980s, they kept things simple: they took the two most significant natural features – the 500-mile-long river RhoÌ‚ne and the mighty Alps – and joined them together with a hyphen. Not very imaginative, but effective, all the same. Despite the dominance of this river and mountain range, there’s so much more to this region that demands attention. The amazingly gastronomic city of Lyon, for example. Or the CoÌ‚tes du RhoÌ‚ne vineyards. Or the many museums of Saint-EÌtienne. Or the ArdeÌ€che gorges. Or the medieval charms of PeÌrouges. No lack of variety in this part of the world.
Also in the northwest of Rhône-Alpes is the region’s capital and most interesting city, Lyon. This great cultural centre has made a name for itself in recent years thanks to its superb culinary scene. Local chefs, many of whom you’ll find offering delicious dishes in the city’s wonderful bouchons (the local bistros), like to think their superior skills place them above Paris in the kitchen pecking order. Lyon has a veritable constellation of Michelin stars with no fewer than 19 starred chefs. The most famous Lyonnais chef of all is the legendary, late Paul Bocuse, who lent his name to the city’s only three-Michelin-starred L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges (in Lyon’s northern suburbs), the Institut Paul Bocuse chef training school, and the Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse covered market.