Gastronomy
Welcome to the land of gastronomy! The reputation of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region exceeds all borders. Centuries-old know-how, renowned craftspeople, agricultural traditions, generous nature and a great diversity of landscapes guarantee the excellence and variety of local products.
The leading region in France for its cheese diversity, the leading producer of truffles, with 74 PDO products, the entire area is a land of flavours and tasting. The art of sublimating these resources is a passion shared by many talented chefs for generations. Following in the footsteps of the legendary Paul Bocuse, starred restaurants, exceptional restaurants, gastronomic bistros and authentic cuisines are everywhere.
Major events
SIRHA – Bocuse d’Or – Pastry World Cup
January
Lyon
Fête de l’Alicoque (Olive oil)
February
Nyons
Fête de la Truffe (Truffles)
February
Saint Paul Trois Chateau
Grande fête du Saint Nectaire
May
Saint Nectaire (Auvergne)
Fête des fromages de Savoie
July
Fête du Picodon
July - August
Dieulefit - Saou
Les Castagnades
Mid-October to Mid-November
Monts d'Ardèche regional natural Parc
Retour des Alpages
October
Annecy
Fascinant Week-end "Vignobles & Découvertes
October
Mushroom Fair -Autumnal Gourmet
November
Saint Bonnet le Froid
Beaujolais Nouveau festival "Les Sarmentelles"
November
Beaujeu
Les Glorieuses de Bresse
December
Bourg en Bresse
Key people
Paul Bocuse
The "pope of gastronomy", holder of three Michelin stars for 53 years 
Anne Sophie Pic
The only French female chef to hold three Michelin stars 
Michel Troisgros - Ouches
In the history of gastronomy, Maison Troisgros, boasts 4 generations of 3-star chefs. 
Maison Marcon - Saint Bonnet le Froid
Regis and Jacques Marcon are committed to respecting tradition and innovation. 
Georges Blanc - Vonnas
Georges Blanc is the oldest Michelin-starred restaurant in the world, having been awarded its first star in 1929. 
Emmanuel Renaut - Megève
An enchanting high-altitude chalet offering outstanding gastronomy that sublimates Alpine terroir. 
Clos des Sens - Annecy
Chef Franck Derouet cultivate a culinary universe focused on plants and lakes, with a clear locavore philosophy. 
Le 1947 in Cheval Blanc - Courchevel
At the heart of the Hôtel Cheval Blanc, Yannick Alléno delivers a creative and daring contemporary cuisine. 
The largest AOC cheese platter in France
If France is famous for its cheeses, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, which produces 46% of the national AOCs, certainly deserves credit!The whole territory is lined with these gastronomic references that stimulate envy and make you travel: picodons from Drôme and Ardèche, Rigotte de Condrieu, Saint-Marcellin...
Some of them are behind two beautiful gourmet itineraries. Along the PDO cheese routes of Auvergne and Savoie, there are farms, dairies, maturing cellars and producers' shops. Many gourmet stopovers and no less than 13 PDOs! Saint-Nectaire, Tomme de Savoie, Cantal, Beaufort, Bleu d'Auvergne, Reblochon etc.
Guided tours and tastings invite you to discover all these flavours and to meet the men and women who keep these traditions and know-how alive.
The Vallée de la Gastronomie - France®
The Vallée de la Gastronomie® is a brand, a travel philosophy, a unique heritage to be shared with everyone. It is a fully-fledged tourist destination which offers a mosaic of landscapes and know-how from Dijon to Marseille.
An inexhaustible source of inspiration for good-living lovers searching for goodness, beauty and truth, it offers a range of rich and varied sensory adventures, from a day at the grape harvest to a cooking class...
Its strong points? The wide variety of activities, the possibility of experiencing different moments to remember! On the menu, hundreds of gourmet offers and remarkable experiences to discover the authenticity of the land and the simple pleasure of flavours.
Michelin-starred chefs
With 100 starred chefs, 7 of whom have been awarded three stars (i.e. almost a third of the 3-star restaurants in France!), the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region occupies a special place in the Michelin guide. This extraordinary concentration of talent strengthens the international reputation of the destination in the world of gastronomy. Everywhere traditions and flavours of the land are sublimated by the art of illustrious cooks.
Whether classic, creative, regional or daring, the cuisine of each establishment is the expression of a heritage, a history and a personality. Names and generations are forever anchored in the region's culinary landscape: Georges Blanc and his gourmet village Vonnas, Anne Sophie Pic in Valence, France's only three-star chef. As well as Régis and Jacques Marcon in Saint Bonnet le Froid, renowned mushroom specialists, the Grande Maison Troisgros in Ouches. Not forgetting the worlds of Yannick Alléno in Courchevel (Le 1947 Cheval Blanc), Laurent Petit in Annecy (Le Clos des Sens) and Emmanuel Renaut in Megève (Le Flocon de sel).
Paul Bocuse, the legend
Paul Bocuse, the symbolic figure of Lyon's, France's and the world's gastronomy, is the subject of the most eulogistic qualifications: an ambassador of taste, cook of the century, pope of gastronomy!
Faithful to his passion for over 50 years, Paul Bocuse has left behind him a legend, a timeless reference. Although the restaurant on the banks of the Saône in the beginning remains a mythical experience, numerous addresses have since multiplied. The Maisons Bocuse currently have eight restaurants and brasseries in Lyon, Paris and Annecy. Heritage and tradition, authenticity, modernity and friendliness are the keywords contributing to the atmosphere of these different worlds governed by the same high standards. Paul Bocuse is also an original takeaway concept, the Bocuse Original Comptoir and a place dedicated to celebrations, the Abbay. The name is inevitably associated with the famous Halles de Lyon, one of Lyon's most famous gastronomic sites.
Chocolate, a very local exotic product
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is not growing cocoa but know-how and talent. So it is not surprising in this land of flavour and excellence to see the greatest master chocolatiers distinguish themselves.
Real chocolate alchemists, only a few of them master the entire transformation process, from the cocoa beans selected in tropical regions to the most refined bars. It is a long process one can discover by visiting the museographic space of the Ateliers Weiss in Saint-Etienne, or the Musco in Limonest, a small town in the Lyon metropolis. Richard Sève's museum manufacture is also a tempting presentation of this gourmet craft.
Educational, playful and sensory visits or pastry-making workshops respond to the general public's curiosity and arouse their desires. An excellent introduction before discovering the unmissable Cité du Chocolat Valrhona in Tain-l'Hermitage.
Cooking class
There is nothing more appealing to amateurs than to go behind the scenes of gastronomy by participating in cooking workshops with brilliant professionals! Available to all, in French or foreign languages, these lessons fill up a way of filling up recipes and tips to extend the pleasures beyond the stay.
Since cooking is about sharing, chefs like to pass on their know-how. The greatest chefs have their own schools. The Institut Paul Bocuse, an international establishment in Lyon, opens its doors to amateurs, just like Scook, Anne-Sophie Pic's school in Valence, allowing everyone to improve their skills. In Tain-l'Hermitage, the Gourmet School of the Cité du Chocolat also offers a real immersion in the world of pastry-making.
In their workshop or kitchen, Délicieusement Vôtre in Lyon or La Cuisine de Fred in the Beaujolais region’s heart offers other equally interesting participatory experiences.
Restaurant networks, a preserved culinary heritage
Although the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region is famous for its starred restaurants, respect for regional traditions and product origin remain a criterion of excellence shared by all the restaurant networks in each region. The preservation of the regional culinary heritage is the concern of all these restaurant associations.
In Lyon, the Bouchons Lyonnais and the Toques Blanches Lyonnaises perpetuate the city's culinary traditions. In the Beaujolais, attachment to the terroir and the vineyards has given rise to the Beaujolais Bistros. Classic, Beaujonomic or Gastronomic, these are friendly places that cultivate the pleasures of taste.
Quality and know-how are also central to the concerns of the Toques d'Auvergne or the Toqués d'Ardèche, chefs who are guardians of their land and fervent defenders of " a healthier diet ".
Truffles, the black diamond of the Drôme
The "Truffe du Périgord" is especially common in Drôme! Tuber Mélanosporum, a precious and rare mushroom, is harvested in the Tricastin, the Val de Drôme and the Coteaux de Romans, making it the top truffle-growing region in France with 60% of national production.
A visit to the farms allows you to discover the world of this singular mushroom, renowned for its gustatory qualities. In Grignan, the Domaine de Montine offers the unique opportunity to participate in truffle hunting alongside the producer accompanied by his dog. These "truffle hunting" sessions take place in winter and are followed by a tasting session. The Domaine de Bramarel offers all year round educational visits of its truffle fields cultivated from father to son for four generations.
For more information, visit Saint Paul-Trois-Châteaux. This major production site has been awarded the label "site remarquable du goût" for the Truffières du Tricastin. It houses the Maison de la Truffe et du Tricastin, a museographic space dedicated to the local black diamond, and also welcomes every Sunday morning from December to March, one of the biggest truffle markets in the region!
Well-known local products
The diversity of the terroirs and the richness of the region's agricultural resources make it look like a huge open-air market. Alpine pastures, orchards, olive groves, vineyards, and know-how contribute to this exceptional market that gathers the best selections. A total of 74 typically regional products are certified with designations guaranteeing the quality and authenticity of their origin. Naturally, many wines and cheeses are produced.
Still, this gastronomic region is also renowned for its poultry and cream from Bresse, walnuts from Grenoble, olives from Nyons, lentils from Le Puy, chestnuts from Ardèche... The Chartreuse liqueur or the Verveine du Velay, nougat from Montélimar or pink praline from Lyon are all emblematic flavours.
Mineral waters, an impressive number of sources.
Volvic, Vichy Célestins, Evian, Badoit, Vals, etc. The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region is famous for its mineral waters, both still and sparkling. Some of them are even internationally renowned. A total of 33 groundwater sources spring from the depths of the Alps, the Massif central and the volcanic lands. Each natural water is pure and unique, appreciated for its properties and taste, reflecting the geology of its site of origin.
Many sources and bottling sites are open to the general public and offer the opportunity to discover their secrets, history and specificities.
The Evian Experience® is a complete visit allowing you to follow the water's journey from the impluvium to the factory, passing through the famous Cachat source. The Volvic information centre, located on the source site, offers an insight into the production of this renowned mineral water up to the moment it is bottled.
The spa resort of Vichy, or the town of Saint-Galmier where the Badoit factory is located, are other sparkling selections that are worth a visit!
