Our next stop would be the famous Les Halles de Lyon – the food market.

In 1859 Lyon  opened its doors to its first food market in a large metallic structure located at Place Cordeliers in the centre of the city known as the “Presqu’ile”.  100 years later they built a new market to represent their love of food.

 

In 1971 Les Halles opened its door in the area of La Part-Dieu close to Lyons main train station. It is over 3 floors now however we only went through the ground floor. Paul Bocuse added his name to the market.

Over 48 vendors, butchers, bakers, wine merchants, cheesemonger, poultry.  If you eat it you will find at the market.

Of course what market would it be if there were no samples of food.  We all assembled at the back of the market for a our own special tasting.  It was cordoned off however quite a few French folk tried to join in.  They love free food and who wouldn’t.   In France you don’t taste wonderful food without the glass of wine or 2 or 3.  Or more….

 

We tasted nose to tail pork with aromatic herbs that made your taste buds tingle with delight and wanting more.

We were then given some time to wander around the markets. So much beautiful produce.  The displays are sensational. I think our markets here in Australia should take a note or two from the French markets.

The famous Bresse Chickens – white chickens  only raised within a defined area of Bresse in Eastern France.  They are sold intact …heads and all…see the pictures.  They also have slate blue legs.

Wine…so much wine…rows and rows of bottles.

Cheese oh my you name it its there.

Cakes – I think the pictures will do the talking here.

 

Chocolate – rows and rows of this amazing stuff.

I think I put on a few kg’s just looking at the most wonderful display of patisseries. Can you believe that I didn’t have at least one patisserie.

I did however purchase some chocolate lipstick!  Which I still have. Yes surprise surprise!

 

We survived the market somehow we managed to get back on the coach and taken into the main part of the city.  The wheels on the bus kept going round, lucky, for all the food we ate it was surprising they didn’t go flat lol.

 

Coming up next  – our afternoon in Lyon.

 

More pics on Instagram…