Imagine Michelin’s Bibendum blowing out 100 candles to celebrate its now world-famous stars… You can imagine that Lyon has its share of this well-filled birthday cake, and not the smallest share at that!
You could even say they got the lion’s share! But let’s rewind a little… At the beginning of the 20th century, the Michelin brothers were looking for a way to promote the use of their tires. What better way than to create a magazine dedicated to gastronomy in order to promote the booming automotive industry? The Michelin Guide ranked the best restaurants in France and in 1926 awarded its first stars… At that time, Lyon was already a gastronomic hotspot: the Brasserie Georges was in full swing, as were the Café des Fédérations and Chez Hugon. But over the years, two prestigious establishments would rise to the top…
An hour from Lyon, a restaurant that has been continuously awarded stars since… 1929
Vonnas is a small town with less than 3,500 inhabitants, yet it is home to the Georges Blanc restaurant , which has held at least one Michelin star without fail since the guide’s inception. The first star was awarded in 1929 to the restaurant, then known as La Mère Blanc. In 1968, Elisa Blanc’s grandson, Georges Blanc, took over the reins and the kitchen, and in 1981 earned three stars for his eponymous establishment, which it has retained to this day. Here, you can enjoy regional specialties such as the timeless Bresse chicken and Vonnas crêpes. Not to mention the cellar, which contains no less than 140,000 bottles. Being a Michelin-starred restaurant for almost a century is definitely something to celebrate!
Paul Bocuse and his 165 stars…
“The hardest thing is to last,” Bocuse told journalists who asked him about his secret. The Great Paul had a talent for timing; he remains the most decorated three-star chef in the history of world gastronomy. From 1965 to 2020, he received three stars every year, for a total of no less than 165 stars! It takes a lot of space to pin all those medals on your jacket! For more than 60 years, people from all over the world have been flocking to Lyon to taste Paul Bocuse’s cuisine. And like an alignment of stars (this time, those in the sky), Paul Bocuse, whose 100th birthday was recently celebrated, arrived on Earth in the year that the Michelin brothers awarded their first stars. In a way, the Michelin circle is complete…
The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, dotted with stars
The eastern region is dotted with stars: no fewer than 110 starred restaurants scattered from Annecy to Valence, via Ouches and Megève. With six three-starred restaurants, it has the highest concentration in the region (outside Paris). In Lyon, 16 establishments have at least one star and 14 restaurants, including La Meunière, can proudly display their Bib Gourmand (best value for money). Needless to say, Lyon has (in terms of restaurants per capita) one of the highest concentrations of Michelin-approved establishments in the world…
