France in 9 Days: Food Route
Paris markets, Lyon bouchons and a Burgundy vineyard day, with lunch as the main event every single day.
Destination
France
Travel style
Food
Duration
9 days, 8 nights
Approximate budget
Approx. 2,000 to 2,900 EUR per person, excluding flights
Best time to travel
May to June, September to October
Route overview
France is the easiest country in Europe to eat brilliantly without spending recklessly, provided you eat at lunch. The midday formule in a neighbourhood bistro is often half the evening price for the same kitchen.
The route is Paris, then Lyon, with a Burgundy day in between using the train. Lyon earns its reputation: the bouchon tradition, the covered market at Les Halles Paul Bocuse, and charcuterie that is hard to match anywhere.
There is one formal dinner in the itinerary, in Lyon. The rest is markets, bakeries, bistros and a cheese shop visit that will change how you buy cheese at home.
Day by day
Day 1
Arrive in Paris
Settle in the 11th or the 5th, both good eating districts without tourist pricing. First dinner at a wine bar with small plates.
Day 2
Market morning and a bakery comparison
Marche d'Aligre or Bastille on a market day, then two bakeries for a baguette and croissant side by side. Long bistro lunch, quiet afternoon.
Day 3
Cheese, butter and a pastry class
A fromagerie visit with tasting, then an afternoon patisserie class making choux or tarts. Light dinner, you will not need much.
Day 4
Paris on foot
Something not food related: a museum, the Canal Saint-Martin, or Pere Lachaise. Dinner in a neighbourhood bistro you found rather than booked.
Day 5
Train to Lyon
Two hours by TGV. Check in around Presqu'ile. Evening in a bouchon for quenelles and a pot of Beaujolais.
Day 6
Les Halles and Croix-Rousse
Morning at Les Halles Paul Bocuse for charcuterie and praline tart, then the silk workers' district and the traboule passages. Lunch at a market stall counter.
Day 7
Burgundy or Beaujolais day
An hour and a half by train to Beaune, or a shorter hop into Beaujolais. Two domaines and a proper lunch. Do not attempt four tastings, the wines deserve better.
Day 8
Lyon cooking class and the big dinner
Market shopping with a chef in the morning, cooking in the afternoon, then the trip's one reserved dinner in the evening if you still have appetite.
Day 9
Departure
Lyon Saint-Exupery is 30 minutes from the centre by tram, or take the TGV back to Paris in two hours.
Accommodation approach
Four nights in Paris and four in Lyon. Apartments help in Paris if you want to cook with market produce. In Lyon, a hotel on the Presqu'ile puts you within walking distance of almost everything in this itinerary.
Getting around
TGV between Paris and Lyon, regional trains for the vineyard day. Metro and walking within both cities. A car is only worth it if you want remote domaines, and tasting plus driving is a poor combination.
What to eat
- Bistro formule at lunch, two courses for 19 to 26 EUR
- Lyonnais charcuterie: rosette, andouillette if you are brave, and saucisson brioche
- Comte, Beaufort and a washed rind cheese tasted side by side
- Burgundy whites at the source, which tend to be better value than the reds
Planning tips
- Check market days before choosing which morning is which. Most Paris markets do not run on Mondays.
- Book bouchons in Lyon a few days ahead, the good ones are small.
- Ask for the plat du jour. It is what the kitchen actually wants to cook today.
- Tipping is not expected beyond rounding up, service is included.
Related routes
Other ways to travel
Italy in 10 Days: Food Route
Bologna, Parma, Modena and Florence, planned around market mornings, a pasta class and two serious meals.
- Duration
- 10 days, 9 nights
- Budget
- Approx. 1,800 to 2,600 EUR per person, excluding flights
Italy in 10 Days: Budget Route
Rome, Bologna and Venice by regional and intercity train, with apartments, market lunches and free viewpoints doing most of the work.
- Duration
- 10 days, 9 nights
- Budget
- Approx. 950 to 1,300 EUR per person, excluding flights
Italy in 10 Days: Comfort Route
The same three regions at half the pace: central hotels, pre-booked transfers, guided mornings and free afternoons.
- Duration
- 10 days, 9 nights
- Budget
- Approx. 2,400 to 3,400 EUR per person, excluding flights