On a sunny September morning, I arrived with an early train from Grenoble to Lyon –one of the gastronomical capital cities of the world.
As I am a gourmand and a French cuisine lover, my first thought was to go straight to the famous Les Halles Bocuse –en enormous food market dating since 19th century. But unfortunately, as it was Monday, Les Halles were closed.
Then my mind (or my stomach) flew to the idea of booking an organized food city tour, but finding out it costs an aprox 100 Eur, I said to myself, maybe not.
So, as I only had few hours to spend in Lyon, I soon headed to La Croix-Rousse neighborhood, in search of “des bouchons Lyonnais”.
A little bit of history:
The name "La Croix-Rousse" comes from a cross built in 1560 out of a yellow-purple stone from the village of Couzon, named “pierre rousse”.
Nicknamed “la colline qui travaille” (the hill that works) in contrast to the hill to the southwest, Fourvière, which is known as “la colline qui prie” (the hill that prays), in the 18th century, the district was influenced by the central role that Lyon played in the silk industry, as all the silk workshops moved here from the Vieux Lyon area.
Most of the first houses were built during the second half of the XVIII century: in 1795 there were 5.995 inhabitants.
Almost all the buildings feature large vaulted ceilings with exposed wooden rafters, as the internal height of the rooms was necessary to house the tall silk looms that were operated in the region.
Also, the various so-called “traboules” of Croix-Rousse (from the Latin word “trabulare” which means to cross), that are strategically placed all over the area, are covered passageways used by silk merchants to travel and ferry material between buildings while being sheltered from the rain.
The most famous traboule is called the “Traboule de la cours des Voraces”, which dates from 1840 and is known as one of Lyon’s city symbols.
Although the “canuts” (silk workers) were subject to extremely poor working conditions, which later led to many revolts, on this widely available land, buildings were constantly constructed for the silk trade and new roads were laid. The number of inhabitants jumped to 28.610 in 1852.
In the eye of today’s traveler:
As the French people say, La Croix-Rousse is a village into the city. A boheme neighborhood with a mixture of two vibrant quarters: a simple life and peaceful atmosphere on the plateau (top of the hill), and an atmosphere of festivity and laughter on the slopes, which are named Les Pentes.
It offers not only amazing views across the red rooftops of Lyon to the hills beyond the city, but a cultural experience, as well.
On the Boulevard des Canuts you will find the largest mural in Europe, which is called The Mural of the Silk Weavers. It was created in 1831 and renovated in 1997 and 2013, covering 1200m2 and decribing the day-to-day life in the silk worker’s neighborhood. This mural is, as the local people say, a “trompe l’oeil” (a trick of the eye), being painted on the side of a large building.
And as you step deeper and deeper into the old streets, such as Rue Montee de la Grand Cote, or Rue des Pierres Plantees, you have the feeling the time stood still for hundreds of years: the pavement made of polished cubical stones, the tall and narrow colorful houses, the secret passages between buildings, the antiquated wooden benches, the clay pots with wild flowers, and last but not least, “Les bouchons Lyonnais”.
The “bouchons” are a small charming type of restaurant that serves traditional Lyonnaise cuisine, heavily oriented around meat, such as sausages, duck pâté or roast pork. Their tradition came from small inns that were visited by silk workers passing through Lyon in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
The emphasis in a “bouchon Lyonnais” is not on haute cuisine but, rather, a convivial atmosphere and a personal relationship with the owner, giving you the feeling that you’re always most welcomed. Just like I felt at Aux Thes Des Merveilles!
On the Boulevard de la Croix Rousse, which is located on the plateau, I had the pleasure to meet some French students who confirmed some of my thoughts: they told me that the “croix-roussiens” smile more than the rest of the people living in Lyon, are calm and relaxed like they are experiencing an endless vacation, and that they enjoy, above all, the dessert called “crème brule”.
Most of the young people want to become artists, speak fluent English and are very helpful. The older the people get, the more they know how to enjoy good wines such as Cotes du Rones or Beaujolais, and understand the real meaning of “savoir vivre”.
If you need to escape from the noise and the crowded atmosphere of the rushing city, in the same time wanting to experience a part of French history, then I highly recommend you to visit this hidden beauty of Lyon.
For me, La Croix-Rousse was “coup de foudre “ (love at first sight).
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