Magazine: The flavours and colours of Lyon

Lyon is France’s second biggest agglomeration, with 4 metro lines and a TGV train service that connects it with Paris – the 425km trip only takes 2 hours. Lyon takes city marketing very seriously and it is true that many things advertised with the slogan ‘OnlyLyon’ this year can only be experienced here, for instance the colourful culinary adventure that the city offers. At the end of November Beaujolais conquers many parts of the Lyon, people stop for a glass of new wine and a chat. In the city centre there are many confectioneries and shops specialising in chocolate and spices. It is needless to say that a breathtaking variety of cheese is also available in Lyon. In downtown Lyon we find Carrefour City stores, while on the outskirts grandiose Carrefour hypermarkets serve the needs of customers.

Carrefour is the biggest retailer in Europe and it is the second biggest in the world, being present in 34 countries with 10,100 stores. Carrefour offers a lowest-price guarantee for 2,000 products and this fact is advertised on the portal of the store we visit. When we enter we see that toys dominate – this is the period before Christmas. Two loyalty promotions are also under way, one of them offering glasses and the other home accessories. Those who get tired of shopping can use the cold and hot water vending machines in the trading area. Electronic shelf labels are being used for modern price communication. Carrefour’s handheld self-scanning device is widely used by customers. What are the dishes Lyon-dwellers like to cook in their homes? Well, they often make traditional local specialties such as Tartuflette, Quedelle or St Jaque. Paul Bocuse was also preparing for Christmas when we were there, as we could see from the special decoration of his flagship restaurant by the river Saône – the building of which is unique from an architectural point of view, too. As we were strolling around Lyon we ran into inviting restaurants – both large and small –, cafés and pancake restaurants everywhere. There is even a restaurant bus called Le Trolley des Lumières, hopping on which visitors can dine and enjoy a tour around the city at the same time