In the heart of Vieux Lyon, designated a Unesco World Heritage site, the Cour des Loges hotel almost deserves such an accolade in its own right. Made up of beautiful old buildings dating back to the 14th century, it’s as picturesque as the neighbourhood it sits in, within France’s foodiest city.
And staying in the hotel, whose oldest part was once a Jesuit college, offers a unique opportunity to experience mediaeval architecture from the inside - mullioned windows, stone floors, tapestries and all.
Its rooms sit around a galleried atrium looking down on its piece de resistance - Anthony Bonnet’s Michelin-starred restaurant, which serves one of the finest breakfasts in France, with different fresh-pressed juices and egg dishes offered each day, as well as dinner.
The historic buildings mean the rooms do have some constraints - many are dark, thanks to the small windows of the Middle Ages, and more atmospheric than spacious - but they are sumptuously furnished and quite theatrical.
Some have clawfoot bathtubs separated from the bedroom by a dramatic full-length curtain, others sport deep modern tubs in step-up bathrooms.
Walls throughout are covered in the silk for which the city has been famous for centuries.
The brightest rooms overlook a charming walled garden, while beehives produce all the hotel’s honey.
Since gaining his star in 2007, chef Anthony Bonnet has made the Cour des Loges a dining destination and he also gives classes in his unique brand of fish and vegetable cuisine.
Whether you choose some tuition or not, the airy restaurant is a lovely place to enjoy lunch on a sunny day, although the buzzy brasserie with its terrace dining is equally rewarding, letting guests enjoy unique feel of the narrow streets of Vieux Lyon by night.
There is a small spa and a lively bar but this is one city where you’ll be tempted out, to wander the cobbled streets of Vieux Lyon and discover Lyon’s landmark shul.
The beautiful Grande Synagogue on the banks of the Saone, looking across to Vieux Lyon, has been named a historic monument, and is celebrating its 155th anniversary.
Built by Abraham Hirsch, who became the official architect of Lyon, it sits on the site of an old salt warehouse given by the city to its rapidly increasing 19th century community. A masterpiece of neo-Byzantine design, it remains the oldest Jewish institution in the city.
Gastronomy drives most visitors to Lyon, and while its meatier specialities are not for the observant (or the faint-hearted), the quenelles de brochet - poached pike dumplings - which are the city’s favourite dish are gefilte fish with a fancy French name. You’ll also find more than a dozen kosher restaurants in the city, many specialising in sushi.
Take a stroll with a guide who has access to the many secret passages running through buildings to link one street with the next, or wander over the river Saone into the Presqui’ile - the heart of the city running between the Saone and the Rhone where the synagogue is situated.
And explore some of Lyon’s unique museums, including the Musee Miniature et Cinema devoted to movie memorabilia and tiny, incredibly detailed room-sets of many kinds - a doll’s house lover’s delight! – before returning to your own unique and decorative room for the night.
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