In the heart of the city, nestled alongside the Rhône River and within a few minutes walk from the Saône sits the stylish Hôtel de Verdun 1882. The third-largest city in France is perfectly situated for those who love good food and wine, sitting as it does between the famous vineyards of Burgundy to the North and Cotes du Rhône to the South.
Lyon, or Lugdunum as it was called was one of the most important cities of the Roman Empire, and more recently in the 19th century became the epicenter of Europe’s silk industry. A destination in its own historic right, Lyon is also generally acknowledged as the gastronomic capital of France with more restaurants per head than any other place in France.
The location
We arrived in Lyon on a Friday afternoon in November, a short hop across the channel by plane and then a quick ride on the charmingly named Rhône Express and the excellent Metro, from the airport to Perrache in the city centre. During our December visit, Perrache was home to a wonderful Christmas Market. We were meeting a friend who lives in Lyon, and she had already informed us that we would be staying in the best part of the city. That became apparent as we walked towards the hotel in the historic antique district of Lyon – passing small independent shops ready for Christmas, up-market wine shops, butchers groaning with seasonal game and poultry, and the requisite boulangeries and stunning pâtisseries
The hotel
Housed in an elegant building that was built in the late 1800s and home to Fritz Hoffhner, whose father set up the famous Lyon institution Georges Brasserie, the hotel is one of the oldest in Lyon. It has been completely renovated by Isabelle and Gilles Moynier and is now a beautiful 30-room boutique hotel, where eclectic design and style are married with real warmth and genuine hospitality.
The downstairs lounge library is undoubtedly the beating heart of the hotel, where you can sit and read the newspaper, drink tea, eat breakfast, or sample some of the wines from the nearby Caves, which Gilles is happy to chill for you if necessary. This open and light room with long windows looking out over the street is airy and welcoming, it is also quite beautiful with so much thought has gone into every single element of it. The owners have lived and traveled in many parts of the world and the hotel and this room in particular, house a beautifully curated ensemble of furniture, pictures, objects, and books that reflect their experiences.
Coming from London I enjoyed the collection of British royal coronation china in one glass display unit, in juxtaposition with a group of striking red fez caps with black tassels brought back from Cairo. Natural colours create a cozy atmosphere to relax in, whether lounging on the daybed or reclining on the large sofa and chairs upholstered in leopard print fabric, whereas the architecture-themed posters provide an interesting backdrop on the walls.
None of this eye-drawing fascination takes away from the practical nature of the downstairs space though, our wine was happily housed in the fridge, and an open kitchen area enables guests to make drinks and prepare light suppers if they wish to.
Our Room
Our room was number 203 looking out over the street and the local êcole on the other side. It was large and warm with deep colours – a blue patterned carpet, and luxuriant floor-to-ceiling camel-coloured curtains dominated the space. We loved the large bed with soft linen and the grey-panelled headboards completed the elegant room. In contrast, the in-room bathroom was white and modern with a fabulous shower, separate toilet, and French luxury toiletries. Our room had a beautiful desk for working combined with an old-fashioned pendulum light and an elegant wardrobe. A row of books, Editions Gallimard by classic French, British, and Russian authors, were on the bookshelf over the desk, in the unlikely event that you had much spare time on your stay to brush up your knowledge of Satre, Camus, and Dostoyevski.
Breakfast is grand in a simply stylish manner consisting of numerous dishes of conserves such as fig with violet, honey, pastries, beautiful breads, cakes, eggs, fruit, and other French delicacies. A coffee machine that served great coffee, chocolate, etc – what more can one want? Service throughout our stay was incredibly warm and genuinely interested in helping us make the most of our stay, whether that was recommending restaurants, museums, or walks.
The Lyon Experience
Our hotel was perfectly situated, in that we could walk and see everything we wanted to from its doorstep. A short walk through the narrow streets, lined with interesting men’s and women’s individual boutiques brings you to the Belle Epoque Place de Bellecour. From here it’s left to the wonderful market along the Quai de St Antoine on the Saone and onwards to Old Lyone and via funicular to the two Roman Theatres atop the hill or right across the Rhone to the covered market, Les Halles de Paul Bocuse. Here, at Cellerier, the most wonderful array of cheese and shellfish is available to take away or to eat on the premises, one of many options on this two-floor gastronomic experience where the queue for the table was well worth the wait.
Should more typical Lyonnaise fare (pork products, poultry, and offal to the fore) take your fancy, the city is home to numerous “Bouchons”, the type of restaurant unique to Lyon where the local specialities are washed down with pitchers of wine. Gilles, our hotelier, was able to recommend several Bouchons, most of which had also been on the list provided by our friend who lives in Lyon.
A place to return to
My first visit to this city will definitely not be my last – more to see, to eat, to savor. I would also certainly return to Hôtel de Verdun 1882 in the future. A hotel in so many ways is quintessentially French, stylish, and elegant. But also one that reflects the wider world – of travels across the world and a home for travelers.
To discover more, visit: Hôtel de Verdun 1882
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Imagery credit to Hôtel de Verdun 1882