Chartreuse

Chartreuse is an iconic French liqueur, produced by Carthusian monks since the 18th century. It takes its name from La Grande Chartreuse, a monastery in the French Alps. The recipe for Chartreuse is a well-kept secret, known only to a few monks of the Carthusian...

The Mâchons

The ‘café des Fédérations’ in Lyon is famous for its mâchons, a typically Lyonnais tradition. Mâchons are hearty, convivial meals traditionally eaten by Lyon’s workers (the Canuts) before a day’s work on the looms. The term ‘mâchon’ comes from the verb ‘to...

Place des Terreaux in Lyon

Place des Terreaux is one of Lyon’s most emblematic squares, located in the 1st arrondissement, close to the Café des Fédérations. The Place des Terreaux has a rich and ancient history. It owes its name to the fact that it was once a place where earth was beaten...

Guignol

Guignol is an iconic character in Lyon’s puppet theatre. Created in the early 19th century by the canut (silk weaver) Laurent Mourguet, Guignol is a popular character, often depicted as a small, outspoken man who denounces the social and political injustices of...

The rosette and the saucisson de Lyon

The rosette de Lyon and the saucisson de Lyon are two charcuterie specialities that are emblematic of Lyon’s cuisine and its famous Bouchons, such as the Café des Fédérations. Rosette de Lyon is a dry sausage made from pork, usually lean meat and pork fat,...

Cochonaille

Cochonaille generally refers to a variety of pork-based products. This can include a range of charcuterie such as raw sausages, dry sausage, ham, bacon, rillettes, pâté, terrines and many others. In short, it’s an assortment of processed pork products....