Bocuse and Lyon

Who was Paul Bocuse?

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Maison Bocuse

Born in Collonges-au-Mont-d’Or in 1926, Paul Bocuse was from a long line of cooks stretching back to the seventeenth century. He learned his trade with Mère Brazier at Le Col de la Luère in Pollionnay, and then with Fernand Point, chef at La Pyramide in Vienne. He then moved to Paris, to hone his skills with the chef Gaston Richard at Lucas Carton. In 1956, he returned to his family’s restaurant to work alongside his father. Paul Bocuse took up the reins of Hôtel du Pont de Collonges in 1957. 
This was followed by a series of achievements: in 1958, he was awarded his first Michelin star; in 1961, the title of ‘Meilleur Ouvrier de France’ (MOF); in 1962, his second star; and, in 1965, his third star.

Then came the emergence of Nouvelle cuisine, bringing simplicity, refinement, a light touch and a bold approach. To support this new concept, in 1970, he formed the company Grande Cuisine Française along with Henri Gault, Christian Millau (of Gault&Millau) and many other chefs, including Jean and Pierre Troisgros from Roanne. Paul Bocuse’s culinary adventure took him beyond France’s borders. In 1980, with his friends Roger Vergé and Gaston Lenôtre, he opened a French pavilion named ‘Chefs de France’ at Walt Disney World Florida. In 1987, he created the Bocuse d’Or, one of the world’s most prestigious gastronomy competitions. In 1989, he was named president of the 'Meilleur Ouvrier de France' competition (cooking and catering category). Seeking to pass down his expertise to younger generations, he founded Fondation Paul Bocuse in 2004. 

On his death in 2018, Monsieur Paul left a wonderful legacy and he will always be watching over Lyonnais gastronomy. He may no longer be with us, but his restaurant group – Maisons Bocuse – lives on. He summed it up well: “When I’m gone, you will develop your own cuisine; one that you feel is in keeping with the times and your customers’ desires.”

Gourmet experience in Collonges: the Paul Bocuse restaurant and L’Abbaye de Collonges

In 1924, shortly before his birth, Paul Bocuse’s maternal grandparents took over the Hôtel du Pont-de-Collonges. Paul Bocuse’s father, Georges, took up the reins of the restaurant from his parents-in-law in 1937. In 1957, Paul Bocuse succeeded his father and, in 1965, the establishment was named after him: L'Auberge du Pont de Collonges – Restaurant Paul Bocuse. 

Here, Paul Bocuse stood by his vision of gastronomy and came up with a few dishes that became classics. These include Black truffle soup VGE, created for the Élysée Palace when he received the title of Knight of the Legion of Honour from President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing in 1975, and Sea bass en croûte with choron sauce, a Mediterranean fish wrapped in a pastry shell.

From 1965 to 2019, the restaurant had three stars in the Michelin Guide, before losing one star in 2020. Today, Paul Bocuse’s daughter, Françoise Bernachon, is the “guardian of the temple” alongside Jérôme Bocuse. In charge of the kitchen are the chefs Gilles Reinhardt (since 1995) and Olivier Couvin (since 2001), both holders of the ‘Meilleur Ouvrier de France’ title, which they received in 2004 and 2015 respectively. 

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Maison Bocuse

In 1958, just a few hundred metres from L’Auberge, Paul Bocuse created L’Abbaye de Collonges. This was the family’s first restaurant (then named ‘Restaurant Bocuse’), owned by his paternal grandparents, Joseph and Marie Bocuse, until 1921, when Joseph sold the business. However, in 1966, Paul Bocuse bought back the establishment and was then able to retrieve the name, which he transferred to L'Auberge. He named this new establishment L’Abbaye de Collonges, in honour of the former monks of Île Barbe, who were the first owners of what was then a farm on the banks of the Saône. L’Abbaye welcomes private customers and companies for weddings, banquets, baptisms, gala evenings, conventions and other events. The restaurant’s exquisite dishes are served in a lively atmosphere filled with the sounds of the famous fairground organs.

Bocuse establishments throughout the Lyon metropolitan area (and beyond)

To share his cuisine with the widest possible audience, Paul Bocuse continued to expand his empire. The first Bocuse brasserie, Le Nord, opened in 1994 on Rue Neuve, in Lyon’s Presqu'île district. This was followed by the brasseries Le Sud, L'Est and L'Ouest, and then the restaurants Marguerite and Fond Rose. More recently opened, Brasserie des Lumières, boasts a unique location overlooking the pitch of the Groupama Stadium in Décines.

You can even find Bocuse brasseries outside the Lyon metropolitan area: in Paris, there is the Brasserie du Louvre, in the 1st arrondissement; in Annecy, Brasserie Irma was opened in honour of Irma Bocuse, Monsieur Paul’s mother, who grew up in this beautiful town in Haute-Savoie. Another innovative concept created by Maisons Bocuse, which can be found in Lyon and Annecy, Bocuse Original Comptoir puts its own twist on delicious street food specialities from around the world.

Les Halles Paul Bocuse: the temple of Lyonnais gastronomy

No tour of the metropolitan area’s food scene would be complete without a stop at this gourmet indoor food market: the Halles Paul Bocuse!
Before stepping inside, on the Cours Lafayette side, visitors are greeted by the Fresque des lumières, a giant wall painting of Monsieur Paul. In 2006, following major renovation works, Les Halles was renamed in honour of the three-Michelin-starred Lyonnais chef, who could often be seen at the market.

The centenary of Maisons Bocuse

1924-2024: this year, Maisons Bocuse will be blowing out 100 candles! This anniversary will of course be celebrated in gourmet fashion. To begin with, the centenary menu will be honouring iconic Bocuse dishes throughout the year, while featuring new creations, to create a link between past and future.

Also during this special centenary year, you can:

• see the theatre show Monsieur Paul by Philippe Bulinge, inspired by Paul Bocuse’s life, performed at L’Abbaye;
• read a book about Maison Bocuse’s centenary, published by Éditions Bocuse in March; 
• take an immersive tour to learn about Maisons Bocuse’s history, at Restaurant Paul Bocuse and L’Abbaye, in May.