Your private guide will pick you up at your Lyon hotel at the start of your tour and you’ll begin to make your way along the old city streets. Your guide will give you a brief introduction to Lyon’s gastronomic past explaining how the city’s position at the heart of the European silk industry influenced its food and restaurant scene.
You’ll hear about typical local delicacies such as praline brioche, a sweet buttery bread, and coussin de Lyon, a marzipan-covered sweet filled with chocolate ganache with a hint of curaçao liqueur. Your guide will take you to the best local shops to try these sweet treats and point out some of Lyon’s most renowned restaurants. You’ll hear about the city’s most acclaimed chefs past and present and learn how their influence shaped the development of the city as an international gastronomic hub.
As you wander from one street to the next, your guide will take you to discover some of Vieux Lyon’s famed traboules, the covered passageways that wind between streets and were built to shelter the city’s silk weavers and their precious fabrics from inclement weather.
From the old town you will cross both the Saône and Rhône rivers by bus to reach Les Halles de Lyon — Paul Bocuse, the city’s renowned covered market named after a local chef who was the founder of the nouvelle cuisine movement. The market is home to dozens of food stalls and you’ll get a guided tour and an introduction to some of the best produce on offer from local cheeses and charcuterie to fresh seafood and the most delicate breads and pastries. This is where your tour will come to an end; your guide can leave you to explore the extensive market at your own leisure or return with you to your hotel.
Start planning your tailor-made trip by contacting one of our France specialists
These activities are designed to give you the most authentic experiences around where you're staying. We work with local guides, who use their knowledge and often a resident's eye to show you the main sights and more out-of-the-way attractions. Our specialists can suggest tours and activities that will introduce you to the local ways of life.
Annecy walking tour
A medieval city built around a hilltop castle and riddled with canals, Annecy is best explored on foot. On this walking tour, your private guide will reveal the history behind the rickety old buildings, fortifications and characterful cobbled lanes.
Beaujolais and Mâconnais wine regions
This full-day tour gives you the chance to explore the Beaujolais and Mâconnais wine regions. With your private driver-guide, visit the Côte Dorée and sample gamay wines before enjoying an indulgent lunch. In the afternoon, sample white Burgundies in Mâconnais.
Burgundy, the Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits
Explore the Côte d’Or region of Burgundy on this private, full-day tour. Your driver-guide will take you through the storied vineyards and prestigious appellations of the region, with pauses for tastings, lunch and a chance to explore an 11th-century wine cellar.
Geneva walking tour
A short hop from France lies the historic city of Geneva on the edge of its namesake lake. On this private guided walking tour, you’ll hear about Geneva’s international significance and its importance during the Protestant Reformation as you take in its old town on foot.
Hiking near Mont Blanc with picnic lunch
Get out onto the trails and into the mountains around Chamonix on a full-day privately guided hike. You’ll ascend into the high meadows for panoramic views of Mont Blanc and the surrounding peaks, and return via another route passing a quiet mountain lake.
Mountains and glacier tour with cable car ascent
The alpine scenery of Chamonix is unveiled on this tour of the mountains and glaciers with a local guide. You’ll take in the views from the summit of the Aiguille du Midi and visit the ice cave in the Mer de Glace, France’s largest glacier.
Private boat tour of Lac d'Annecy with apéritif
Cruise along the scenic shores of Lac d’Annecy on a private boat on this evening cruise. Visit a smuggler’s cave and admire the turquoise waters then sip an apéritif as you watch the sun set behind Annecy.
