Paul Bocuse – A Great Way To Spend An Afternoon

We had lunch today.  And it’s a lunch I will remember for a very long time. Because it was more than just a meal – it truly was an experience.

Today, we were lucky enough to dine at Paul Bocuse’s L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges.  Paul Bocuse is a legend in Lyon and his 3 Michelin starred restaurant (since 1965) is famous the world over, with many a foodie making the pilgrimage to eat in this establishment.  The reason for this is the impact Paul Bocuse’s cuisine has had on French cooking both in France and around the world.

The driving force behind our visit was somewhat similar – my favourite chef in Australia, Philippe Mouchel worked for Paul Bocuse for a long time, and I was keen to get a better understanding of one of the key influences on Philippe’s cooking style.

Whilst we have dined at 1 and 2 starred restaurants previously, this was our first experience at a 3 starred restaurant.  I must admit that various internet reviews had me a bit concerned about the quality of the entire experience – but my concerns were completely unnecessary.  We had a wonderful time.

Although I am no food writer, I will do my best to describe our experience for you.

The food was delicious (to put it mildly) and the servings generous (again, I am probably understating things here).  We both ate from the Classique Menu, sharing for our main courses one of the signature dishes, Loup en croûte feuilletée, sauce Choron, which was more impressive than I might have imagined.  The other courses were all excellent, and the selection of cheeses and desserts vast. It was very hard to make a decision, as everything looked fabulous.  That said, you could make as many choices as your appetite could handle.

The service was formal but extremely attentive and not at all ‘stuffy’.  All the staff were happy to switch to English when we got out of our depth trying to speak French, and by the end of the meal were joking with us, and helping us take photographs.

Internet reviews had suggested that the decor was a bit over the top, but we found the ambience very pleasant.  Tables are very well spaced (they need to be to accommodate the 4 dessert carts) and ambient noise is low. Like the rest of the experience, the dress code is relatively relaxed.

We may never have another chance to dine at L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges, so I am very glad we took the opportunity today.

Until next time – au revoir.

(Please note that this is an unsolicited post and no compensation been received.)