Excellent Food, Fine Wines and City Living in Rhône

For anyone wanting to move and live in France for the food, wine and lifestyle (and who wouldn’t?), the department of Rhône ticks all the boxes. With the vibrant city of Lyon at its heart, a generous sprinkling of Michelin-starred restaurants and world-renowned Beaujolais vineyards, it is fast becoming one of the most desirable expat destinations in Europe.

Rhône lies in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and takes its name from the river that runs through it, which converges with the Saône in Lyon before continuing along the Rhône Valley to Vienne, Valence and beyond.

A Wine Connoisseur’s Paradise

The wine industry has made the Rhône into a tourist hotspot, particularly as the area is so easy to reach from Paris, mainland Europe and the UK, thanks to the excellent motorway network and Lyon airport. The Beaujolais region stretches across northern Rhône and parts of neighbouring Saône-et-Loire.

The Beaujolais name is well-known, having risen to fame in the 1980s as the home of Beaujolais-Nouveau, although its reputation has evolved since then, and it is now highly regarded as an important region producing fine, light-bodied wines from the Gamay grape. The Côtes du Rhône wine region also begins here, stretching 200km south along the Rhône Valley from Vienne to Avignon.

France’s Top Foodie Destination

Lyon is frequently referred to as the gastronomic capital of France. The food of Lyon and the Rhône is rich and hearty with strong flavours and a real emphasis on eating seasonally using local produce. There are said to be more cafés and Michelin-starred restaurants per head in Lyon than in any other European city, and over the years, many famous French chefs have lived, trained and cooked here, including Mathieu Viannay, Christophe Roure and one of the fathers of Nouvelle Cuisine, Paul Bocuse.

A key factor behind the Rhône’s culinary reputation is the quality and range of local terroir produce available in the vicinity. The Charolais cattle breeders, the poultry farms of Bresse, the pork, charcuterie, and cochonnailles lyonnaises (salt meat) producers of the Monts du Lyonnais, and the fishermen of the Saône River keep the cafes and restaurants well stocked with fresh ingredients.

Meanwhile, the vast expanses of agricultural land yield ample seasonal fruit and vegetables. Not only does this unique landscape make the Rhône a natural dining destination, but it also means there is an excellent balance between energetic city life and a more rustic rural tempo.

Out and About in Rhône

Before sitting down to a fabulous dinner with fine local wine, spend some time exploring the great outdoors in Rhône.

As well as being popular with wine enthusiasts, the Beaujolais region also attracts walkers who come to see the picturesque traditional villages and visit the gently undulating Monts du Beaujolais.

Another renowned beauty spot is the Pays des Pierres Dorées, or land of golden stone, near Villefranche-sur-Saône, where I lived for four years. It gets its name from the golden stone used to build houses, churches and castles, and includes enchanting villages such as Oingt, Ternand and Bagnois.

The Monts du Lyonnais, which form the eastern foothills of the Massif Central, is another area very popular for walking and cycling and home to many more pretty towns and villages, the largest of which is L’Arbresle, with its landmark castle fortress.

If you plan your day well, you will have time to stop at one of the many local markets whilst you are out exploring to stock up on your own selection of gastronomic delights to enjoy in the comfort of your Rhône home.