Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is France's most geographically dramatic region, combining the ancient volcanic landscapes of the Massif Central with the highest peaks in the Alps. Lyon, its capital, is consistently ranked among the world's great food cities and is the birthplace of cinema. The region spans skiing at Chamonix and the Trois Vallées, lakeside beauty at Annecy, Roman heritage in Lyon, the volcanic chains of the Auvergne, and one of Europe's finest hiking networks.
Top food tours
Guided experiences that show you Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes through its food.
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Tour formats
Different ways to experience Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes's food scene.
Items tours
Cooking classes
Take a piece of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes home with you.
Institut Paul Bocuse Cooking Workshop
Hands-on cooking workshops held at the Institut Paul Bocuse culinary school — one of the world's most prestigious hospitality and gastronomy institutions. Participants work under the instruction of professional chef-educators in the school's demonstration and practical kitchens, learning classic French technique applied to Lyonnais and regional dishes. Sessions cover knife skills, sauce-making, and the preparation of a two-course Lyonnais menu, which participants then eat together.
Bouchon des Filles Cooking Class
An intimate cooking class hosted by the chef-owners of Bouchon des Filles, one of Lyon's celebrated certified bouchons. Small groups of up to 8 participants learn to prepare three classic Lyonnais dishes from scratch — typically quenelles, salade lyonnaise, and a bouchon dessert — using the same techniques used in the restaurant's daily service. The class concludes with a seated lunch of the dishes prepared, accompanied by a pot of Beaujolais.
Savoyard Specialties Class
A hands-on class dedicated to the classic dishes of Haute-Savoie, run by La Cuisine d'Annecy across various partner kitchen venues in the town. Participants learn to prepare fondue savoyarde (including the correct ratio of Beaufort, Emmental, and Comté), tartiflette with Reblochon, and a seasonal Savoyard dessert such as gâteau de Savoie. Sessions are conducted in French and English and include a full meal of the prepared dishes with paired Savoie wines.
Auvergne Cheese-Making Workshop
A working farm experience at Ferme de la Borie in the Cantal highlands where participants join the fromager in a traditional morning cheese-making session. The class covers the process of making Tomme and young Cantal-style cheeses from the farm's own Salers cattle milk: heating, curdling, pressing, and salting. Participants leave with a small cheese to mature at home, along with a tasting of the farm's aged cheeses and house-made charcuterie.
Foodie tips
Get more out of every meal.
Book food tours and cooking classes at least one week in advance, especially in summer (July–August) and the winter ski season (December–February) when availability tightens significantly.
The Lyon Gourmet Pass — available from the Lyon tourist office — bundles market entry, a bouchon lunch, and one additional food experience at a combined price typically 15–20% below booking separately.
For wine tastings in Beaujolais or the Northern Rhône, visiting independently by train is straightforward and less expensive than organised tour packages. The Cave de Tain in Tain-l'Hermitage, for instance, welcomes walk-in visitors with no booking required.
Morning is always the best time for market tours. Les Halles Paul Bocuse is busiest and most animated between 07:30 and 09:30 on weekday mornings when professional chefs and experienced home cooks do their shopping.
When selecting a bouchon food tour, confirm that the operator's guide holds official certification from the Association de Défense des Bouchons Lyonnais or the Lyon tourist office — unofficial bouchon tours sometimes include restaurants that are not genuine certified bouchons.