Authentic Lyonnais Bouchons

A bouchon is a type of restaurant found in Lyon, France, that serves traditional Lyonnaise cuisine, such as sausages, coq-au-vin, "salade lyonnaise", duck pâté or roast pork. Compared to other forms of French cuisine such as nouvelle cuisine, the preparations are quite substantial. There are about twenty officially certified traditional bouchons, but a larger number of establishments describe themselves using this term.

Typically, the emphasis in a bouchon is not on haute cuisine, but rather on a friendly atmosphere and a personal relationship with the owner. You will recognize them directly, by the typical wooden tables, red checkered tablecloths, in which traditional dishes often based on pork are enjoyed.

History

The tradition of bouchons comes from small inns frequented by silk workers passing through Lyon in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The word "bouchon" comes from the habit of innkeepers (an ancient profession consisting of serving wine and food for money) of signaling their shop by hanging a bundle of twigs (pine branches, called 'bousche' - an ancient tradition where the pine was dedicated to the god Bacchus). This theory was confirmed by Nizier du Puitspelu, a famous writer and architect from Lyon, in his Littré de la Grand'Côte. For others, this term comes from the ball of straw used to 'bouchon' horses.

“Authentic Lyonnais corks” label

Since 1997, Pierre Grison and its organization, the Association for the Defense of Lyon traffic jams, award certifications to restaurants each year as “authentic” bouchons. These restaurants are awarded the title of “Les Authentiques Bouchons Lyonnais” and are identified by a sticker showing the Gnafron puppet (image of the article), a Lyon symbol of the pleasures of gastronomy, holding a glass of wine in one hand and a napkin bearing the coat of arms of Lyon in the other.

List of plugs:

• Lyon 1 : The Miller, The Lard Head, The Snout Breaker
• Lyon 2 : Café Comptoir Abel, Café du Jura, The Actor, Abel's Bistro, The Bouchon des Cordeliers, Lea's Counter, The Golden Skillet, The Vivarais, The Long Panties
• Lyon 3 : Daniel and Denise, Val d'Isère
• Lyon 4 : Daniel & Denise (Croix-Rousse)
• Lyon 5 : Daniel and Denise Saint Jean, The Canuts Inn, The Fine Mouths, The Lyonnais
• Lyon 6 : The Antr'O Potes, The Sully Cork

This list is subject to some fluctuations as the certification is awarded annually.

Specialties:

Among the typical dishes found in the bouchons repertoire, we can mention: