This website uses cookies to remember your preferences, measure audience engagement and site statistics.
Privacy policyChampagne city guide
Lyon is one of France’s great food cities, and its wine culture is just as much a part of the experience. Champagne fits naturally into the city’s restaurants and wine bars, whether you’re looking for a glass before dinner, an aperitif or something special to pair with a meal.
But Lyon is also surrounded by some of France’s best-known wine regions. Beaujolais is less than an hour away, while the northern Rhône, Coteaux du Lyonnais and Burgundy are all within reach. That makes Lyon a particularly good stop for anyone who wants to explore Champagne while also getting to know the wines of the region.
Lyon’s food scene is built around its relationship with the surrounding countryside. The city’s famous bouchons lyonnais serve traditional local dishes, while the wider region supplies everything from Beaujolais wines to Bresse poultry and Rhône Valley wines.
For a Champagne drinker, this makes Lyon an interesting place to explore different French wine styles side by side. You might start with Champagne, then discover that the wine list is just as serious about Beaujolais, Burgundy or the Rhône.
If you have an extra day, consider heading out of the city into Beaujolais. The region is close enough for a day trip and offers vineyard landscapes, wine tastings and small villages among the rolling hills. Beaujolais is particularly associated with Gamay, while the region also produces the famous Beaujolais Nouveau, released each year around mid-November.
Lyon is a good city for wine and food together, rather than simply wine tasting. Local cuisine is rich and substantial, so if you’re ordering Champagne with dinner, seafood isn’t your only option – the local bouchon tradition gives you a very different pairing experience.
And if you’re visiting around the third Thursday of November, you’ll arrive during the annual release of Beaujolais Nouveau. That’s one of the most distinctive moments in the local wine calendar and a good time to see the region’s wine culture in full swing.
Featured partners are marked. Everything here is on our map.
Join the Champagne Hunters community and we’ll send you a free PDF with 5 easy Champagne cocktail recipes and perfectly matched bites for every occasion.
By signing up, you agree to receive emails from Champagne Hunters. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Our map grows because Champagne hunters like you add the places they love. No sign-up needed.
Add a spotChampagne is available at selected restaurants, wine bars and other drinking spots around Lyon. Check the Champagne Hunters map for venues currently offering Champagne by the glass or bottle.
Yes. Wine is deeply connected to Lyon’s food culture, and the city has wine bars, restaurants and wine shops offering Champagne alongside wines from Beaujolais, Burgundy, the Rhône Valley and other French regions.
Lyon sits close to several wine regions, but Beaujolais is one of the most important and accessible. The northern Rhône is also nearby, as are the Coteaux du Lyonnais and southern Burgundy.
Yes. Beaujolais is less than an hour from Lyon by car, making it an easy option for a day trip with vineyard visits and tastings. The northern Rhône is another option if you want to explore a different side of the region’s wine culture.
Beaujolais Nouveau is a young red wine from the Beaujolais region, traditionally released in mid-November each year. Its release is a major annual event in the local wine calendar.
Lyon is famous for its bouchon restaurants and traditional Lyonnaise cuisine. Try local specialities alongside your Champagne for a pairing that feels much more connected to the city than simply choosing another classic French dish.
Yes. Its location makes it particularly useful for exploring Beaujolais and the Rhône Valley, with Burgundy and the Coteaux du Lyonnais also within reach.
