Day 31 - September 18, 2026

From the Loire to Lyon

Our final morning at Domaine de la Charpinière left mixed impressions. The hotel itself was comfortable, the room pleasant, and we genuinely enjoyed both dinners at the restaurant. However, the spa was surprisingly disappointing. Despite offering only a small jacuzzi and a modest sauna, access was priced at an astonishing €100 per person, and there were no treatment appointments available. Rather than feeling disappointed, we decided to spend the afternoon exploring something completely unexpected—and it turned out to be one of the highlights of the day.

Just a short drive away in Chazelles-sur-Lyon, we visited the Atelier-Musée du Chapeau (Hat Museum). Housed inside the beautifully restored former Fléchet hat factory, the museum celebrates the town’s remarkable history as one of France’s great centers of felt-hat production. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Chazelles-sur-Lyon became one of the country’s leading centers for manufacturing high-quality felt hats, with thousands of skilled craftsmen producing hats that were exported throughout Europe and beyond.

Although the guided tour was offered only in French, we decided to explore the museum on our own, and it turned out to be far more fascinating than we had expected. The beautifully curated exhibits explained every stage of traditional felt-hat production, from raw rabbit fur to the elegant finished product, while historic machinery illustrated just how labor-intensive the craft once was.

The museum also displayed hundreds of remarkable hats worn by notable figures such as Grace Kelly and Paul Bocuse, alongside creations from prestigious fashion houses including Dior, Hermès, Nina Ricci, and Paco Rabanne. Even without the guided explanation, it was easy to appreciate the extraordinary craftsmanship behind an accessory that today is often taken for granted.

Before leaving, I found an unexpected souvenir—a wonderfully distinctive rust-colored beret that fit me perfectly. It wasn’t a typical tourist purchase but something genuinely unique, beautifully made, and unmistakably French. It felt like the perfect keepsake from a museum dedicated to the art of hat making, and I’m sure every time I wear it I’ll remember this delightful surprise of a museum.

After returning our rental car at Lyon–Saint Exupéry Airport, we headed into the city and checked into our apartment at 9 Rue Romarin, 69001 Lyon. We immediately loved it. The location on the slopes of Croix-Rousse felt ideal—quiet enough to feel like a real neighborhood, yet only a short walk from the Hôtel de Ville, the Opera, and the Presqu’île. The apartment itself was charming, comfortable, and thoughtfully equipped, including an excellent guidebook to Lyon that would soon prove invaluable.

That guidebook led us to dinner at Léon de Lyon, one of the city’s historic restaurants, serving Lyonnais cuisine for well over a century. It was exactly the kind of traditional dining experience we had hoped to find.

We shared several dishes:

• the house Léon de Lyon pâté en croûte, beautifully prepared and delicious, though we both agreed it would have been even better served warm;
• Lyon’s famous pike quenelle, wonderfully light and delicate despite its rich Nantua sauce;
• skate wing à la Grenobloise, perfectly cooked with browned butter, capers, lemon, and crisp croutons.

To accompany dinner, we sampled two different white wines by the glass:

• V.D.F. “Reméage” 2024 – Les Vins de Vienne
• A.O.P. Beaujolais Blanc “Alexis” 2024

We each drank only about half a glass of each wine, but both were excellent. The fresh, aromatic whites paired beautifully with the fish dishes and gave us another opportunity to appreciate the diversity of wines from this region of France.

After dinner, we wandered through Lyon at night, enjoying our first glimpse of the city illuminated. The elegant façade of the Hôtel de Ville, the striking architecture of the Opéra de Lyon, and the beautifully lit Palais de la Bourse looked magnificent after dark. The broad squares, graceful nineteenth-century buildings, and warm evening atmosphere immediately conveyed why Lyon is often considered one of France’s most beautiful cities.

Rather than trying to see everything at once, we simply strolled, admired the architecture, and allowed ourselves to absorb the atmosphere. It was a perfect introduction to the city.

By the end of the evening, Lyon had already won us over. A fascinating and unexpected museum, a beautiful new apartment in the heart of the city, an outstanding traditional Lyonnais dinner, excellent regional wines, and a magical nighttime walk combined to create a wonderful first impression. We went to bed genuinely excited for the two full days we had ahead to discover one of France’s greatest cities.