In 2010, the gastronomic meal of the French is classified as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. To bring this ranking, France has set up a network of four international cities of gastronomy: Lyon, Dijon, Tours, Paris-Rungis. For centuries, Lyon has been recognized for the quality of its gastronomy, by its restaurants as well as by its inhabitants. It is therefore very symbolic that the first Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie, intended to highlight the gastronomic meal of the French on the international scene, opened its doors to the general public on 19 October in Lyon.
The Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie takes place in the former hospital of the Grand Hôtel-Dieu, symbolic place of hospitality and health in Lyon. This former hospital, which occupies an important place in the heart of the many Lyonnais who were born there or who worked there, was completely renovated by Eiffage Immobilier to accommodate shops, restaurants, hotels…
For these inhabitants who kept a strong connection with the place, and for the 300,000 expected annual visitors, come to the City, installed under the dome of the Quatre-Rangs, the oldest part of the Grand Hotel-Dieu (17th century), will be an opportunity to admire the interior spaces and architectural details of this historic monument, jewel of French built heritage.
To carry out the conversion of the site, Eiffage Immobilier, accompanied by Didier Repellin, Chief Architect of Historical Monuments and the agency AIA Architectes, have completely redesigned this part of the oldest hospital in Lyon.
The historic character of the Grand Hôtel-Dieu and its urban setting made it a complex building site. A challenge met by the teams of Eiffage Construction, who adapted their know-how to the four zones of different epochs that make up this site, and to organize the various deliveries to compensate for the small size of the site.
This innovative project is the result of a collective initiative initiated and led by the Metropolis of Lyon, in partnership with the City of Lyon and the State. The project was created with the support of eleven patrons including Eiffage Construction.
The Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie de Lyon is just as innovative and creative of progress, both by addressing the economic and ecological challenges of tomorrow’s food, and by welcoming in its walls a space ofworking open to project promoters, future food entrepreneurs.
The six spaces of the permanent route of the Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie de Lyon carry the message of a good food synonymous with pleasure, enhancing seasonal and quality products, and support the idea to eat healthy must not be reserved for a small part of the population.
By articulating its programming around the issues of food and health, the City fits perfectly in the continuity of the history of the Grand Hotel-God, and confirms the positioning of Lyon as the capital of gastronomy for the coming decades.