Paul Bocuse travel tips

There are few better ways to see Europe than by rail. Budget flights might abound, but nothing can match the experience of travelling by train. Forget about tedious airport transfers and unsociable departure times, by rail you’ll get glorious views, spacious seats and – best of all – the ability to hop off a train right in the centre of a new city.

Oddly, it wasn’t the food that drew me to Lyon.

Most passersby don’t even notice the Bentley or Rolls Royce often parked in front of the entrance to the Le Negresco Hotel in Nice. The legendary five-star property on the French Riviera has been entertaining business leaders, royalty, and celebrities since it opened in 1913.

At the junction of two great rivers and overlooked by a towering basilica, few cities in Europe look like Lyon. Even fewer can offer the breadth of tastes that can be found in Lyon. Sat between the vertiginous vineyards of Beaujolais and the cattle-studded pastures of the Alps, this is a city with culinary quality at its core. Its kitchens have played host to notable names, from trailblazing female chef Eugénie Brazier — the first person to be awarded six Michelin stars — to Paul Bocuse, whose innovative dishes championed the region’s local produce. With poultry from Bresse, cow’s-milk cheeses from Dauphiné, crayfish from Bugey and, of course, wines from Beaujolais and the Rhône Valley, menus in Lyon are a true education in the local area.

Among a certain segment of travellers, cruising is sometimes maligned: the dismal buffet and watered-down cocktails. Those kitschy lounge acts. The contrived shore excursions. But that, as they say, was then.

The ingredients for a great European weekend break are simple. You’ll need a walkable city centre, a handful of excellent restaurants, some cool bars, affordable places to stay, interesting attractions and good transport.