It’s a case that is shaking up the city of Lyon. Will the Paul Bocuse gourmet halls, located in the 3rd arrondissement, close? In a letter sent to the mayor, Grégory Doucet, the Rhône prefecture warns of significant dysfunctions which were identified by the fire safety commission in June 2023, and which could lead, if nothing is done, to a administrative closure of the temple of local gastronomy.
What no one dares to imagine in the Capital of Gaul, as the Bocuse halls, which bring together around fifty traders, are so important for the city. Every day, they attract the crème de la crème of tourists and food lovers. The municipality has two months to carry out a satisfactory diagnosis.
The mayor attacks the state
Faced with the scale of the controversy, the city of Lyon reacted this Saturday March 30. The environmentalist mayor Grégory Doucet said he discovered the situation: “I learned from the press that the State is threatening to close the Paul Bocuse halls. » The councilor points out a lack of dialogue with the prefect of Rhône, Fabienne Buccio: “The State's lack of desire for exchange with the city of Lyon must end. »
However, he assures - information taken from his services - that steps are underway to secure the gastronomic halls: "As of June 2023 (date on which a negative opinion was issued), the city of Lyon has commissioned a control office to establish a precise diagnosis,” explains the mayor, ensuring that he has done everything possible to find a solution. “Our teams immediately took the necessary steps to be able to respond as quickly as possible to the safety commission’s findings. » Enough to convince the prefecture?