Coronavirus : the City of the gastronomy of Lyon will not reopen

This set is housed in the setting of the Grand Hôtel-Dieu, in the very centre of the French capital of gastronomy, had remained closed after the déconfinement.

Clap end for the International City of Gastronomy in Lyon. Inaugurated in October 2019 and dedicated to the culinary art, this cultural venue will close "permanently" its doors. The health crisis, the sars coronavirus would have given it the coup de grace, according to his direction.

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"in the Face of the uncertainty of the economic development and tourism, and despite all our efforts to save it, we have made the decision not to reopen the City and to permanently stop its operation", she says in a press release.

A place already strongly criticized

Already criticized for its entry price and its lack of content, this set is housed in the setting of the Grand Hôtel-Dieu, in the very centre of the French capital of gastronomy, had remained closed after the déconfinement.

Directed by Florent Bonnetain and operated by the Spanish group MagmaCultura, the City is facing difficulties précarisant its operation and making it particularly vulnerable to a sudden crisis and its repercussions". "Like too many other cultural actors, in France and in Europe, the City suffered from the heavy impacts caused by the crisis, the health of the coronavirus," emphasizes the operator.

No surprise

michelin-starred chef Régis Marcon, who has chaired the strategic orientation Committee of the institution before becoming here a year and sponsor of the Cité has entrusted to us "not be surprised" by the closure. "The start-up has not gone well, the design was failed. There was a lack of readability, the exposure was not in the popular meaning and the lack of guideline, even if there were things successful like the space children," he said.

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"there was not enough kitchen, not enough experience and communication with the public, he added, regretting that "the area (either) become a little pretentious and fuzzy". Scope by the city and the metropolis, with 2 million euros each, and by sponsorship to the tune of $ 10.5 million, the City of gastronomy back to the new Halles de Lyon hoped to receive 300,000 visitors per year.

Just 150 000 tickets for the opening

"It has only 150 000 entries since the opening, including many non-paying school children and students, we can't survive like that," commented the chief Marcon. The entrance to this place, built on four levels on a total surface of 4000 m2 cost 12 euros and it had to pay double to participate in the wine tastings offered by the leaders.

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"We are confident that a bright future is designed for spaces that we leave and that new beautiful intentions profileront to make this City a must-see place of the gastronomic heritage in Lyon, France and around the world", hope the operator. Régis Marcon is also said to be "optimistic" for the future of the place.

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"The conditions are met to ensure a renewal without having to invest astronomical amounts of money. With the new leadership to the city council and the city, one can revive the City, with their vision. There really is something to do in this unique place, particularly on the subject of diet and health".