The Food Capitals cities of Montreal and Lyon took part in the Entretiens Jacques Cartier 2025, organised by the Centre Jacques Cartier in Lyon from October 6 to October 8. Together, they contributed to the roundtable “Saveurs et Tourisme: un dialogue gourmand.”
Created in 1987 in Lyon, the Entretiens Jacques Cartier were designed to foster dialogue between the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and Quebec across scientific, academic, cultural, economic, and political fields. Today, the event has become a key annual meeting point for Francophone experts, offering a rich programme of roundtables, conferences, masterclasses, and workshops.
This year’s edition brought together leading representatives from Food Capitals Lyon and Montreal. In partnership with Tourisme Montréal and the Métropole de Lyon, the roundtable “Saveurs et Tourisme: un dialogue gourmand” took place on the opening day at Lyon’s Cité de la Gastronomie. Moderated by Manuela Goya, among them were Gautier Chapuis, Deputy Mayor of Lyon, as well as representatives from Manuela Goya, Vice President of Public and Government Affairs. The session explored the evolving relationship between gastronomy and tourism, highlighting both heritage and innovation.
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Participants engaged in the roundtable discussion "The History, Heritage, and New Challenges of Culinary Tourism". Contributions from Hélène Duvivier, Vice-President of the Lyon Metropolitan Area in charge of Tourism and International Relations, and Robert Revat, President of ONLYLYON Tourism and Conventions, provided valuable institutional perspectives.
These insights were complemented by the experiences of renowned chefs, including Nicolas Guilloton (L’Atelier des Augustins, Michelin-starred, Lyon) and Matisse Deslauriers (Le Casavant, Bib Gourmand, Montreal), who shared their visions of gastronomy as both a craft and a driver of destination attractiveness.
The session concluded with a meaningful discussion on social responsibility, featuring Geneviève Massé and Diane Dupré la Tour, highlighting the role of food initiatives in fostering inclusion and community engagement.
Tourism Montréal’s visit to Lyon also included a meeting with fellow Executive Committee members of the network, Gautier Chapuis, Deputy Mayor of Lyon, to continue exploring peer-to-peer exchange and international collaborations. These encounters reflect the network’s mission: connecting cities through food to inspire new ideas, partnerships, and sustainable development pathways.
