Jane Fonda Is Going on an Anthony Bourdain-inspired Food Tour in France

Siobhan Reid
Updated

La Sélection Officielle

"This month, I’m going to Lyon, France, to receive a lifetime achievement award at the 10th Lumière Festival, one of the largest international festivals of classic cinema. It was in Lyon that Auguste and Louis Lumière invented the cinematograph, so it’s a special place for people who love and work in film."

Lyon à La Bourdain

Sea bass in a puff pastry shell, one of the signature dishes at Paul Bocuse, the chef’s namesake Lyon restaurant.
Sea bass in a puff pastry shell, one of the signature dishes at Paul Bocuse, the chef’s namesake Lyon restaurant.

"I first visited Lyon in my twenties, with my first husband, Roger Vadim, a Frenchman, but back then, I wasn’t eating, so I didn’t appreciate the city’s food scene. This time, I’m going to dine at the very best restaurants, like Maison Troisgros (tasting menu $513) and Paul Bocuse (entrées $80–$103) — the same ones Anthony Bourdain ate at in Parts Unknown. It was actually Bourdain — may he rest in peace — who taught me about Lyon’s history as the birthplace of French cuisine."

French Connection

"When I’m in France, I like to sit outside at the cafés and go to the museums. I’m traveling with a close girlfriend — the woman Roger married after me — so I’m sure we’ll have lots of fun. As for what I’m packing, I’m all about chic, wrinkle-proof clothing. I’ve traveled so much in my lifetime that I’m now a pro."

An American in Paris

From left: Paris’s Musée Rodin; the sumptuous Imperial Suite at the Ritz Paris.
From left: Paris’s Musée Rodin; the sumptuous Imperial Suite at the Ritz Paris.

"After Lyon, I’m going to Paris, where I’m hoping to visit the Musée Rodin and stay at Le Bristol (doubles from $1,129) or the Ritz Paris (doubles from $1,140). I’m also hoping to track down this one vegetarian restaurant on the Left Bank whose name I can’t remember. I had one of the greatest meals of my life there, so I’m planning on retracing my steps and discovering it again."

The promenade along the Saône River in Lyon, a scenic place for a stroll.
The promenade along the Saône River in Lyon, a scenic place for a stroll.