It's 2022 at 9 am, the city is waking up. The streets still bear the scars of the long night that shook the city. The crowd ended up deserting the public places and in this freezing cold December, the silence that reigns around is almost deafening next to the echo of empty bottles being swept up. In front of Grimpeurs Cyclist House, in the heart of the old town, a small group is bustling about, a dozen cyclists unstoppable by last night’s partying or an icy winter morning. They’re ready to do battle on two wheels – a 70-kilometre tour through the mountains of Lyon. The leader of this small peloton is ex-pro road racer Jérôme Cousin, he’s just the man for this chilly job.

After dipping a slice of cake in black coffee at the counter of the store, we tear ourselves away from the ambient heat to join the horde outside. This is undoubtedly the opportunity to ride with a pro who has pushed these fellows outside on such a bitter cold day. It is certainly for the same reason that the small peloton leaves the city at a steady pace, a pace that it will maintain all morning. The original itinerary will, however, be modified. With the thermometer reading -5°C, the small road that the group must take on the Monts du Lyonnais is totally frozen. To venture there would be to run the risk of finding oneself collectively on the deck. The group is unanimous, no one wants to spend Christmas with a leg in plaster or an arm in a sling. The outing will continue along the plains around Lyon.

A credo of excellence: highlighting traditional French cuisine using high quality local ingredients. The interior of the restaurant, decorated with original paintings, wood panelling and works of art, creates a luxurious atmosphere on a par with the cuisine on offer. The cyclists will perhaps come back to eat and revel here another time, the hour is already well advanced, and the successive punctures of one of theirs has caused the average tempo to drop and cool the organisms of every riding body.