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Vieux Lyon, Lyon
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LyonTravel Guide

France4 stories

France's gastronomic capital sits at the meeting of the Rhone and Saone rivers, layering Roman ruins, Renaissance passageways, silk-weaving history and legendary bouchon cooking.

Is Lyon right for you?

When to come

Spring and early autumn

Around 26°C by day in July, 6°C in January — recorded at the local weather station.

What it costs

Mid-range. Comfortable without planning around money, expensive if you stop counting.

What we've planned, and who for

No hour-by-hour route here yet — the guides below cover it by subject instead.

Our editors pick it for a trip with children.

Lyon is inGood with childrenDeepest in Europe
When to go
January: around 6 degrees by day, 0 at night, 54 millimetres of rain, some rain.
February: around 8 degrees by day, 1 at night, 54 millimetres of rain, some rain.
March: around 12 degrees by day, 3 at night, 72 millimetres of rain, some rain.
April: around 15 degrees by day, 5 at night, 56 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
May: around 19 degrees by day, 9 at night, 73 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
June: around 23 degrees by day, 13 at night, 73 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
July: around 26 degrees by day, 15 at night, 55 millimetres of rain, some rain.
August: around 26 degrees by day, 14 at night, 72 millimetres of rain, some rain.
September: around 22 degrees by day, 12 at night, 53 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
October: around 17 degrees by day, 8 at night, 56 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
November: around 10 degrees by day, 4 at night, 68 millimetres of rain, some rain.
December: around 6 degrees by day, 1 at night, 56 millimetres of rain, some rain.
Cold to hot, by dayDry to wetWhen we would go

Spring and early autumn

Average daily highs, recorded at Lyon-Bron Airport (LYN), elevation 201 m, 1961-1990 normals.

Where this comes from

NOAA (via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon) — Wikipedia's Lyon box uses the 1961-1990 normals period rather than 1991-2020.

Budget level

Mid-range

Typical cost profile for visitors

Combine it with
  • Geneva, Switzerland110 km

    an easy day trip · both good in May, June, September · a different price level (luxury)

  • Zermatt, Switzerland230 km

    a short hop — comfortable overland · a different price level (luxury)

  • Turin, Italy240 km

    a short hop — comfortable overland · both good in April, May, June

  • Marseille280 km

    a short hop — comfortable overland · both good in May, June, September · a different price level (mixed)

Plan itWhere to stay in Lyonad · Booking.comTours and tickets
On the map

Finding Lyon

Open in Google Maps Larger map
The stories

Reading Lyon

The tiered marble fountain of Place des Jacobins surrounded by elegant nineteenth-century facades in Lyon's Presqu'ile
01
Stays

Boutique or Grand: Where to Stay in Lyon

A Renaissance courtyard in the old town, a convent on the hill or a landmark hospital reborn on the river — Lyon's beds, neighbourhood by neighbourhood.

France · 2 min
View over Lyon's rooftops and the Part-Dieu skyline from the Fourviere esplanade
02
The List

Lyon, Ranked: 8 Experiences You Should Not Miss

From secret Renaissance passageways to the temple of French gastronomy — the essential Lyon experiences, in order of urgency.

France · 2 min
The spire of Eglise Saint-Georges on the Saone riverfront in Vieux Lyon, with the Passerelle Saint-Georges footbridge crossing the river
03
The List

The Essential Lyon Bucket List for Food Lovers, Ranked

France's gastronomic capital measured plate by plate: the bouchons, the great covered market, the pink praline and the market hill, in the order they deserve.

France · 2 min
The rearing horses of the Bartholdi Fountain on Place des Terreaux in Lyon, with the ornate Hotel de Ville behind
04
Itineraries

Lyon With Kids: A Family Day That Actually Works

One well-ordered day in Lyon with children: the funicular up Fourvière, Roman theatres you are allowed to climb, a traboule hunt, a bouchon that actually wants you there, and a free park big enough to lose the whole afternoon in.

France · 13 min
In pictures

Lyon, framed

The white towers of the Fourviere basilica and the iron Fourviere tower rising above an autumn-coloured hillside in Lyon, with a row of ochre and pink apartment facades and red roofs along the foot of the slope
Photo: vegonaise / Unsplash
Part-Dieu, Lyon
Photo: Dmitrii E. / Unsplash
Part-Dieu, Lyon
Photo: Madalina Zamfira / Unsplash
Vieux Lyon, Lyon
Photo: Andréa Villiers / Unsplash
Our picks

What we'd do in Lyon

See and do

Where to stay

Before you go

Practical essentials for France

Money

Euro (EUR)

Language

French; English is spoken in tourist settings in Paris, Nice and the larger cities.

Power

Type C/E, 230V 50Hz

Getting around

SNCF's TGV connects the cities, and each has its own local network — in Paris that is the Navigo Easy card and the Ile-de-France Mobilites app for metro, RER and bus.

Tipping

Service is included by law, so tipping is optional - round up or leave a couple of euros for good service.

Tap water

Tap water is safe to drink.

Driving

Right-hand side; an EU licence is enough, and other visitors should carry an International Driving Permit with their national licence.

Emergency

112; also 15 ambulance, 17 police, 18 fire

Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.

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