Lyon
Lyon is a city in eastern France known for bouchon meals, traboules and Roman ruins on Fourvière hill.
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Lyon is a city in eastern France where the Rhône and Saône rivers meet, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. It is the third-largest city in France by municipal population, about 391 km southeast of Paris and 113 km southwest of Geneva. Visitors come for bouchons, traditional restaurants serving sausage, duck pâté and local wine. Vieux Lyon, the old town, has Renaissance mansions and traboules, narrow passages that run through buildings. Roman Lugdunum was founded on Fourvière hill, and its remains are visible on the hillside near the basilica.
Old Lyon, Fourvière, the Presqu'île and the Croix-Rousse slopes are UNESCO World Heritage sites, designated in 1998. Museums cover Gallo-Roman finds, fine arts and textiles, and Parc de la Tête d'Or, at 117 hectares, is the largest urban park in France. Lyon is also on the TGV line from Paris, and it sits about 278 km north of Marseille. Summer days can be very hot: the city recorded 41.4 °C on 24 August 2023, so spring and early autumn suit hill walks best. Plan two days for the old town and Fourvière, and a third for the museums and park.
Lyon in five
- Take the Rhônexpress tram from the airportSaint-Exupéry airport has a direct Rhônexpress tram to Part-Dieu station in under 30 minutes, with fares from 9.90 euros on the airport's site. Part-Dieu connects to the metro.Where to stay in Lyon
- Book a bouchon table for lunchTraditional bouchons in the Presqu'île and Vieux Lyon serve set menus of local dishes and fill at midday. Reserve a day ahead, especially at weekends, and ask for the menu du jour.Lyon in 2 days
- Ride the funicular to FourvièreFuniculars climb from Vieux Lyon to the basilica and the Roman theaters in a few minutes, and use ordinary city transit tickets. Walk down through the gardens for the view over the rooftops.
- Learn the traboules, but be quietThe covered passages through old buildings link streets in Vieux Lyon and the Croix-Rousse. Many are private residential halls, so open only doors that are clearly signed or marked for visitors.
- Compare Lyon with Marseille before you fix a routeLyon is a food and old-town stop; Marseille is a port and sea city. If you have time for only one between Paris and the south, this page settles it.Lyon or Marseille
Things to do in Lyon
See all attractions in Lyon
Need to know
- Airport
- Lyon-Saint-Exupéry (LYS); Rhônexpress tram to Part-Dieu in under 30 min
- Getting there
- TGV from Paris Gare de Lyon about 2 hrs; Marseille about 1.5–2 hrs
- Getting around
- Metro, trams, funiculars and a walkable center
- Best base
- Presqu'île for a first stay; Croix-Rousse for a local feel
- Time needed
- 2 days; 3 with the Beaujolais or Vienne
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Festival
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryRain13 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh7°Low1°Cold, dampJanuaryRain
Poor
- High
- 7°
- Low
- 1°
- Precipitation
- 66 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, damp
- FebruaryPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh10°Low2°Cold, mild daysFebruaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 46 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, mild days
- MarchPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh13°Low4°Mild, freshMarchPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 13°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 77 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, fresh
- AprilPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh17°Low7°Spring, terracesAprilPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 69 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring, terraces
- MayRain13 rainy daysHigh20°Low10°Warm, long daysMayRain
Good
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 104 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, long days
- JuneClear11 rainy daysHigh26°Low15°Hot, terracesJuneClear
Best
- High
- 26°
- Low
- 15°
- Precipitation
- 93 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, terraces
- JulyClear9 rainy daysHigh28°Low17°Hot, quiet centerJulyClear
Best
- High
- 28°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 72 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, quiet center
- AugustClear7 rainy daysHigh29°Low17°Hot, shops shutAugustClear
Best
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 70 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, shops shut
- SeptemberClear8 rainy daysHigh24°Low13°Warm, marketsSeptemberClear
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 78 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, markets
- OctoberPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh18°Low10°Cool, harvestOctoberPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 104 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, harvest
- NovemberRain12 rainy daysHigh11°Low5°Cold, dampNovemberRain
Poor
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 92 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, damp
- DecemberPartly cloudy12 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh8°Low2°Lights festivalDecemberPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 8°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 80 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Lights festival
Average daily high and low in Lyon, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Festivals: Jun Jazz à Vienne, Fourvière Nights · Jul Jazz à Vienne, Fourvière Nights · Dec Festival of Lights
Right now in Lyon
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
8
- Feels like
- 6°
- Humidity
- 67%
- Wind
- 12 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
Lyon
09:43 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today10°3°0%Monday: Cloudy. High 10°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Tue9°2°0%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Wed8°1°5%Wednesday: Rain. High 8°, Low 1°. Chance of rain 5%.
- Thu9°4°30%Thursday: Rain. High 9°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 30%.
- Fri8°6°43%Friday: Rain. High 8°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 43%.
- Sat12°5°12%Saturday: Fog. High 12°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 12%.
- Sun13°4°35%Sunday: Rain. High 13°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 35%.
Updated 07:06 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Coming up
Every year
- Jun–JulJazz à VienneLyon
- Jun–JulFourvière NightsLyon
- DecFestival of LightsLyon
Day trips by train
- Vienneabout 25–30 min by regional trainRoman temple and theater south of Lyon, with a Rhône riverside.Read the guide
- Annecyabout 2 hours by trainLake, canals and an old town. Long for a day, better with a night.Read the guide
- Beauneabout 1.5–2 hours by trainBurgundy wine capital, with the Hospices roof and wine cellars.Read the guide
- Pérougesabout 40–50 min by carA walled medieval village north-east of Lyon, quiet outside peak summer.
Before you go to Lyon
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Lyon FAQ
How many days do you need in Lyon?
Two days covers Vieux Lyon, the Presqu'île, Fourvière and a bouchon lunch. Add a third for the Croix-Rousse, a museum or Vienne. A single day works as a stop between Paris and the south.
Is Lyon worth visiting?
Yes, especially for food. It has a UNESCO-listed old town, Roman theaters and big museums without the queues of Paris. It is a city for eating and walking more than for a checklist of monuments.
Where should I stay in Lyon?
The Presqu'île for a first visit, Vieux Lyon for atmosphere and the Croix-Rousse for a local, cheaper base. Part-Dieu suits early trains. The stay guide compares the four with transit times.
What is a bouchon in Lyon?
A small traditional restaurant serving Lyonnais dishes such as offal, sausage and local salads, often at a fixed price. Some are tourist traps, so look for short menus, local diners and a recent review.
Is Lyon a good day trip from Paris?
It is possible, about 2 hours each way by TGV, but you would spend most of the day on trains. Stay a night if you want a bouchon dinner and a morning in Vieux Lyon.
When is the Lyon Festival of Lights?
In 2026 it runs from Saturday 5 to Tuesday 8 December, with light shows across the city in the evening. Hotels and trains fill, so book early and check the festival's official page for the program and access notices.