The third largest city in France and certainly not the cheapest to visit, Lyon is gaining in popularity among travelers who want to see a more realistic view of France than they can get in central Paris. There’s plenty to keep you busy for two or three days, and many good options for backpackers and budget travelers on longer trips.
| Population | 500,000 |
| Area | 2,300,000 |
| Timezone | UTC+1 |
| Currency | Euro |
Hotels in Lyon are cheapest from February through May and from September through November. The city has some large festivals in December and January so those months are unusually expensive. Summer is the other high season from June through August.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 38.95 - 72.63 |
| 49.47 - 101.05 |
| 61.05 - 173.68 |
| 75.79 - 277.89 |
| 195.79 - 414.74 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 24.21 - 33.68 |
| Location | Description | Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Musee de la Miniature et du Cinéma | A very interesting museum where you'll see the original Harry Potter's wand and real stage settings from movies | Adults Ages 4 - 15 | 9.47 6.32 |
| Musee des Confluences | The access to the rooftop is free and the building by itself is interesting. The exhibit is about anthropology | Adults Under 18 | 9.47 0.00 |
| Musee des Beaux Arts | One of the most important fine art museums after Le louvre in Paris. Built in an ancient convent, free access to the old cloister and the teracces | Adults Under 18 | 8.42 0.00 |
The prices of food and drinks are similar to Paris, but fortunately most of the attractions are free. Hotels and hostels in Lyon are typically cheaper than in Paris, although not by much. Beer drinkers will want to seek out pubs with happy hours, but good local Beaujolais and Côte du rhône are everywhere and prices start quite a bit cheaper than beer.
| Food Type | Description | Price(USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Budget breakfast | Most of the time breakfast is included in hotel and hostel but if not, there are many coffee shop in the city center with nice menus | 5.26 - 9.47 |
| Budget lunch | Many restaurants offer a “Formule du midi” for lunch during the week. Avoid the old district. It’s either expensive or very poor quality | 9.47 - 13.68 |
| Budget dinner | At night there is no “Formule du midi” so it’s a bit more expensive | 13.68 - 18.95 |
| Beer (.33l bottle) | Beer is the same price as Paris. If you can go to pubs with happy hours between 6pm and 8pm for cheaper pints | 5.26 - 8.42 |
| House wine (.5l jug) | You’ll find mostly cote du Rhone and Beaujolais from very cheap to very expensive in wine bars and restaurants, but the cheapest bottle you’ll find will be in supermarket | 3.16 - 12.63 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Taxi from airport to city center | 50.53 - 58.95 |
| Airport express shuttle to train station part dieu | 15.79 |
| 3km taxi ride in Nice | 8.42 |
| Bus/metro tramway ride in Lyon | 2.11 |
| 10 rides bus pass in Lyon | 16.84 |
| Month | High F | Low F | Precip (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44 | 33 | 1.9 |
| February | 47 | 34 | 1.7 |
| March | 55 | 39 | 2.0 |
| April | 61 | 44 | 2.9 |
| May | 69 | 51 | 3.6 |
| June | 76 | 57 | 3.0 |
| July | 82 | 62 | 2.5 |
| August | 81 | 61 | 2.4 |
| September | 73 | 55 | 3.4 |
| October | 63 | 49 | 3.9 |
| November | 51 | 40 | 3.2 |
| December | 45 | 35 | 2.2 |
As you’d expect, Lyon has warm summers and reasonably mild winters that rarely spend much time below freezing or see much snow. Summer is the most pleasant season so it’s the best time to visit, while spring can also be lovely because it gets less rain than autumn.
| 21 Mar | 6:42am | 6:54pm |
| 21 Jun | 5:50am | 9:34pm |
| 21 Sep | 7:26am | 7:40pm |
| 21 Dec | 8:18am | 4:58pm |