When to go · Lyon, France
Best time to visit Lyon
The sweet spot is August, September and June — averages 22°C, 7 rainy days, moderate crowds.
May–June and September–October for terrace weather; early December for the Fête des Lumières (book months ahead). August is hot, and many bouchons close for the holidays.
Semi-continental: warm, often stormy summers (daily means 22–23°C, highs near 30°C) and cold, grey winters (4–5°C). Rain falls in every month, most in May and October.
The short answer
22°C · 7 rainy days · mid season
18°C · 7 rainy days · mid season
20°C · 9 rainy days · high season
Hardest months: January and December. averages a raw 4°C, 8 rainy days, few other visitors.
Month by month
| Month | Avg temp | Rain days | Crowds | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 4°C | 8d | low | Cold |
| February | 5°C | 8d | low | Cold |
| March | 9°C | 8d | low | Chilly |
| April | 12°C | 9d | mid | Chilly |
| May | 16°C | 10d | mid | Comfortable but damp |
| June | 20°C | 9d | high | Comfortable but damp |
| July | 23°C | 8d | high | Comfortable but damp |
| August | 22°C | 7d | mid | Comfortable |
| September | 18°C | 7d | mid | Comfortable |
| October | 14°C | 10d | mid | Mild |
| November | 8°C | 9d | low | Chilly |
| December | 5°C | 9d | high | Cold |
Verdicts are read off the three columns to their left — temperature distance from 21°C first, then rainfall, with crowds breaking ties. Averages, so any given week can differ.
If you'd rather go cheap than perfect
January, February, March and November are low season in Lyon — thinner crowds, and the months where accommodation is easiest to book late. Budget travellers already work to about $45–80 a day here; low season is where the accommodation share of that goes furthest.
Book the month you picked
Fares move with the same seasons as the crowds — the quiet months above are usually the cheap ones to fly.