January in Lyon — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 5.4/10At 3°C (38°F) this is proper winter weather in January: layer up and split the day between outdoor highlights and indoor stops.
Budget for roughly 63 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 13 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 9.1 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 5.4/10 on the same scale — 11th of 12 months, versus 9.3/10 for the best month here.
Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a packable rain layer.
If your dates are flexible, August is materially better in Lyon — 3.9 points higher on the same scale.
February in Lyon — middling scores, decent value
Trade-offs · 6.9/10Expect 6°C (43°F) in February. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
Budget for roughly 46 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 18 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 10.4 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 6.9/10 on the same scale — 9th of 12 months, versus 9.3/10 for the best month here.
Budget for mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
If your dates are flexible, August is materially better in Lyon — 2.4 points higher on the same scale.
March in Lyon — reliably good (7th best month)
Good · 7.4/10March averages 9°C (47°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Rainfall runs 77 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 26 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 11.9 hours of daylight.
It scores 7.4/10 here, 7th of 12 months, against 9.3/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
Flexible dates? August scores 1.9 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
April in Lyon: strong conditions, 4th of 12
Good · 8.3/10Expect 11°C (52°F) in April. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
Budget for roughly 68 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 24 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 13.6 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 8.3/10 on the same scale — 4th of 12 months, versus 9.3/10 for the best month here.
Budget for mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
May in Lyon — reliably good (3rd best month)
Good · 8.4/10May averages 16°C (60°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
Rainfall runs 98 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 26 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 14.9 hours of daylight.
It scores 8.4/10 here, 3rd of 12 months, against 9.3/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.
June holds up well in Lyon — 5th best month
Good · 8.3/10At 21°C (71°F) this is comfortable city weather in June, with sightseeing easiest before lunch and after the afternoon peak.
109 mm of rain makes this a wet month here, though with about 28 days with 6+ hours of sunshine there is still bright weather between the fronts.
That is 8.3/10 on the same scale — 5th of 12 months, versus 9.3/10 for the best month here.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
July in Lyon — one of the year's strongest windows (2nd)
Best window · 8.7/10At 22°C (72°F) this is comfortable city weather in July, with sightseeing easiest before lunch and after the afternoon peak.
Budget for roughly 82 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 30 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 15.3 hours of daylight to work around it.
On our climate-comfort scale this is one of the strongest months of the year for Lyon at 8.7/10 (2nd of 12), just behind August at 9.3/10.
Budget for peak pricing, and this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a packable rain layer.
August: the best month of the year in Lyon
Best window · 9.3/10August averages 23°C (73°F) — pleasant for mornings and evenings on foot in the city, with a midday break when the sun is strongest.
Rainfall runs 51 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 29 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 14.1 hours of daylight.
On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Lyon at 9.3/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.
Figure on peak pricing, with this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a packable rain layer.
September in Lyon — reliably good (6th best month)
Good · 8.1/10September averages 18°C (64°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
Monthly rainfall reaches 102 mm — wet for this destination — but about 26 days with 6+ hours of sunshine still break through, so keep one indoor fallback in the plan.
It scores 8.1/10 here, 6th of 12 months, against 9.3/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
October holds up well in Lyon — 8th best month
Good · 7.3/10Temperatures hover around 14°C (57°F) — the kind of month where neither heat nor cold forces the schedule.
112 mm of rain makes this a wet month here, though with about 24 days with 6+ hours of sunshine there is still bright weather between the fronts.
That is 7.3/10 on the same scale — 8th of 12 months, versus 9.3/10 for the best month here.
Budget for mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, August is materially better in Lyon — 2 points higher on the same scale.
November in Lyon: mixed conditions, plan around the weather
Trade-offs · 5.9/10Expect 8°C (46°F) in November. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
Budget for roughly 85 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 16 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 9.5 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 5.9/10 on the same scale — 10th of 12 months, versus 9.3/10 for the best month here.
Budget for low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
If your dates are flexible, August is materially better in Lyon — 3.4 points higher on the same scale.
December in Lyon — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 5/10December averages 5°C (40°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Rainfall runs 85 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 14 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 8.7 hours of daylight.
It scores 5/10 here, 12th of 12 months, against 9.3/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
Flexible dates? August scores 4.3 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
