Best time to visit Lyon
Re-score for me — drag the dial — every chart on the page recolours live for your heat limit 27°C
Default 27 °C is the upper edge of the Holiday Climate Index "ideal comfort" band (Scott, Rutty, Amelung & Tang, 2016). Above this, most warm-tourism travellers report measurable discomfort.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
How is this scored? HCI / Steadman / CCI gate — full methodology and citations below.
Compare with another destination
Add as many as you like — stacked below the main strips above. Each row is just the recent-window score strip and (for beach destinations) sea-temperature strip.
Tours in Lyon
16 top-rated tours via Viator. Booking links earn this site a commission at no cost to you. Map locations are approximate (centred on Lyon).
- 1
Lyon Highlights & Secrets Walking Guided Tour (small group) including Funicular - 2
Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse Tasting and Lunch Food Tour - 3
Make French Pastries with Professional Chef in Private Atelier - 4
Market Tour, Cooking Class & Lunch with Chef in Lyon Studio - 5
Lyon Wine Tasting: Small-Groups with a Professional Sommelier - 6
2h - Electric Bike Tour of Lyon with a Local Guide - 7
Croix Rousse Market & Rooftop Cooking Class in Lyon - 8
3h - Electric Bike Tour of Lyon with a Local Guide - 9
Elegant 5-Course Rooftop Dinner with Panoramic Views of Lyon - 10
Architectural Lyon: Private Tour with a Local Expert - 11
Private Transfer from Port of LYON to Lyon Railway Stations - 12
Private Transfer: Port of LYON to Lyon Airport LYS in Luxury Van - 13
Lyon Old Town Food Tour with 6 French Delicacies & Fine Wine - 14
Lyon Small-Group Full Meal Food Tour by Do Eat Better - 15
Highlights and Hidden Gems of Lyon Guided Walking Tour (English) - 16
Vieux Lyon Cultural & Historical Walking Guided Tour (English)
Last refreshed 2026-05-27.
Similar climatesZagreb95% · Budapest94% · Venice93%
Other destinations with the most-alike year-round climate to Lyon (apparent temperature, rain hours, sunshine — matched within the same trip-profile). The ±N chip compares each match's typical score for the current month against Lyon's. Based on the 2020-2024 climatology, not this year's actual weather.
Month-by-month
| Month | Temp °C | Feels °C | Rain days | Rain h | Rain h/day | Humidity | Wind km/h | Sun h | UV | Interest | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1–7 | 3 | 11 | 121 | 11.0 | 80% | 18 | 111 | 1 | Quiet | 4 |
| Feb | 2–11 | 8 | 8 | 89 | 11.1 | 71% | 19 | 146 | 2 | Quiet | 6 |
| Mar | 4–14 | 11 | 10 | 107 | 10.7 | 61% | 19 | 209 | 3 | Quiet | 7 |
| Apr | 7–17 | 14 | 10 | 107 | 10.7 | 54% | 19 | 224 | 4 | Quiet | 7 |
| May | 11–21 | 19 | 12 | 146 | 12.2 | 57% | 18 | 249 | 5 | Quiet | 8 |
| Jun | 16–26 | 26 | 11 | 110 | 10.0 | 53% | 18 | 278 | 6 | Quiet | 9 |
| Jul | 17–28 | 28 | 8 | 78 | 9.8 | 49% | 16 | 300 | 7 | Quiet | 9 |
| Aug | 17–28 | 29 | 7 | 60 | 8.6 | 48% | 16 | 277 | 6 | Peak | 9 |
| Sep | 14–24 | 23 | 9 | 103 | 11.4 | 57% | 17 | 227 | 4 | Busy | 9 |
| Oct | 10–18 | 17 | 10 | 107 | 10.7 | 70% | 20 | 178 | 3 | Moderate | 7 |
| Nov | 5–11 | 9 | 10 | 105 | 10.5 | 79% | 17 | 128 | 1 | Peak | 5 |
| Dec | 2–8 | 4 | 14 | 152 | 10.9 | 84% | 18 | 101 | 1 | Moderate | 4 |
UV Index in Lyon by Month
UV index in Lyon peaks at 7 (high) in July, dropping to 1 (low) in January. June, July, August have high UV — SPF 30+ and sunglasses recommended.
Best months in detail
July
9/1017–28°C · 8 rain days (78h) · 300 sun hours · 49% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 7 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (very high)
August
9/1017–28°C · 7 rain days (60h) · 277 sun hours · 48% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 6 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (high)
September
9/1014–24°C · 9 rain days (103h) · 227 sun hours · 57% humidity · Busy crowd · UV 4 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 6 (high)
Every month
Show the other 9 months in detail
January
4/101–7°C (feels 3°C) · 11 rain days (121h) · 111 sun hours · 80% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 1 (low)
February
6/102–11°C (feels 8°C) · 8 rain days (89h) · 146 sun hours · 71% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 2 (low)
March
7/104–14°C (feels 11°C) · 10 rain days (107h) · 209 sun hours · 61% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 3 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 4 (moderate)
April
7/107–17°C (feels 14°C) · 10 rain days (107h) · 224 sun hours · 54% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 4 (moderate)
May
8/1011–21°C (feels 19°C) · 12 rain days (146h) · 249 sun hours · 57% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 5 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 7 (high)
June
9/1016–26°C · 11 rain days (110h) · 278 sun hours · 53% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 6 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (very high)
October
7/1010–18°C (feels 17°C) · 10 rain days (107h) · 178 sun hours · 70% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 3 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 4 (moderate)
November
5/105–11°C (feels 9°C) · 10 rain days (105h) · 128 sun hours · 79% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 1 (low)
December
4/102–8°C (feels 4°C) · 14 rain days (152h) · 101 sun hours · 84% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 1 (low)
Frequently asked questions about visiting Lyon
When is the best time to visit Lyon?
July is the highest-scoring month (9/10 on the Holiday Climate Index). Typical conditions: 17–28°C (8 rainy days). The top three months by score are July, August, September.
What is the worst time to visit Lyon?
December is the lowest-scoring month (4/10). Typical conditions: 2–8°C (14 rainy days).
When are crowds lowest in Lyon?
Search-interest seasonality (Google Trends 2021-2025) is lowest in January and peaks in November. Interest tracks both in-trip visitors and lead-time planners, so treat it as a "destination is on people's minds" signal rather than literal arrivals.
Which months in Lyon have good weather but fewer tourists?
June (climate 9/10, crowd index 9) and July (climate 9/10, crowd index 19) — shoulder months with above-average climate and below-median search-interest. Often the best value-for-weather trade.
What is the UV index in Lyon by month?
UV peaks at 7 (high) in July and is lowest in January at 1 (low). Monthly peak values: Jan 1, Feb 2, Mar 3, Apr 4, May 5, Jun 6, Jul 7, Aug 6, Sep 4, Oct 3, Nov 1, Dec 1.
What is the UV index in Lyon in July?
July is the peak UV month in Lyon, with a daily-peak UV index of 7 (high). Apply SPF 30+, wear sunglasses, and seek shade during midday hours.
How high can UV get in Lyon on the sunniest days?
Most days look like the monthly average, but on the sunniest ~1 in 10 days UV climbs higher than the mean suggests. June is the worst case: typical days average UV 6 (high), but the top 10% of days reach UV 8 (very high) — and even higher. Months where the sunniest days routinely exceed the typical reading: March, May, June, July, August, September, October. Plan sun protection for the worst case, not the average.
Is air quality in Lyon bad for travelers?
PM2.5 (fine-particle pollution) exceeds the WHO sensitive-group guideline (15 µg/m³) in 6 months: January, February, March, October, November, December. The worst month is December with a typical-day mean of 17 µg/m³ (unhealthy for sensitive); on the worst 10% of days PM2.5 reaches 29 µg/m³ (unhealthy) and higher. People with asthma, heart conditions, or sensitive children may want to avoid these months or limit outdoor activity. Source: CAMS via Open-Meteo.