Season guide · Lyon · France
Lyon in autumn
September–November: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Matt Neale from UK, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Warm September, harvest season in the Beaujolais, the Festival Lumière and Beaujolais Nouveau in November. Expect highs up to 23°C (73°F) and lows around 4°C (39°F), with about 25 rainy days across September–November. September–October are among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- September–November
- Temperatures
- 4°C (39°F) to 23°C (73°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 25
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in autumn
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | 23°C (73°F) | 13°C (55°F) | 7 | 12.5 h | 4/5 |
| October | 18°C (64°F) | 9°C (48°F) | 9 | 10.8 h | 3/5 |
| November | 11°C (52°F) | 4°C (39°F) | 9 | 9.4 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 17°C (63°F) against a yearly 17°C (63°F), and 25 of the year's roughly 98 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 3/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in autumn
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- September: European Heritage Days — free entry to normally closed buildings (usually third weekend)
- September: Lyon Biennale of contemporary art or dance (alternate years, usually from September)
- October: Festival Lumière — classic film festival (usually mid-October)
- November: Beaujolais Nouveau release (third Thursday of November)
- November: Christmas market on Place Carnot (usually late November)
Good choices for autumn
Museum · Monplaisir
Institut Lumière
The Lumière family's Art Nouveau villa houses a museum of the Cinématographe and early cinema, next to the factory where Louis and Auguste Lumière filmed workers leaving in 1895, one of the first films ever shown.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Art
Museum · Vieux Lyon
Musée Miniature et Cinéma
A good choice for a rainy afternoon in Vieux Lyon with children.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Art
Museum · Vieux Lyon
Gadagne museums
The largest Renaissance building in Vieux Lyon houses two museums: one on the history of Lyon and one on puppetry, including Guignol, the puppet character created in Lyon in the early 19th century.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
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Museum · 7th arrondissement
Centre for the History of the Resistance and Deportation
Allow time for the recorded testimonies, which bring the exhibition to life.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
Religious site · Vieux Lyon
Saint-Jean Cathedral
Lyon's cathedral, built between the 12th and 15th centuries, mixes Romanesque and Gothic styles and has medieval stained glass.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Day trips in autumn
- Beaujolais villages (About 45 minutes by car) — Rolling vineyards dotted with golden-stone villages such as Oingt, plus wine cellars where you can taste the Beaujolais crus.
- Annecy (About 2 hours by train) — An Alpine lakeside town with canals running through its old town, the Palais de l'Isle prison on an island and swimming and boating on clear Lake Annecy.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is autumn a good time to visit Lyon?
Yes: September–October are among the best months. Warm September, harvest season in the Beaujolais, the Festival Lumière and Beaujolais Nouveau in November.
+What is the weather like in Lyon in autumn?
Highs of up to 23°C (73°F) and lows around 4°C (39°F), with about 25 rainy days over the season.