Lyon in December: What to Expect

Lyon in December has a specific ace in its hand: the Fete des Lumieres, one of Europe's great free events, happens on 8 December (or the nearest weekend). Around this date the city fills with extraordinary light installations across every major square, church facade, and public space, and it draws over two million visitors over four nights. If you're in Lyon for the Fete des Lumieres, it's spectacular. If you're trying to visit Lyon on those same dates without knowing about it, you'll find the city at full capacity with hotel prices to match.

Weather

Cold and often damp. Lyon in December averages 3°C to 7°C, with grey skies and periodic rain the norm. The Fete des Lumieres happens outdoors and in cold conditions; visitors line up for hours in winter temperatures. Come prepared for proper cold. Outside the Fete period, December in Lyon is pleasant for walking the traboules in Vieux-Lyon and eating extremely well, which is the other main reason to be there.

Crowds and Prices

The month splits around the Fete. The four nights of the festival turn Lyon into one of France's most visited places, with hotel prices at their annual peak and the main installations requiring patience to view. The queues for the most popular projections on the Cathedral of Saint-Jean and at Place Bellecour are genuinely long. Before and after the Fete, Lyon returns to being a manageable and reasonably priced French city. Early December (before the Fete) and the second half of December are both calm and good value.

What's On

The Fete des Lumieres is the centrepiece. Free and open to all, it turns the city into an open-air light art museum for four nights. The bouchons, Lyon's traditional bistros, are at full strength through December, making it one of the best cities in France for eating well in winter. The Christmas market at Place Carnot runs through most of December. Vieux-Lyon is atmospheric in winter light, and the Fourviere Basilica at night, overlooking the city, is one of the better urban views in France.

One Thing to Watch

Accommodation during the Fete des Lumieres books out months in advance. If you want to see the festival, plan and book early. Arriving in Lyon around 7-8 December without confirmed accommodation is a serious mistake: prices will be extreme and availability will be essentially zero in the city centre.