Lyon in November: What to Expect

Lyon in November is cold, grey, and quietly excellent. This is a city that takes food more seriously than almost anywhere else in France, and the cooler months are when the bouchons (Lyon's traditional restaurants) serve the hearty, rich cuisine they were built for.## Weather

Temperatures range from 4°C to 10°C through November, with frequent cloud cover and some rain. The Rhone and Saone rivers give the city a damp, misty quality on autumn mornings. Fog occasionally sits in the river valleys. It's firmly winter conditions, but the Vieux Lyon traboules (covered passageways) and the indoor food markets provide excellent shelter.

Crowds and Prices

Low season. Hotels in Presqu'ile and the Vieux Lyon neighbourhood drop to off-season prices that represent excellent value for a city of Lyon's quality. The Musee des Confluences and the Institut Lumiere are quiet and well worth visiting at a leisurely pace.

What's On

The Beaujolais Nouveau release on the third Thursday of November is a Lyon event in a way it is nowhere else. The city that sits at the gateway to Beaujolais country celebrates with bars and bouchons offering the year's new wine from midnight onwards. It's genuinely fun if your dates align.

The Fete des Lumieres (Festival of Lights) takes place in early December, but tickets and accommodation book out months in advance. If you're planning a December trip, November is when you need to have already sorted accommodation.

One Thing to Watch

The Fete des Lumieres in early December is one of France's most spectacular festivals, and it fills Lyon to capacity. If you're visiting Lyon in late November and considering extending into early December, accommodation books out extremely early. Plan accordingly or accept that you'll be watching from a distance.