Best Time to Visit Lyon

Spring and early summer: Lyon at its easiest

March is still cool, but April and May bring highs of 17°C and 20°C. That's good weather for walking up Fourvière hill and along the Saône and Rhône rivers. Cafés in Place des Terreaux spill onto the pavement. Be ready for showers, though. May is actually the wettest month here, with 91 mm on 13 days, and June has rain on 13 days too. The rain usually comes in bursts, so it won't ruin a day.

June is a good pick if you like long evenings. Highs reach 24°C and the sun shines about seven hours a day. Look out for the Fête de la Musique on 21 June, when musicians play on street corners all over the city.

July to September: warm, sunny and quieter than you'd think

July and August are the hottest months, both with highs of 27°C. They're also the sunniest. Afternoons can feel warm in the narrow streets of Vieux Lyon, so do your sightseeing in the morning. Then cool off with a long lunch or a stroll on the shaded banks of the Rhône.

Many Lyonnais leave in August, and some small restaurants close for a week or two. The city feels calmer, but don't assume your favourite bouchon (a traditional Lyon bistro) will be open. September is lovely. It's still warm at 23°C, and the rain is on only nine days. If you want food, this is a great time to go.

Autumn and winter: cosy, grey and good for eating

October is still rated Excellent. Highs of 18°C suit museum days, markets and the Croix-Rousse hill, with its old silk-workers' passages called traboules. By November it's damp and dark, with only about two and a half hours of sun a day.

Winter is the low season. January and December are the coldest and greyest months, with humidity around 91%. That's the time for hearty dishes like quenelles (fluffy fish dumplings) and cervelle de canut, a herbed cheese spread. Then comes the best event of the year. The Fête des Lumières runs around 8 December, when people put candles in windows and light shows cover the city. It's busy, so expect crowds near Place Bellecour and a lot of hotels filling up. Wrap up warm for the evenings.