My wife & I are considering visiting Lyon to experience the wine, food, and historical sites for a few weeks in January 2026. I see the average high is 44ºF and the average low is 33ºF and we’re ok with cold weather but still wonder if visiting in January is a good idea. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
TIA
Lyon can be cold in January, but its attractions are year-round, so January is not a bad time to go if that's when you're in France.
I've been in France a couple times in January. The average Minnesotan wouldn't consider those cold temps, but we are a tough folk.
When we were in Paris, it was 40 degrees F, and sunny. It was great for us.
IMHO, the bigger the city, the better it can be handled in less than ideal weather. Lyon is a largish city. I'd go. They have a large population so I would think most places, other than outdoor venues would be open.
In addition to sticking to larger cities for winter travel, you can think about going to a place for "true winter". A place that doesn't have transitional weather, so like the mountains. You might think of a couple days in Chamonix.
I used to live in Lyon. Generally, the winters are not particularly cold, so with the right clothing you should be very comfortable.
One consideration: places (stores, museums, restaurants) can be quite warm in winter. Walking in off the street in a warm coat can be uncomfortable, so I would suggest layers and a backpack to stash them rather than a single heavy jacket.
And please be considerate: when going indoors or onto mass transit take off your backpack and carry it. A person wearing a backpack takes up the space of nearly two people and has little ability to realize their backpack is intruding into another's space or inadvertently shoving them around.
