Lyon is located in the eastern part of France. It is the second city in the country in terms of importance, and the third in terms of area. Thousands of tourists come to Lyon every year to feel like part of the world-famous festival, which the locals call the Festival of Lights. But the city is famous not only for this.
Lyon is considered one of the most ancient cities in France. Back in the 1st century AD. local settlers organized a place of trade here, thanks to which merchants from different countries arrived at this place. Over time, this place began to be populated and already looked more like a city, to which the inhabitants gave the name Lugdun. A little later, the city was captured by the Romans, who made it a Roman colony. Since the Roman Empire flourished at that time, Lugdun also grew at that time and turned into a large city of great commercial importance. During the reign of the Romans, theaters, baths and an odeon were built here. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Lyon fell into disrepair. In the 12th century, the city was divided into two parts, one of which went to Germany, and the second to France. And only in the 14th century the whole city became part of the French kingdom. Gradually, active trade again became the reason for the development of the city, the construction of new buildings in it. A few centuries later, Lyon already had the look with which it pleases us today.
Sights of Lyon
25 km from the city is Lyon-Saint-Exupéry Airport. Since it is most convenient to travel around the city by car, you need to rent it in advance. You can do this at Bookingautos.com. Having prepared in this way, the rented car will be waiting for you at the airport parking lot. To better navigate the city, it is recommended to preview official website of the city beforehand. On the site you will find information about the Lyon City Card, which was designed specifically for tourists. With it, you can get free admission to museums, unlimited travel on public transport, boat trips on the Saone River. There are cards for one, two, three or four days of stay in Lyon. In general, it really helps to save a decent amount of money.
A must-see in Lyon is the entire Old Town, which has preserved buildings from the Middle Ages, as well as the central square of the city of Bellecour. It is considered the largest and most beautiful in Lyon. The square has a statue of Louis XIV on horseback. In the evening, when the square is lit with lanterns, the picture that opens up is especially pleasing to the eye.
But one of the main attractions of Lyon is still considered the Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourviere, which was built in the 19th century. The building was erected after the end of the Franco-Prussian War, when the locals took an oath that if the city survived, they would build a new church.
If you have time visit the Lyon Confluence Museum, itself the building of which is worth seeing with your own eyes.
And the main reason why many tourists come to Lyon in December is a festival called A festival of light that lasts 8 days. Every evening these days thousands of lights are lit in the city.
Interesting places near Lyon
If you travel around Lyon by car, then you have a great opportunity to visit an interesting place near the city, which is quite problematic to reach by public transport. This is Cheval's Ideal Palace, which is located in the city of Hauterives. The building was recognized as unique by many experts in the field of architecture. He was admired by Pablo Picasso. And the building was built by a simple postman who built his dream house for 33 years.
Lyon Restaurants
There are many gourmet restaurants in Lyon, but even more places serving traditional dishes from this region of France. Such establishments are called bushons. In bouchons, you can order authentic Lyon dishes - dry-cured pork sausages, dandelion salad with bacon and curd cheese with spices, which the locals call "the brains of the Lyon weaver".
Here are some of the best restaurants in Lyon according to tourists:
Le Bouchon des Artistes (98 Mazenod, +33 4 78 03 37 40).
Lyon parking lots
There are many street parking lots in Lyon and almost all of them are paid. You can leave your car for free in such parking lots only on weekends, and in some - from 7 pm to 9 am. The most expensive parking lots are located in the city center, and they are designed only for short-term parking (up to 2 hours). The cost is 2 euros per hour. If you come to the city for a few days, it is best to leave your car in a paid parking lot, where parking time is not limited, and the cost is several times less than in street parking lots.
Addresses of inexpensive parking lots in Lyon:
Rue Jangot Parking (4 Rue Jangot). Price - €1;
Rue Vauban Parking (88 Rue Vauban). The price is €1.20.
Good to know
Most Popular Agency
Enterprise
Most popular car class
Compact
Average price
24 € / Day
Best price
17 € / Day
Estimated cost for 7 days rental
January
€193
February
€211
March
€237
April
€293
May
€289
June
€308
July
€289
August
€213
September
€156
October
€134
November
€105
December
€181
* Data is calculated based on car bookings for the previous 365 days.
A percentage showing the monthly occupancy of the fleet of available vehicles. During August, there is a maximum demand for car rental, which entails a decrease in the range of cars available for order. You should take care of booking a car in Lyon in advance, this will allow you to get the preferred option on the most favorable financial terms.
The best time to rent a car in Lyon is November. This month, rental prices are minimal, below the annual average by 34%, and start from €34 for a Compact car.
During the summer months in Lyon there is a significant increase in demand for convertible rentals. This causes an increase in prices and the limited choice of such cars. A day of rental Ford Mustang will cost you €234.
Bookingautos offers a wide range of cars of any class. In Lyon you can rent a convertible, SUV, sedan, minivan, as well as a business class car. Our rental fleet consists of new cars manufactured in 2024 year.
Car rental costs in Lyon depend on its duration, car class and specific season. A budget category VW Polo or Toyota Aygoare available for just €55-€68 per day. When booking through Bookingautos.com, the price will be from €16. The higher segment will cost more. The daily fee for Audi A4, VW Tiguan, Opel Astra Estate will be about €55. There are also available minivans, luxury cars, electric cars and business class cars. Their rental starts from €64 and can reach several hundred euros per day.
The demand for electric cars is growing not only in the segment of their sales. These cars are just as popular when renting, which is often accompanied by the provision of a free parking space and the possibility of free car charging around the city. To rent an electric car you should set the appropriate filter. Moreover, the rental of VW E-Vision when ordering in Lyon will cost quite a modest amount.
Documents required for car rental
Driving license
Credit card
Voucher
Passport
Attention!
A valid international driver's license is required!
10 tips for your car hire in Lyon
Download Google maps for offline access
Download the map in the Google Maps mobile app in advance. Select the desired area, type "OK MAPS" in the search box and start the search. Then wait for the map to save. Ready! Navigation will work even without an internet connection - thanks to the GPS function. It is present in all modern smartphones. You can not only find the desired address, but also build a route. And all this is free.
Early Booking Discount
Lyon is a popular holiday destination and the car rental service is in great demand here. Therefore, it is recommended to book a car in advance. When booking online, you know exactly which car, for what price and under what conditions you will get in Lyon. The main advantage of early booking is the cost savings. The less time left before the start of the rental, the higher the cost of the rental becomes. The optimal period for booking in rental companies is 6 weeks before receiving the car. If you book early, two days before receiving the car, you can cancel the order without any penalties.
Which car to choose
Tourists who expect to drive only around the city and its immediate surroundings prefer to rent compact cars, Toyota Aygo or VW Polo. For trips to the mountains, you need a car with increased power. You should go on such a trip with a full tank, as fuel consumption in the mountains increases one and a half to two times. An all-wheel drive crossover would be the ideal car for this. Renting Opel Astra Estate in Lyon will cost €59 per day.
What you need to pay attention to at the time of receiving a car
Before picking up, you are required to carefully inspect the car and point out to the rental company manager for scratches, damage and defects, such as dirty seat upholstery. You should check the ignition and the fuel level in the tank. You need to know the conditions for returning the car - where exactly, with what amount of fuel to return the car.
The rental agreement must include a telephone number to contact the rental company. It is designed so that customers can get help in emergency situations, such as when a car breaks down or in the event of an accident. A call to the rental company should be done first, even before the arrival of the police.
Insurance recommendations
When you pick up your rental car, you need to take it seriously. This is especially true if you do not intend to purchase additional insurance. You should carefully inspect the received car and fix all scratches, dents, and other defects in the contract. It is also recommended to take a picture of the existing damage to the car, its number, write down the name of the rental company employee.
What types of insurance are available for car rental?
Third Party Liability (TPL). This is a third party liability protection. If you are the culprit of an accident, the insurance will compensate for the costs of the victims for you.
Collision Damage Waiver (CDW). This is to protect your vehicle from any damage. She works with a franchise. This is the amount that you will have to pay in case of damage in any case. The company will cover anything over the limit. The insurance does not cover theft.
Theft Waiver (T.W.). This is car theft protection. Operates with a franchise.
Personal Accident Insurance (PAI). This is medical insurance for the driver and passengers.
Fuel Policy
For trips over long distances, it is better to choose the option with the already included payment for a full tank. If you have a short trip, then this service is inappropriate. Be sure to read the fuel policy before making a booking:
If necessary, use the special filter to select the most convenient option for you.
Mileage without limits
The rental company may set a daily mileage limit. You will have to pay extra for exceeding the limit. Please check this condition before booking. It is possible that a more expensive rental option will turn out to be more profitable in the end: it will not require any additional expenses. To filter cars with unlimited mileage - use the "Mileage" filter in the search results.
Compare conditions of different rental companies
When choosing a rental car in Lyon, you should carefully read all the terms of the rental. This is due to the fact that different companies may differ not only in rental prices, but also in conditions for limiting mileage, the cost of additional services, and the amount of the deposit. To compare rental conditions, it is convenient to use the search and booking system on our website.
How to choose a rental company
When renting a car in Lyon, you should carefully read all the conditions offered by the rental company. Depending on the specific company, they may differ in mileage, insurance coverage, deposit amount, accompanying services and their cost. You should choose proven and reliable companies that offer new cars and stand out due to the well-thought-out organization of work with customers. Additionally, you can study the rating of distributors, which is also available on our website.
If we talk about the best companies in Lyon, then it is worth highlighting sixt with a rating 9.8 and budget, the average rating of which is 9.7 points.
Car pick-up procedure
Getting a rented car in Lyon is as follows: You show the manager a voucher, as well as the necessary documents - a passport and an international driver's license. The manager draws up a lease agreement, after which the agreed amount of the security deposit will be blocked on your bank card. Before receiving the car, it is necessary to inspect it, fix the existing damage and inform the manager about them.
Our advantages
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Car rental reviews: Lyon
Based on 8255 reviews
Rate 4,8/5
Based on 8255 reviews
Tony
4,8
Without a doubt, I will continue to use Bookingautos on a regular basis. Thank you very much for your assistance!
Michael
4,7
Excellent value for money. The pick-up process was a little confusing, but I would use it again!
Luna
4,5
The search was very simple to use, the price was really low, and there were no problems with the rental car company.
Jody
4,9
Everything proceeded as expected. The complete coverage compensation really worked.
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