Working in Lyon France
One of the largest cities in France outside of Paris, Lyon is located in the country’s central eastern region along the Rhone River. It has a population of 480,000 within its central boundaries and more than 1.5 million in its greater metropolitan area.
Lyon is widely regarded as one of the food capitals of the world and also for its natural and historical beauty, being recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city experiences a humid subtropical climate. Summer temperatures can be hot, commonly reaching more than 27 °C during July and August, while in winter temperatures usually drop to about 6 °C.
- Airport
- Railway Station
- Transportation
- Cost of Living
- Accommodation
- Shopping
- Emergency
- Insurance and Healthcare
Location
Tourism Video
Airport
Lyon Saint Exupery Airport
A sophisticated structure, Lyon Saint Exupery Airport is located about 24km east of central Lyon and provides access to the tourist-popular Rhone Alps region. Two terminals form Lyon Airport and can be accessed by a free shuttle bus that regularly travels between the two.
An abundance of public transport options exist at Lyon Airport to connect travellers to Lyon and its surrounding areas. The most popular forms of transport include trains, shuttle buses and taxis. These can be booked prior to arrival or easily found once in Lyon.
Railway Station
Gare de Lyon-Part-Dieu
The primary rail station in Lyon, Gare de Lyon-Part-Dieu is situated as the centerpiece of the Paris-Lyon-Marseille railway line. The station handles more than 140,000 passengers on a daily basis. Visitors to Lyon will also find a bus depot, tram station and airport link at Gare de Lyon-Part-Dieu. It is also located next to one of Lyon’s major shopping centres.
Transportation
Lyon has an efficient public transport system featuring rail, metro, tram and bus services. The metro has four lines which spread throughout the city’s limits and cross over in its central district. Trains regularly run between two to 10 minutes and over long hours. For areas not covered by metro or trams services, there is an extensive bus service reaching these parts. To appreciate the natural and historical beauty of Lyon, travel by foot is also highly recommended as the city centre is not a large area.
Cost of Living
The cost of living for expats in Lyon is high, although not on a Paris level. According to online cost of living database Numbeo (http://www.numbeo.com/), prices for typical items on current exchange rates (June 2013) are as follows:
| Food | |
| Cheap meal (inexpensive restaurant) | $17.15 |
| Three-course meal for two at mid-range restaurant | $57.20 |
| Domestic beer (500mL) | $7.15 |
| Coke (330mL) | $2.90 |
| Milk (1 litre) | $1.30 |
| Loaf of bread | $1.80 |
| Eggs | $4.70 |
| Transport | |
| One way ticket (local transport) | $2.30 |
| Monthly pass | $74.30 |
| Petrol (1 litre) | $2.00 |
| Rent (monthly) | |
| One bedroom apartment (central area) | $850 approx |
| Three bedroom apartment (central area) | $1430 approx |
| Accommodation | |
| Hostel bed (one night) | $25 |
| Five star hotel room (one night) | $250 |
| Average monthly salary (after tax) | $3400 |
Accommodation
Accommodation in Lyon can be expensive, but the city does have several budget hotels, a decent selection of mid-range hotels and some of the best luxury hotels in France. A few options to consider include:
Budget
Hotel Les Carres Pegase
Residhotel Lyon Part Dieu
Mid-range
Hotel la Tour Rose
Hotel Ibis
High-end
Villa Florentine
Collège Hôtel
Shopping
Lyon has an extensive range of shopping facilities, from food markets to high-end shopping areas. For retail therapy in Lyon the most popular shopping areas or malls include: La Part-Dieu, Rue Victor Hugo and Rue de la République. Lyon has several food markets, including Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse and Croix-Rousse market.
Shops in Lyon are usually open between 10am and 7pm from Monday to Saturday. Shops are always closed on Sundays, except in December.
Emergency
Emergency telephone numbers
Medical emergency 15
Police 17
Fire 18
Insurance and Healthcare
Health care in France, which is regarded as a universal health care system, provides care and financial protection to all registered citizens. A highly efficient and renowned system, the World Health Organisation has previously rated the health care in France as up there with the world’s best. The health care system in France is funded through contributions out of income from employed individuals in the country.
Most residents in the country qualify for France’s state health insurance, and this includes expats on a working holiday visa in the country. However, be aware that to qualify registration with CPAM (Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Malaide) must take place.
For people who do not qualify for the state service they must take out private insurance and there are plenty of options for this in France. Costs for private health treatment in France are comparable to those in Australia.
Despite a very high standard of health facilities in France, DFAT recommends all Australians travelling to the country take out comprehensive travel insurance to cover any overseas costs.