10 Best Things to Do This Winter in Lyon

The Fête des Lumières, or Festival of Lights, is a special event held every year in which a colorful array of lights are displayed for 4 days. As you travel through the festival, you can see dazzling lights throughout town showcasing a brilliant combination of technology and artistry.

One of the most impressive aspects of this festival is how the lights complement the impressive architecture in town, offering the best of new lights and old structures. You'll find it all centered around Place Bellecour between the Rhône and the Saône.

Marché de Noël Lyon is an annual Christmas market that offers fun for the whole family with much more than just seasonal vendors available. You'll also find a tree forest, several places to give to charity and a Canadian teepee.

Be sure to bring your kids when you visit, as it's packed full of family fun. You'll find a merry-go-round here along with a little train that can take you around the area. This market is held every year in Place Carnot within the 2nd arrondissement.

The Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon is a stunning museum that houses an expansive art collection contained within a 17th-century convent. It's one of the largest of its kind in the country, and it covers 5,000 years of art history among its exhibits.

When you visit, you'll find incredible international exhibits alongside its permanent collection that also offer fun hands-on activities for the whole family. You can experience it all for yourself this winter at the southern end of Pentes de la Croix Rousse across from Place des Terreaux.

Alpine skiing at Les Sept Laux or St François Longchamp is one of the most popular winter activities you can participate in if you're looking for a thrilling adventure. Lyon is just a few miles from multiple ski resorts with fun slopes open during the winter.

When you visit these resorts, you'll find a wide variety of experiences available. You can opt for more difficult slopes, or you can stay along the beginner tracks if you're just starting out. Either way, you'll find your way to skiing paradise just a few miles out from Lyon toward the mountains.

La Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière is one of the most iconic destinations in the city and a sight to behold during your winter vacation visit. The exterior alone offers brilliant architectural designs, and it's situated on a hill overlooking the rest of the city.

When you venture inside this basilica, you'll find yourself met with dazzling mosaics and stained glass windows. Visiting during a sunny day makes the colors from the windows even more prominent. You'll find it all just west of Parc des Hauteurs across the street from the Fourvière Train Station.

Marché aux Bouquinistes is a riverside book market along the Saône that offers a wide variety of not only books but records, posters and art as well. Most of the offerings are fairly old, so you're sure to find something that makes you feel nostalgic.

When you visit, it's important to remember that the book market is located entirely outside, so you'll want to dress appropriately for the cold. You can see it all for yourself a short distance south of Pont la Feuillée on the east side of the Saône.

Beaujolais Nouveau Day is a special celebration held on the 3rd Thursday in November every year marking the release of Beaujolais nouveau wine. This wine is very appealing to the average palate, letting people from all over enjoy its delicious taste.

During the celebration, you'll find plenty of access to this wine along with parties and live music among the festivities. In accordance with tradition and French law, the wine is released from the barrels 1 minute after midnight. You'll find the festivities all over town.

Annecy is a popular winter destination in Lyon thanks to its scenic water canals and the nearby Alps. It's also home to one of the largest and cleanest lakes in the country, and it's a sight to behold in the winter.

During the vacation season, the city known as the 'Venice of France' is decorated with vacation lights and hosts seasonal markets and concerts. You can find it all a little less than 2 hours east of Lyon by automobile and a little over 2 hours by public transit if you can time it properly.

Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste, or the Lyon Cathedral, is a stunning active church that dates back centuries sporting an iconic Gothic design. When you visit, you'll find impressive architectural achievements complemented by artistic splendor inside.

When you visit during winter, you'll find the cathedral sporting seasonal decorations, adding to its charm and showcasing its active role in the local community. You'll find this cathedral on the west side of the Saône right next to Jardin Archéologique, the remnants of a cathedral from the 5th century.

The Saint-Antoine Market is a popular and massive food market where you'll find plenty of produce and food on offer from local vendors. It's one of the best places to get locally grown food even in winter, so you won't want to miss out on its numerous offerings.

Keep in mind that this market is going to be more popular during the weekends, but it's still available during the week. You can check it out for yourself by heading to the east side of the Saône just northeast of Pont Bonaparte.