10 Things to Do in Lyon in June

The warm temperatures make visiting Lyon in June a pleasant and fun experience. In addition, there are many interesting activities to attend.

Andressa García

Andressa García

10 min read

10 Things to Do in Lyon in June

Fourvière, Lyon | J-Claude G.y

With average temperatures around 22°C, Lyon becomes an amazing tourist destination to go in summer. During this month, you can enjoy the French culture and history, not only by touring the city, but also by going to numerous events that are organized during this summer month.

Here are some of the festivals and events that you can't miss in June and that you have to include in your list of best things to see and do in Lyon if you visit the city in June. The Lyon Jazz Festival, the Nuits Sonores and the Fêta de la Musique are some of them. You can also enjoy outdoor, sporting and comedy events.

1. Enjoying good music at the International Jazz Festival

Jazz Festival| ©salva1745
Jazz Festival| ©salva1745

After signing up for one of the best tours in Lyon, I recommend you to go to the Lyon International Jazz Festival, which will help you understand the city from a more cultural and musical point of view. The interesting thing about this festival is that it has more than 20 years of history.

At the Lyon International Jazz Festival you will have the opportunity to see a wide variety of artists on stage, from established musicians to young promises. In terms of musical genres, you can enjoy styles such as classical jazz, modern jazz, blues, soul and funk.

Not only can you enjoy concerts, but also workshops and activities for all ages. In fact, children can also enjoy this event, as there are activities specially designed for them.

Details of interest

  • Price: to enter the festival you will have to pay between 10 and 50 euros per ticket, which you can purchase online before the event.
  • Date and time: generally this event takes place during the first week of June.
  • Location: mainly the shows take place at the Parc de la Tête d'Or in Lyon, although there are also performances at other venues such as the Grand Théâtre de Lyon and the Auditorium du Parc.

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2. Taste the best food at Lyon Street Food Festival

Lyon Street Food Festival| ©Marc Lecocq
Lyon Street Food Festival| ©Marc Lecocq

There's no better way to experience street food in Lyon than at the Lyon Street Food Festival, which takes place every year in the Parc de la Tête d'Or during the third week of June. Inside the festival you can sample a variety of Lyon's traditional and urban food and drinks. You can also enjoy the city's street entertainment.

No doubt going to this festival will be one of the best gastronomic tours in Lyon to do in June, because during the event you will find chefs from the most popular local restaurants, but you can also find food trucks and street food stalls. Although not everything will be eating and drinking, because at the festival you will also have the opportunity to enjoy activities for all ages, including workshops, craft sales and games.

Details of interest

  • Price: ticket prices can range from 20 to 50 euros per person, depending on the type of event you want to attend.
  • Date and time: you can enjoy this event during the second week of June and generally the exhibitions are held from morning to evening.
  • Location: there are several places where this event takes place, including the Place de la Bourse, the Place des Jacobins, the Place Bellecour, the Parc de la Tête d'Or and the Place des Terreaux.

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3. Get to know the new Lyon BD Festival comics

Comics| ©Erik Mclean
Comics| ©Erik Mclean

If you love comics you can't miss the Lyon BD Festival, which is an annual festival held in Lyon and is driven by a team of enthusiasts of what is considered to be the ninth art. It's a whole weekend where you can see the work of more than 200 exhibitors and creators of comics.

But in addition to that weekend, this festival offers entertainment throughout the month, so you'll have plenty to see in June. Besides being able to discover the latest comics, you will also have the opportunity to meet some of its most prominent creators.

As if that weren't enough, this festival offers you the chance to attend seminars, workshops and other entertainment activities. In its gastronomy area you will also be able to taste iconic pieces of French cuisine, to close with a flourish this event that is one of the best things to do in Lyon during the month of June.

Details of interest

  • Price: it is a free event, so you can enter without paying any entrance fee.
  • Date and time: it takes place during the third weekend of June, and you can enjoy the shows all day long.
  • Location: usually this event is set up in places like the Musée des Confluences, the Musée des Beaux-Arts and the Musée des Tissus.

4. Traveling to Pérouges to see the Printemps Festival

In Pérouges| ©Denis GUILLAUME
In Pérouges| ©Denis GUILLAUME

Every spring, the Festival Printemps de Pérouges takes place in Pérouges, very close to Lyon, offering theater performances, concerts and workshops for children and adults. Also at this event you will have the opportunity to enjoy exhibitions of local crafts, buy gifts at the flea markets and enjoy different gastronomic activities.

Going to this festival is an excellent opportunity to make one of the best excursions from Lyon, because during the event you will have the opportunity to practice hiking and cycling, as well as you can also go on jet skis and do outdoor activities. You can take advantage of the trip to buy handicrafts and also to visit the famous castles of this area, which is medieval.

Details of interest

  • Price: the entrance to this festival is free, so you will not have to pay anything to enjoy it.
  • Date and time: this event usually takes place during the last days of June and the concerts usually happen in the afternoon and evening.
  • Location: the event takes place in Pérouges, which is a medieval town located about 40 minutes away from Lyon.

5. Enjoy great music at Terrasse ECAM Festival

Terrasse ECAM Festival| ©Stig Nygaard
Terrasse ECAM Festival| ©Stig Nygaard

For music and concert lovers, the Terrasse ECAM Festival is undoubtedly an excellent choice. It is a music festival that takes place on the hill of Fourviere, and where you can see a lot of artists on stage showing their musical work.

But it's not all about music, because one of the things you will like most about this festival is that they offer to the audience, a space with extension chairs ready to rest and enjoy the summer and the sun of the season.

The best thing about this event is that all the scenery is handmade and you will have the opportunity to take a tour of local wines and drinks, just tasting all the variety of this beverage that they have to offer at the festival.

Details of interest

  • Price: the cost of tickets range from 16 to 36 euros per person, although these prices may vary according to each edition.
  • Date and time: it usually takes place during the second week of June.
  • Location: it is always set up on the Fourviere hill to put on a well-deserved show on the rooftops of Lyon.

6. Meet the street art at Les Festives à l'Agny

Cycling in Lyon| ©Fred Banchet
Cycling in Lyon| ©Fred Banchet

If what you want is to know what Lyon's street art is like, I recommend you to go to Les Festives à l'Agny, which is an annual event where you can see concerts and street art shows, but you can also participate in workshops and educational activities to learn more about the urban culture of the city of Lyon.

One of the objectives of this festival is to promote culture, creativity and local talent, so not only will you have the opportunity to enjoy street art and music, but you can also taste traditional food and drink in the streets. I recommend that after enjoying this event, you sign up for one of the best bike tours in Lyon, to continue getting to know what the street culture of this city is like.

Interesting details

  • Price: you don't have to pay an entrance fee to enjoy this event.
  • Date and time: it is usually open to the public during the third week of June, and shows are presented from 11:00 to 17:00.
  • Location: held in the village of Saint Laurent de l'Agny, about 25 km from Lyon.

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7. Go to the Fête de la Musique concerts

Fête de la Musique| ©Ioan Bacivarov
Fête de la Musique| ©Ioan Bacivarov

If you love music of all styles, I recommend going to the Fête de la Musique, where you can enjoy concerts and musical performances of many genres. You will see performances by jazz bands and electronic music groups. You can also participate in instrument workshops, exhibitions and competitions.

If there is one thing you will like about the Fête de la Musique, it is that it is an event where you can get to know the diversity of the city's musical culture. It is also an event for all audiences, which you have to include in your Lyon itinerary in 2 days or less, if you are traveling in June.

Details of interest

  • Price: the Fêta de la Musique is free and open to the public, so you won't have to pay anything for admission.
  • Date and time: these shows are generally offered during the third week of June each year. The concerts are offered at night.
  • Location: events are almost always held at the Parc de la Tête d'Or.

8. Attending the concerts of the Festival Les Nuits de Fourvière

Enjoying the Festival| ©Vishnu R Nair
Enjoying the Festival| ©Vishnu R Nair

The Festival Les Nuits de Fourvière takes place every year at the Parc de la Tête d'Or and offers a wide range of shows, including rock concerts, classical music, opera, ballet and theater. You can't miss the fireworks show that is organized as part of the event. During the festival you will have the opportunity to enjoy the work of various local and international artists and bands.

No doubt attending this event is one of the best things to do in Lyon with children, because you can also find various activities for them, however, you should also keep in mind that some events are limited to adults. You cannot miss the opportunity to discover the local crafts, as well as to taste the typical gastronomy.

Interesting details

  • Price: if you want to go to a single concert you will have to pay between 20 and 25 euros per ticket. While if you want to go to all the shows of the event, you will have to pay around 110 euros per ticket.
  • Date and time: this event usually takes place from the second week of June to the first week of July.
  • Location: events are held at the Parc de la Tête d' Or, although some concerts may take place in other venues in the city.

9. See the African films in the African Cinema Caravan

People at the cinema| ©Luis Quintero
People at the cinema| ©Luis Quintero

The African Cinema Caravan is an annual event not to be missed if you like to see audiovisual works from other countries. It is an event organized by the Institut Français de Lyon in collaboration with the European organization Eurimages, which aims to present and promote African cinematic narrative.

During the event you will be able to watch African films of all genres and you will also have the opportunity to participate in interesting discussions about African cinema, making it one of those activities that you have to do in Lyon at night. During this event you will be able to learn about African cinematography and meet many of its most prominent figures.

Details of interest

  • Price: the event is a public event, so it is free and open to the public.
  • Date and time: this event takes place during the second week of June, and screenings are usually held in the evening.
  • Location: generally the exhibitions and film screenings are held in different locations such as Place de la Bourse, Place des Jacobins, Place Bellecour, Parc de la Tête d'Or and Place des Terreaux.

10. Run for Planet

Run for Planet| ©Gérard Collomb
Run for Planet| ©Gérard Collomb

If you love everything to do with sports and healthy living, and you also love just causes, I recommend you to participate in the Run for Planet during your visit to Lyon. This is a running event where you will have to choose whether you want to participate in the 5K or the 10K marathon.

The best thing about this event is that you will be able to participate regardless of your age, because it is even a family race in which children can also participate. During the event you will have the chance to get to know the local culture, as well as participate in events and talks dedicated to the promotion of health and wellness.

Details of interest

  • Price: if you want to register for the race, you will have to pay from 26 euros per person, although prices may vary according to the age of the participant, and also varies from year to year.
  • Date and time: usually occurs during the second week of June and is usually installed from 10:00 to 17:00.
  • Location: it almost always starts at Vaulx-en-velin 69 de Rhône in Lyon.

The influx of tourists in Lyon in June

Lyon Tourist Bus| ©Bus Box
Lyon Tourist Bus| ©Bus Box

June is high season in Lyon, so the tourist influx during that month is high, also taking into account the Jazz à Vienne Festival and other interesting events that attract large numbers of people.

For these reasons, one of the best tips when visiting Lyon during this month, is to keep in mind that you should make all your reservations well in advance, to ensure your place in hotels, restaurants and festivals, because although the hotels and accommodations in the city are enough to satisfy the tourist demand, it is always important to book.