Is Lyon Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Lyon, as one of France's largest cities, is generally considered safe for solo female travelers. Stricter safety measures are in place and the city is well-policed. There are some areas you should avoid late at night, but the majority of the city, particularly the tourist areas, are safe and welcoming. Local people are friendly and willing to help if needed. Hospitals and police are responsive and trustworthy.

Safety rating

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How safe is Lyon?

Safety at night:

Safety at night:Moderate

Overall, Lyon is reasonably safe during the night. Like any other city, Lyon has areas that are very safe and others that are less so. It's always important to stay in well-lit areas and avoid deserted streets. Of course, it pays to keep a vigilant eye on your surroundings and maintain typical urban precautions. Public transportation runs late into the night and it's always a good idea to use it when possible, especially on weeknights when the streets aren't as populated.
Public transportation:

Public transportation:Very safe

Public transportation in Lyon comprises of Metro, Tramways, Buses and Bikes which are all well-maintained, timely, and efficient, hence making it an extremely safe city for solo female travelers to navigate. The city has extensive and convenient public transport networks that offer a sense of security and confidence to commuters. Also, Lyon's transportation system is well monitored and citizens are generally respectful and law-abiding. However, like any city, it's always important to be vigilant and aware of your surroundings.
Street harassment:

Street harassment:Low

In general, Lyon is a city that is friendly towards solo female travelers. Instances of street harassment are relatively low compared to other major cities, with the majority of locals being respectful and courteous. That said, like in any city worldwide, there may be isolated incidents, mostly in less crowded or poorly lit areas; hence necessary precautions are advised. As always, avoid walking alone at night in unfamiliar areas and stay vigilant of your surroundings.
Petty crimes:

Petty crimes:Low

While Lyon is generally considered a safe city to travel solo, it's not entirely free from petty crime. Visitors may occasionally encounter theft, especially in crowded tourist areas, and pickpocketing on public transportation. Always keep an eye on your belongings and be cautious in crowded and tourist-heavy areas.

Is Lyon worth visiting?

Overall rating

3.8 /5

based on 12 experiences from female travelers

Things to do

3.5/5

Safety

3.5/5

Food

4/5

Budget-friendly

3/5
Bella

Bella

Hungary

Family travel

The transportation isnt cheap compared to Budapest but i guess it is compared to like London. Its very safe and in tact but the crowd is something i had to get used to. People dont respect your space in public and dont speak english. The city is mostly very clean and i felt safe. I recommend the Musée des Confluences if you like science or biology (but i suppose the expos are changing and are not permanent) and also musée des Beaux-Arts, that has some really famous pieces. I think going up the the temple on the mountain with the fourvière is a must.

Posted: April 26, 2025
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aya

aya

France

Solo travel

Lyon is one of my favorite cities in france, i visite half a dozen times a year at least :D I felt safe overall, but some areas (like parts of Guillotière) felt sketchy at night. - Must-Do: Traboules (hidden passageways), climb Fourvière Hill, and explore Croix-Rousse’s street art. Also vieux lyon is lovely. - For food: Praline in general is a must try, amonst other lical specialities - Budget & Stay: Spent ~€50/day when we actively go out all day. I usually crash at friend houses so no clue about good places to stay :p - Getting Around: Honestly the city is quite small so walking is always my prefered way of getting around. Especially with how beautiful the city is. Metro is great too, usually very clean, consistent and calm

Posted: March 13, 2025Experienced: December, 2023
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Solo travel

I felt safe. Lyon is one of our favourite places it is so peaceful and the food was delicious we found a street vendor and lots of bakeries it was stunning. We went to the cinema and lots of cathedrals.

Posted: February 11, 2025Experienced: December, 2024
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Solo travel

My stay in Lyon was sadly very disappointing. I arrived at Lyon Part Dieu train station and within an hour of arrival my iPhone got stolen. Obviously this caused a lot of stress, Station staff was not very helpful and there was no police station nearby not that they could help either. My hostel was in the Guilloutiere area and it did not feel very safe at night. The few sights I managed to see were alright and prices weren’t expensive either. Be extremely careful of pickpockets in France, I learned that the hard way. Until now I did not get my phone back.

Posted: February 5, 2025
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Danielle

Danielle

Canada

Solo travel

Felt really safe, especially in vieux lyon and along the river. I felt safe walking around alone, even with headphones in. However, be aware of pickpockets on the subway. The food was amazing, fresh food everywhere and inexpensive. Le musée des confluences is an absolute must! The river rhône is beautiful. Vieux Lyon and the roman ruins are fascinating

Posted: July 10, 2024Experienced: February, 2023
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Solo travel

It is overall a nice city, I was living there for a year. But it is very unsafe, specially the area of the Guilliotiere. I would highly recommend that you go with someone else in the city and not alone as a girl. We had a lot of cases of sexual assaults and harassment.

Posted: June 30, 2024
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Group travel

Lyon feels safe and warm , it‘s one of the most beautiful places i have ever visited . There are plenty of good restaurants , so it‘s a good destination for a culinary excursion . Public transport is not expensive and there are a lot of museums that you can visit

Posted: June 9, 2024
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Renata

Renata

Brazil

Couple travel

We went to France in 2010, in Lyon. We had a Very good experiente there. While my husband worked as an invited university teacher, I was walking around the city. Lion is a very interesting city, with so many good atractions as you had a good time to explore It... I loved to visit the greco romano places Just like the museun , the coliseu and the ancient theatre ... It's amazing. I walked around 7 floors and neither realized It! Very close there IS the famous ancient Iglise de Fourviere.. The city has the famous "trabuilles" just like a Net between the medium age constructions... I visited too the museum of Gobellain, a tapestry museum, the puppet museum and the house of Lumiere brothers... Even the charmosos Bouchons, little restaurantes, with very generous portions of food, in a Very acessible prices, are precious!... Walk by the rivers is a very nice experience with many frenchs caffes... I loved this experiencie ...Lyon is a wonderful city... I Will put pictures, as soon as I can...

Posted: April 30, 2024
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Solo travel

Beautiful city!! I met people at my hostel (Le Flaneur) and was able to adventure through the city with them. Spent a lot of time on my feet, but every road had something beautiful to see. Would not recommend Walking alone at night - encountered several aggressive drunk people.

Posted: June 9, 2023Experienced: May, 2023
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Solo travel

A very interesting city, especially if you are interested in food. I encountered some of the most diverse menus there. I liked the pubs and sightseeing walks.

Posted: March 6, 2023
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Is Lyon safe for women?

Safety index

3.6 /5

Based on 55 local experiences

Crime index

2.3 /5

Based on 55 local experiences

It's generally safe to be in Lyon, however it's common to experience verbal harassment, in the public transportation or at night. It's okay to walk alone at night but you should make sure you know your way and check that no one is following you. Most of the time nothing bad happens but it can be uncomfortable. Be firm with men coming to talk to you and taking to much of your space.

Posted: May 1, 2025
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Esther

Esther

Lyon is a pretty city where you can enjoy a lot of activities. Lyon is a really green city. Obviously, as in all cities, there are dangers, but less so. Personally, I have never been attacked, etc. And the local population is very friendly

Posted: April 28, 2025
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Meet locals in Lyon

Shanice

Shanice

About Me

Hiii there !! I'm Shanice ! I'm 18 years old and I'm based in Lyon !! I'm a language student ! So if you want a language partner /correspondent don't hesitate to send me a message ! Languages I know : French (native), English (C1) , Spanish (A2) , and currently learning Japanese (A1) and Arabic (A1) ! I may be able to free myself in order to make you visit the city ! Or else I'll still be able to recommend some places ! I'd love to get into solo traveling so I might need to find a host and I would love to meet new people !!

Speaking

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Téa

Téa

About Me

hello! I'm a french girl from Lyon who love Cate Blanchett, sunsets, red and green, music and travelling, and who would love to meet girls from all around the world to grab a coffee or to guide you to visit my city! 🌇☕

Speaking

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Stay with locals in Lyon

Sarana

Sarana

Lyon

Can host for:

4 days

About me

Hi! I'm Sarana, a student who's lived in Lyon for two years and is looking to start solo traveling, mostly around Europe! I grew up kind off all around, and I love getting to know new cultures as well as sharing mine :) If you like to walk around city and discover cute spots I would love to help!

Speaking

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Upcoming visitors to Lyon

Alina

Alina

About Me

Hi, I'm Alina and I'm interested in backpacking, books, cycling, food & cuisine, hiking, languages, live music, nature, nightlife, photography, sightseeing, solo travel, sunbathing and swimming

Speaking

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Safety in France