France · month by month
Lyon food calendar
What is in season in Lyon, what to eat right now, the food festivals worth planning around and the months to be careful with. Tap a month.
January in Lyon
The best of January: Quenelles and saucisson brioché, Game, cardoons and chestnuts, Bocuse d'Or world final and Sirha.
In season
- Game, cardoons and chestnuts
Lyonnais winter cooking: cardons à la moelle, gratin dauphinois, chestnuts.
Oct–Mar
Eat it now
- Quenelles and saucisson brioché
Bouchon cooking at its best in the cold months.
Nov–Mar
On the calendar
- One of the world’s 100 best food eventsBocuse d'Or world final and Sirha21–26 January 2027 (these are Sirha's dates; the Bocuse d'Or final days inside it aren't posted yet) · from Sirha Lyon, checked Oct 24, 2026
The "Olympics of cooking", held during the Sirha food fair at Eurexpo, with national teams and their supporters.
How to go: Tickets for the final sell fast; book a bouchon dinner around it.
Nothing of this kind in January. Try Everything.
February in Lyon
The best of February: Bugnes, Quenelles and saucisson brioché.
In season
- Game, cardoons and chestnuts
Lyonnais winter cooking: cardons à la moelle, gratin dauphinois, chestnuts.
Oct–Mar
Eat it now
- BugnesCarnival
Lyon's fried carnival pastries, sold from January to Mardi Gras.
- Quenelles and saucisson brioché
Bouchon cooking at its best in the cold months.
Nov–Mar
Nothing of this kind in February. Try Everything.
March in Lyon
The best of March: Quenelles and saucisson brioché, Game, cardoons and chestnuts.
In season
- Game, cardoons and chestnuts
Lyonnais winter cooking: cardons à la moelle, gratin dauphinois, chestnuts.
Oct–Mar
Eat it now
- Quenelles and saucisson brioché
Bouchon cooking at its best in the cold months.
Nov–Mar
Nothing of this kind in March. Try Everything.
April in Lyon
Shoulder seasonThe best of April: Beer festival.
On the calendar
- Beer festival
Nothing of this kind in April. Try Everything.
May in Lyon
Shoulder seasonThe best of May: Cherries and apricots.
In season
- Cherries and apricots
From the Rhône valley, at Croix-Rousse and Quai Saint-Antoine markets.
May–Jul
Nothing of this kind in May. Try Everything.
June in Lyon
Shoulder seasonThe best of June: Cherries and apricots, Street food festival.
In season
- Cherries and apricots
From the Rhône valley, at Croix-Rousse and Quai Saint-Antoine markets.
May–Jul
On the calendar
- Street food festival
Nothing of this kind in June. Try Everything.
July in Lyon
The best of July: Cherries and apricots.
In season
- Cherries and apricots
From the Rhône valley, at Croix-Rousse and Quai Saint-Antoine markets.
May–Jul
Nothing of this kind in July. Try Everything.
August in Lyon
Plan around
- August closuresAugust
Many bouchons and the Halles' smaller stalls close for part of August.
Nothing of this kind in August. Try Everything.
September in Lyon
Peak seasonThe best of September: The Beaujolais harvest.
In season
- The Beaujolais harvest
Vineyards 40 minutes north; the bouchons pour the new vintage in November.
Sep–Oct
Nothing of this kind in September. Try Everything.
October in Lyon
Peak seasonThe best of October: The Beaujolais harvest, Game, cardoons and chestnuts, Salon des Vignerons Independants.
In season
- The Beaujolais harvest
Vineyards 40 minutes north; the bouchons pour the new vintage in November.
Sep–Oct - Game, cardoons and chestnuts
Lyonnais winter cooking: cardons à la moelle, gratin dauphinois, chestnuts.
Oct–Mar
On the calendar
- Salon des Vignerons Independants
Nothing of this kind in October. Try Everything.
November in Lyon
Peak seasonThe best of November: Quenelles and saucisson brioché, Game, cardoons and chestnuts, Beaujolais Nouveau.
In season
- Game, cardoons and chestnuts
Lyonnais winter cooking: cardons à la moelle, gratin dauphinois, chestnuts.
Oct–Mar
Eat it now
- Quenelles and saucisson brioché
Bouchon cooking at its best in the cold months.
Nov–Mar
On the calendar
- One of the world’s 100 best food eventsBeaujolais NouveauThursday 19 November 2026 · from Lyon Mag, checked Oct 24, 2026
The new Beaujolais is opened at midnight on the third Wednesday into Thursday, with parties in the wine villages and Lyon's bouchons.
How to go: Stay in Lyon and go up to Beaujeu for the Sarmentelles.
Nothing of this kind in November. Try Everything.
December in Lyon
The best of December: Fête des Lumières sweets, Quenelles and saucisson brioché, Fête des Lumières.
In season
- Game, cardoons and chestnuts
Lyonnais winter cooking: cardons à la moelle, gratin dauphinois, chestnuts.
Oct–Mar
Eat it now
- Fête des Lumières sweets8 December
Papillotes (chocolates in a fringed wrapper with a joke inside) and vin chaud.
- Quenelles and saucisson brioché
Bouchon cooking at its best in the cold months.
Nov–Mar
On the calendar
- Fête des Lumièresaround 8 December, four nights
The city's festival of light; restaurants book out months ahead.
Nothing of this kind in December. Try Everything.
Festival dates move from year to year, so check this year's dates before you book. Seasons are how growers, markets and local guides describe them; edges vary with the weather. Know something we missed? Tell us.