But it’s not all about the city and its food; living in Rhône means you have access to many fantastic natural areas too. Rhône’s geography is characterised by the broad River Rhône, mountainous peaks and rolling vineyards, making it a great place to explore or to live.
The Pilat Natural Regional Park lies south of the department, a vast mountain range and the perfect spot for adventure sports such as mountain biking, hiking and cross-country skiing.
While in the north of the department lie the Beaujolais villages, known for their celebrated Beaujolais wines, where vineyards are scattered across the rolling hills, chateaux and valleys. There’s even a 140km wine route to discover it all, home to around 200 winemakers.
To the southeast of Lyon, there are yet more vineyards to discover in the world-famous Côtes du Rhône wine region, which is home to some of the oldest vineyards on the planet. This area produces mainly red wines from grapes such as grenache and syrah.
What cities are in Rhône? If you’re thinking about living in Rhône, Lyon is an obvious choice with its many restaurants, Musée Cinéma et Miniature, Ancient Roman Theatre of Fourvière, grand cathedral and old city. However, if you’re looking for somewhere quieter and more laidback and don’t want to live in a big city, there are plenty of other places to choose from. Some of the best places to live in Rhône include Anse, a tranquil town just north of Lyon with some impressive Roman ruins, while Bagnols, Oingt and Theizé are three of the prettiest villages to live in in the Beaujolais wine region and some of the best places to live in Rhône. There are also many small villages along the west of the department, bordering the lush Loire region, known for its countryside and grand chateaux.
Cost of living in Rhône
Living in Rhône is slightly more expensive than the rest of France due to its popularity and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region is general is the seventh most expensive in France. It really depends on where you choose to live in Rhône, however, as of course the cost between city and country living varies a lot. As the third biggest city in the country, the city of Lyon drives the cost of living in Rhône up, but there can be more affordable destinations in the department if you want to spend less. Having said that everything is Lyon is cheaper than living in Paris, from rent and house prices to groceries and restaurants. According to cost of living website Numbeo, a single person would need an average of €921 per month without rent to live in Lyon, while a family of four would need €3,296 per month.
Decide to live in a smaller town such as Villefranche-sur-Saône, however, and you’ll find the pirces a lot less. Here, the cost of living is three percent less than the national average. Housing in particularly is very affordable here, while food and transport are both cheaper than in nearby Lyon.
You may find that some of the more touristy wine villages in Côtes du Rhône and Beaujolais are more expensive than the average village in the region though.
Weather and air quality in Rhône
Rhône has mainly a Continental climate, but with some Mediterranean influences. Generally, it experiences warm to hot summers, cool autumns and very cold winters. The warmest months are from June to September with average temperatures in the mid 20Cs, while the coldest months are December to February with averages of around 3C. In the summer, it can get very humid, particularly around the Rhône Valley, while winters can be quite icy with snowfall, however the snow doesn’t often settle as it does in the Alpes. The department can also experience a strong cold north wind known as the Mistral, which is something to keep in mind.
The air quality in Lyon is generally good compared to the rest of the cities in France. It may be the third-largest city, but there are 16 other smaller French cities that have air quality worse than Lyon according to the Air Quality Index. Head north, further away from the city and into the countryside and wine regions and you’ll find the air quality is even better, with much less traffic too.
History and culture in Rhône
Because of its grand river, Rhône has long been an important highway between France, Italy and Switzerland. The city of Lyon has over 2,000 years of history and was founded in 43 BC and became the capital of the Gauls, for later was one of the most important cities of the Roman Empire. The city was annexed to the kingdom of France in 1312 and then during the Renaissance period was one of the area’s top economic powerhouses. In the 17th century Lyon became the silk capital of Europe and also became known for its print houses.
Today, Rhône and its capital Lyon have become most famous for their world-class cuisine and excellent wines. The famous French chef Paul Bocuse helped to put Lyon on the map and today it’s home to everything from small bistros to fine Michelin-starred dining, as well as the typical Lyonnaise bouchons serving up the region’s most traditional dishes. These include plates such as La quenelle (a type of dumpling with pike fish and a creamy seafood sauce) and Le saucisson (cured sausage).