Low-emission zone of Lyon
Along with Paris and Grenoble, Lyon was one of the first French cities with a low-emission zone. It went into effect on 12 December 2016. The low-emission zone was expanded in 2020. You can read all about it on this page. Are you visiting another city? Then check out this list of all French cities with low-emission zones. You can read more about the sticker itself on the home page of this website.
Map of the low-emission zone in Lyon
The map above shows the ZFE or low-emission zone of Lyon marked in orange. It includes the expansion of the zone in 2020. The low-emission zone covers not only Lyon itself, but also the municipality of Caluire-et-Cuire and part of the municipalities of Villeurbanne, Bron and Vénissieux.
The boundary of the low-emission zone is largely defined by the boulevard périphérique de Lyon. This is the city’s ring road. It consists of the A6 and A7 to the west, the boulevard périphérique Nord Lyon (BPNL) to the north, and the boulevard périphérique Laurent Bonnevay to the east and south. Note that the A6 and A7 within Lyon are often referred to as M6 and M7. On the map, all these roads are indicated by blue lines.
Only in the north in Caluire-et-Cuire and in the west in the municipality of Lyon itself, are there parts of the low-emission zone that fall outside the ring road. It is possible to access the harbor south of the city center without an emissions sticker, even though it lies within the ring road.
Lyon’s low-emission zone
Like many other French cities, Lyon initially had a ZPA (zone de protection de l’air). Which rules were in effect depended on the severity of the air pollution. This meant that on some days no sticker was required and on other days only vehicles with certain colors of the sticker were allowed. This was confusing not only for tourists, but also for residents of Lyon itself.
Lyon’s ZPA was replaced by a ZFE (zone à faibles émissions) in 2020. This is a low-emission zone with clear rules that are always in effect. You no longer have to figure out whether or not you are allowed on the road. However, the rules are tightened every year or few years. As the plans stand, only vehicles with green and purple stickers will be allowed to drive within the low-emission zone around 2030. These are electric vehicles, hybrids and gasoline engines that meet Euro 5 or higher.
Lyon’s low-emission zone still has some peculiarities. For example, there are slightly less stringent rules for freight traffic (vehicle category N) on the ring road. For freight traffic within the low-emission zone but not on the ring road, there are stricter rules until 2024. More about this under the Which emissions sticker in Lyon? heading at the end of this page.
Parking outside the low-emission zone
Will you visit Lyon, but do you not have an emissions sticker? Or do you have a color of the sticker that is not allowed within the low-emission zone? Then you may consider parking outside the zone and taking public transportation. There are several park-and-ride sites, or parc relais in French, that are conveniently located. We have marked them on the map above.
- P+R Meyzieu: 1166 spaces near station Meyzieu Z.I. on line T3.
- P+R Porte des Alpes: 389 spaces near station Porte des Alpes np line T2.
- P+R Vénissieux: 745 spaces near station Vénissieux on line T4.
- P+R Oullins: 421 spaces near station Gare d’Oullins on line B.
If you have a public transportation ticket, you may park for free at these park-and-ride sites from 4:30 in the morning to 1:00 at night. You can find a complete list of park-and-ride sites on the website of TCL, Lyon’s transportation company. Note that sites west and north of the city are all located within the low-emission zone. This means that you can only park there with an emissions sticker.
Which emissions sticker in Lyon?
Passenger cars (category M1) and motorcycles (category L) without a sticker, as well as those with a gray or burgundy sticker, are currently not allowed to enter the low-emission zone of Lyon. The vehicle category is listed under J on your vehicle registration certificate.
Other low-emission zones nearby
In the vicinity of Lyon and all located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, you will find a number of other low-emission zones. They are Clermont-Ferrand, Saint-Étienne and Grenoble. Saint-Étienne, 70 kilometers to the southwest, and Grenoble, 100 kilometers to the southeast, are the closest. Further east in the region, the sticker is still required in Annecy and in Annemasse.
What to see and do in Lyon?
Lyon is France’s second largest city after Paris and a major tourist destination. Many of the sights date back to Roman times, such as the theater of Lugdunum on a hill next to the Saône River. The Notre-Dame de Fourvière on the same hill is another prominent attraction. The current center of Lyon is located on a small peninsula between the Rhone and Saône rivers. You will find numerous ornate buildings, churches, an opera house and museums here.