How to find accommodation in Lyon
- My English Sister
- 27 juil. 2023
- 4 min de lecture
Dernière mise à jour : 25 févr.
Lyon is an immensely popular city, so finding somewhere to live can be tricky!
Whether you’re a student, traveller or young professional this guide should help you secure safe and comfortable accommodation in Lyon.
Important things to remember
Beware of scammers
Where to start looking?
What type of accommodation is available?
Agency vs Landlord
Things to keep in mind
Renting an apartment in Lyon can be a challenging process, especially for newcomers. With high demand, strict rental laws, and plenty of paperwork, it’s essential to know what you’re getting into before you start your search. Here are five key things to keep in mind when looking for a place in Lyon.
Agency Fees Are Hard to Avoid
The vast majority of apartments in Lyon are managed by agencies, making it difficult to escape agency fees—which typically cost around €15 per m². While you might be tempted to filter your search for private landlords, this will drastically reduce your chances of finding a place. If you want to maximize your options, be prepared to go through an agency and factor in these extra costs.
French Rental Laws Strongly Favor Tenants
France has some of the most tenant-friendly rental laws in Europe. If a tenant stops paying rent, a landlord cannot simply evict them immediately—instead, the process involves lengthy court proceedings that can take months, or even years. Because of this, landlords are extremely cautious when selecting tenants. They will scrutinize your financial situation and require solid guarantees to ensure that you (or someone else) can cover the rent over time.
Negotiating Rent? Forget About It.
Unlike in some countries where negotiating rent is common, in Lyon, landlords don’t need to lower their prices. The demand is so high that if you’re not willing to pay the listed price, someone else will. Instead of trying to negotiate, focus on making yourself the most attractive applicant by having all the necessary paperwork ready and acting fast.
Expect a Lot of Paperwork
As with many things in France, bureaucracy is king. Renting an apartment requires extensive documentation, and estate agents or landlords won’t make exceptions—especially for foreigners. You’ll need to provide proof of income, a guarantor (in many cases, a French one), and other official documents. While it might feel excessive, remember that these strict procedures are standard, and there’s little flexibility. The sooner you get your paperwork in order, the smoother your application process will be.
Speed is Everything!
In Lyon’s competitive rental market, apartments get snatched up within hours. If you see a listing you like, act immediately. Viewings fill up fast—sometimes within the first hour of the ad being posted. To stay ahead:
Set up alerts on major rental websites (SeLoger, Bien’ici, LeBonCoin)
Regularly check agency websites
Keep your schedule flexible for last-minute viewings
Delaying even by a few hours can mean missing out on your ideal apartment.
Beware of scammers
First things first, beware of scammers - there are many of them, especially on Facebook - so remember if it looks too good to be true then it probably is.
Where to start looking for accommodation?
Facebook is a good place to start, there are many groups where people share information about spare rooms and housing.
A safer, more secure, option is to use a reputable renting agency such as Chez Nestor or Oqoro - for these, you’ll have to fork out a few hundred euros in administrative fees.
There are also several websites, including La Carte des Colocs - France’s most popular website for finding flatmates (or colocataires as they say in French!).
You can also check out Le Bon Coin (the French equivalent of GumTree in the UK and Craigslist in the USA) - but again beware of scammers!
What type of accommodation is available in Lyon?
As it’s a major city, it’s very unlikely that you’ll find a house to rent!
Flatshares are the most common - with many tenants looking to replace flatmates in September and January.
For those who like their own space, a studio is another option. You can expect to pay between 500 and 1000 euros per month depending on the size and location.
Homestays are a great alternative if you want some home comforts and a guaranteed place to move into when you arrive. My English Sister has a partnership with Homestay Lyon (by Expat Services France) which provide homestay accommodation from 550 euros per month. The benefit of this solution is that you can pay per day instead of committing to an entire month or year.
Agency vs Landlord
For peace of mind an agency can help you secure accommodation before you arrive - but make sure it’s a reputable one. Visit their website, speak to a customer advisor on the phone, find reviews online and ask around!
Signing a lease directly with a landlord has its obvious financial advantages - but be careful as this is where most scammers emerge.
Firstly, we don’t recommend paying to secure accommodation before you arrive in Lyon. You can sign a lease but don’t pay your rent, deposit or other fees until you have seen the apartment.
Many landlord scammers will lead you to believe that you need to pay to reserve the apartment and then disappear off the face of the Earth when it’s time for you to move in.
The same goes for important and personal documents - do not share your ID, bank account details and personal information with someone over the internet - this can be a scam to steal your identity. One tip to see if your landlord is genuine is to ask for a copy of their identity.
Securing a place
Once you've found the perfect place to live you'll need to submit a 'dossier de location' which is essentially a selection of documents proving you are who you say you are and you have sufficient funds and income to pay your rent.
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