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    After Three Months in Lyon – Would We Stay?



    After Three Months in Lyon – Would We Stay?

    We lived in Lyon, France for three months after early retirement to see whether daily routines, costs, and pace actually work long term, not just whether the city is enjoyable to visit. New to our story? Start from the beginning – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUCnnhlKYk0&list=PL4kGiHocVcCi9MpqmybLDHk1F28MLmjqB&index=1

    What’s Inside This Episode

    We settled into one apartment in the Croix-Rousse neighborhood and focused on what everyday life actually looked like, from walkability and transit to how living on a hill shaped our routines. We break down how our spending stabilized after the first month, how cooking at home influenced our budget, and what a realistic monthly cost looks like for two people living normally in Lyon.

    This episode shows how Lyon functions as a long term place to live and why it became the reference point we now compare every other town and city against.

    🏠Our Lyon Airbnb (Croix-Rousse): https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/569570220455691012

    #livinginfrance #lyon #slowtravel #earlyretirement #costofliving #expatlife #francelife

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    Full Lyon Cost Breakdown is live on the site →
    https://scottandlizaredefined.com/lyon-france
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    Chapters
    00:00 — Three Months in Lyon
    00:32 — Croix-Rousse Neighborhood
    03:19 — Monthly Budget Breakdown
    05:50 — Transportation and Mobility
    07:30 — Safety and Comfort
    08:41 — Everyday Life

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    Disclaimers
    This video is for entertainment only and doesn’t constitute professional advice.
    © All photographs and video clips are owned by Scott & Liza Redefined. Please don’t use or repost without permission.
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    32 Comments

    5. @lindadorman2869 on

      I lived in Lyon on and off for years but haven't been back since 2017. As a professional chef (trained at Le Cordon Bleu), it's one of my favorite cities in the world and I could certainly stay there long-term. The only box it doesn't check for me is being near the coast as I prefer to live close to the ocean. I'm planning a trip to Nice to see if that's a fit though I think I will always want to spend some time in Lyon again.

    6. @zeitgeist888 on

      Thanks for sharing your experiences and costs. Lyon seems super practical and nice. We are moving later this year to a small town near Strasbourg and your budget is surprisingly good and better than we have heard for longer term. We spent 3 months in France this last summer and found similar costs and picked our place confirming it with stays in other towns and Strasbourg proper. Best of luck on the continuing search and travel in finding your perfect place.

    7. @allendean9807 on

      looking at your footage, i know where you were! I’ve been to the boulangerie next to that bus stop- renaissance 5? Next to the pizza place? And i get all my pet supplies at animalis. We’ve been in Lyon for the last year, and i love it! We are right off boulevard de La Croix Rousse, so we are close to the outdoor marche and pretty much everything. Bus lines are only 200 meters from our apartment. The best boulangerie I’ve found is boulangerie Des Canuts. We invested in a kettle, so coffee and tea at home is a ritual. We are at about 4k a month as well. 2300 for a 127square meter apartment, then living expenses. 40 for internet, 112 for electric, food, and phones. Well, and shopping! I love not driving, and have tripled my steps from last year in the states. We have really kind and amazing neighbors, and folks in the community. You get totally immersed in French language and life.

    8. @AlainPrel on

      I studied medecine in Lyon. I was living "Montée Saint-Sébastien… close to your home. I think Lyon is à nice city. You also have a main airport…good train connections
      ..it's only 2 hours to go toParis …Be happy ❤❤

    11. @bouixamy on

      I have lived in France for over 20 years. I am American and my husband is from Lyon. After spending my first 6 years living in Lyon I have to say it offers a nice balance compared to other larger cities. As you experienced the public transport is great, excellent healthcare facilities, plenty of shopping and cultural activities and an airport that serves numerous routes. You will also discover the more affordable cafe's, food shops and resto's with time. Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse is a treat but not considered the standard for everyday eating-ha! As someone else mentioned Anncey is divine but might be a little too slow paced and a bit pricey. Today, I live in between Lyon and Anncey with an hour drive to each. My Aunt and Uncle live in Menton and absolutely love it. Again, the public transport is great to get to all the cities in the South and you can take the bus over to Italy. France has much to offer! Good luck in your search and keep us posted as to where you've decided to land!!

    12. @patcartier8171 on

      Green mayor, insufferable football team, italian-style drivers in the streets, high rents… I wouldn't. You could consider Vienne, 30 km to the south. Very easy to go to Lyon when you need to, and people from Lyon never come to Vienne — except those nice ones during the July jazz festival.

    16. @nathaliekhan8738 on

      Lyon is my city. and I am glad you loved it, it is a wonderful place to live. However, just know that 4000 euros per month for two people is a huge amount of money. Most french people would consider that a couple can live confortably in Lyon with 2800 euros per month, doing everything you did. I believe it is your RB&B that is the reason for all that spending. If you really live in Lyon long term and rent a one bedroom apartment, you will pay about 750 to 800 euros a month for a really nice place in Croix Rousse.

    18. @reluctantlawyer517 on

      We stayed in Lyon in 2024 for about a month we stayed near the bottom of the steps leading up to Croix-Rousse. We walked around Croix-Rousse a lot. I shopped at the open air market nearly every day. We figured that when we go back to Lyon we would probably stay in that neighborhood. It has definitely been one of our favorite cities. We’ve been slow traveling for about three years and we have found that where we stay, both the building and location, is the most important factor for us. We pay extra to get the right location because it is so important if you are staying in a place for a month or more.

    19. @garthlyon on

      Great oversight of Lyon for a 3 month visit, staying in Cx Rousse! I feel qualified to comment as I have lived here for 24 years, with 20 of those years in Cx Rousse.

    20. @dancooper41 on

      My favorite French city is Toulouse. Very charming and walkable, reasonable costs, and relatively a lot of English speaking people with Airbus headquarters there. Hope you’ll give it a try. Bordeaux is nice too. But definitely not Paris!

    25. @chooselife1509 on

      Nice one. I just got back from Paris and Bordeaux. Lyon was on the list to visit but cut the trip short due to weather and wanting to spend more time in Bordeaux. I'll be going to Lyon later this year and this video is definitely helpful and confirms this could be a potential spot to move to. Not sure if you've been to Bordeaux but I personally loved it and Chartrons neighborhood is awesome. Keep the videos coming!

    26. @joe-karry on

      10€ for a coffee/ cappuccino?? It s tourist trap . It s 1,70€ for one expresse.. maybe 2,50€ in Lyon or paris..
      A cappuccino over > 5€ is scandalous (I live 150km from there in Bourgogne).

    29. @tikilanichols8023 on

      We've been in France over a year. Traveled to many cities, including Lyon and stayed a month there. However, we decided to settle in the south of France. Found an apartment along the Promenade in Cagnes Sur Mer. Enjoy Lyon.🎉

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