City in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
Air quality in Lyon
Moderate
The annual average PM2.5 in Lyon was 11 µg/m³ in 2021, about 2.2 times the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³. Winter inversions and summer ozone can raise PM2.5 in the Rhône valley.
Key facts
- PM2.5: 11 µg/m³ yearly average (2021). Measured at Lyon.
- PM10: 18 µg/m³ (2021).
- Nitrogen dioxide: 27 µg/m³ (2021), mostly from traffic.
- Worst months: Dec–Feb.
- Recent average: 12.2 µg/m³ over the last five years of measurements.
PM2.5 by year
| Year | Annual average |
|---|---|
| 2021 | |
| 2020 | |
| 2019 | |
| 2018 | |
| 2017 | |
| 2016 | |
| 2015 |
Air quality across France
| Place | PM2.5 | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Montpellier | 7 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Provence | 9 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Aix-en-Provence | 9 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Nice | 10 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| French Riviera | 10 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Bordeaux | 10 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Annecy | 10 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Toulouse | 10 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Loire Valley | 10 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Normandy | 10 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Avignon | 10 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Antibes | 10 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Nantes | 10 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Brittany | 10 µg/m³ | Fairly clean |
| Lyon | 11 µg/m³ | Moderate |
| Marseille | 11 µg/m³ | Moderate |
| Strasbourg | 11 µg/m³ | Moderate |
| Paris | 13 µg/m³ | Moderate |
| Lille | 13 µg/m³ | Moderate |
| Biarritz | 13.8 µg/m³ | Moderate |
| Cannes | 19.9 µg/m³ | Polluted |
Quick answers
Is the air in Lyon bad?
Moderate: 11 µg/m³ of PM2.5 on average, 2.2× the WHO guideline. It's usually worst in Dec–Feb.
When is the air worst in Lyon?
Winter inversions and summer ozone can raise PM2.5 in the Rhône valley.
How does Lyon compare with the rest of France?
People in France breathe 8 µg/m³ of PM2.5 on average (2023, World Bank/WHO), against 11 µg/m³ measured here.
More about Lyon
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Sources
- WHO Ambient Air Quality Database
- WHO air quality guidelines (2021)
- Live air quality map (WAQI)
- TCL (Lyon public transport)
- Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport
- Lyon tourist office
Annual averages are measured values reported to the WHO; check a live map for today's air. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.