Airbnb regulations in Lyon: what the Le Meur Law changes from 2025

In Lyon, primary residences can only be rented as vacation accommodation for 90 days per year. Since January 2026, Lyon has reduced the limit from 120 to 90 days per year, in line with the options provided by the Le Meur law. This measure is part of the metropolitan housing plan. The decision was approved by a large majority of the metropolitan council, following a public consultation that received over 3,000 contributions. The day count is automatically monitored by platforms, which must block bookings once the threshold is reached. The Lyon metropolitan authority estimates that the 30-day reduction could return between 1,500 and 2,000 homes to the traditional rental market in the central arrondissements (1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th).

The Lyon metropolitan authority signed a binding agreement with Airbnb, Booking, and Abritel in 2025, providing for automatic listing blocking at 90 nights, combined with monthly cross-verification between the registration number and the metropolitan database. Each quarter, platforms submit a detailed reservation file to the Housing Department, which enabled the identification of over 500 properties in non-compliance within the first year of implementation.

In Lyon, the change-of-use authorization is issued by the metropolitan authority after consultation with the arrondissement city hall, within the framework of the Inter-municipal Local Urban Plan (PLUi-H). Applications for properties located within the UNESCO-listed perimeter are subject to additional review by the Architect of Buildings of France, extending the processing time to a minimum of six months. Compensation: From the 1st sqm (> 35 sqm).

Lyon applies a compensation rule from the very first square meter for properties over 35 sqm. This measure targets family apartments being converted to tourist accommodations. For properties under 35 sqm, compensation still applies but with relaxed conditions. The metropolitan housing department processes each case in consultation with the arrondissement city hall, and compensations must be carried out within the same geographic area. In the Presqu'île, the compensation cost per square meter can exceed €2,500, making conversion projects financially prohibitive for most property owners. The compensating property must be placed back on the rental market for a minimum of six years and be subject to an agreement with the metropolitan authority.

Near-total ban in the city center (Presqu'île, Vieux Lyon)

Lyon has implemented a zoning system with a near-total block on new authorizations in the city center (Presqu'île, Vieux Lyon, Croix-Rousse). Change-of-use applications are systematically refused except in exceptional cases. In other arrondissements, authorizations are granted on a case-by-case basis. The zoning distinguishes three sectors: the red zone (Presqu'île, Vieux Lyon, slopes of Croix-Rousse) where refusals are nearly systematic, the orange zone (3rd, 6th, 7th arrondissements) subject to enhanced conditions, and the green zone (outer arrondissements) where authorizations remain possible subject to compensation.

The Lyon metropolitan authority has strengthened its enforcement system since 2024 with a specialized brigade of 15 sworn agents, with an annual budget of €1.2 million. Fines can reach €50,000 and are accompanied by daily penalties of €1,000 per square meter, a mechanism that has proven the most deterrent in France outside of Paris.

Lyon applies a dual penalty: a fine of up to €50,000 for regulatory violations, coupled with a daily penalty of €1,000 per day per square meter of illegally rented space. This daily penalty system makes continuing illegal activity extremely financially risky. For a 60 sqm apartment in the 2nd arrondissement, the daily penalty amounts to €60,000, which has led several property owners to comply within 48 hours of notification. In 2025, the metropolitan authority recovered over €3 million in fines and penalties. Repeat offenders are systematically reported to the Lyon prosecutor's office, which has set up an expedited process for handling these cases.