Safety first in Lyon

Emergency numbers to know

Are you staying in the Lyon area and have you encountered an emergency situation? Here are the numbers to dial ASAP

• 15: to call an ambulance for any medical emergencies,
• 17: to call the police for any situation jeopardising the safety of either people or property,
• 18: to call the fire department for emergency assistance,
• 112: European emergency number,
• 114: number for deaf, hard-of-hearing, aphasic, and/or dysphasic people to contact emergency services by SMS or fax (ambulance, police, fire department).
• 3919: emergency number for female victims of sexist violence

Finally, the lost property number, handy if you forget something: +33(0)4 78 47 72 89.

Health in Lyon

In case of non-urgent health problems (in case of emergency, dial 15 to call an ambulance), several contacts might be helpful:

• The Lyon area’s duty medical centres mean you can see GPs outside doctor’s surgery opening hours, in the evening, at the weekend and on public holidays. N.B.: patients can only be seen by appointment, so please call the following number before attending: +33(0)4 72 33 00 33.
• SOS Lyon Médecins allows you to make appointments, 24/7 with GPs. Make an appointment by telephone by calling +33(0)4 78 83 51 51 or 3624 (0,12 euros / minute).
• The poison control centre number might be useful. If necessary, call +33(0)4 72 11 69 11.
• Looking for a duty pharmacy in the Lyon area? Nationwide number 32 27 or visit 3237.fr. They are open at night, all week (emergency service only). The Grande Pharmacie Lyonnaise (22 rue de la République, Lyon 2^nd, Tel. +33(0)4 72 56 44 14 or +33(0)4 72 56 44 00) and the Pharmacie des Gratte-ciel (28 avenue Henri Barbusse, Villeurbanne, Tel. +33(0)4 78 84 71 63) are open at night, all week (emergency service only).
• Where should you go to A&E in Lyon and the surrounding area? All the area’s emergency numbers are listed on the Hospices Civils de Lyon website: chu-lyon.fr/urgences

Lyon: watch out for pickpockets!

Like anywhere else, pickpockets operate in Lyon’s tourist areas (especially Vieux-Lyon, the old town) and public transport (particularly when it’s packed).

A few tips to avoid thefts

• Be careful: a moment of carelessness is all it takes for pickpockets to strike without you noticing anything is amiss. Always keep an eye on your belongings. In public places, don’t leave money or papers in your coat if you place it on the back of our chair (or in a cloak room) and don’t leave your bag on the ground.
• Use a shoulder or waist bag rather than a backpack (which pickpockets can easily go through without you realising). A zip-up bag is strongly advisable (close your bag in the street or public transport).
• Don’t place any valuables in your back pockets (wallet or mobile phone), slip them into a front or inside pocket, making them harder for pickpockets to get to.
• Think ahead: try to have only a bare minimum of cash on you and keep your bank cards and ID in several difficult spots. Finally, don’t forget to note your bank card number (in a safe place) to be able to cancel your card if it gets stolen.

What should you do it you’ve been pickpocketed? 

Immediately after the theft, tell the people around you so they don’t become the next victims. Then quickly dial 17 specifying the location of the incident and giving a description of the pickpockets if you saw them. Then head down to file a complaint at the nearest police station. Here’s a list of Lyon’s police stations: lannuaire.service-public.fr
Before going to the police station, please note that it is possible to fill in a foreign victim assistance system (“S.A.V.E.”) form in your native language: prefecturedepolice.interieur.gouv.fr

Safe transport in Lyon

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Ville de Lyon

If you're travelling to Lyon by car, don't leave anything visible inside when it comes to parking. If you're staying for several days, use underground car parks.

Lyon’s public transport system runs in the evening so you can make the most of Lyon by night: the metro lines run until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights and, from September to June, the “Pleine Lune” (i.e., full moon) bus lines run all night on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Check out the  “Pleine Lune” timetable.
For added safety, it’s also possible on all the TCL network bus lines to get off where you want between two stops. To do so, just ask when you get on the bus.
Finally, if you don’t feel safe in the street, remember the “Demandez Angela” (i.e., “Ask for Angela”) network of supportive safe spaces that will take you in and keep you safe. You just have to head into one of the stores in Lyon with an “Ici demandez Angela” (i.e., “Ask for Angela here”) sticker and ask for Angela. Find the list of stores in Lyon participating in the scheme "Demandez Angela".