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In-person meetings & travel
Lyon
France · Europe/Paris · UTC+2
Lyon is France's second-largest economic area, with strong industry and biotech presence.
Current time in Lyon
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Next public holiday
Bastille Day
Tuesday, July 14, 2026— in 30 days
Business hours & meeting culture
- Working hours
- 09:00–18:00 with a real lunch break (~1 hour)
- Workweek
- Monday to Friday
- Culture
- French business meetings can be formal with a clear agenda. Lunch is a real break — avoid scheduling 12:30–14:00. The 'right to disconnect' is taken seriously.
- Meeting tips
- August is the traditional vacation month — many offices run with skeleton staff. May is dotted with public holidays (often combined with bridge days).
Travel & logistics context
Quick reference for business travelers — climate, currency, and language.Currency and language are country-level. Climate may vary across the country.
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Climate
Temperate oceanic
Best: May–Jun, Sep
Avoid: Aug (everyone is on vacation), Dec–Feb (cool/dark)
🟢 Currently a good month
Paris in August is famously empty; many businesses closed.
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Currency
€
EUR
Euro
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Language
Official
French
In business
French, English in MNCs
English: Common in international firms
Greet in French even if continuing in English.
🤝Business etiquette
- Greeting
- Handshake; cheek kisses (la bise) only with close colleagues.
- Cards
- Standard exchange.
- Gifts
- Wine, chocolates, or flowers (avoid white chrysanthemums) appropriate for hosts.
- Tipping
- Service charge included; round up or 5–10% extra for good service.
- Dress
- Smart, well-tailored; appearance matters.
- Dining
- Long lunches common; do not start eating before host says 'bon appétit'.
Time difference vs. major business cities
Computed for 2026. Daylight saving will shift these by an hour during transitions.
| City | Time zone | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| 🇯🇵Tokyo | Asia/Tokyo | +7h |
| 🇮🇳Mumbai | Asia/Kolkata | +3h 30m |
| 🇦🇪Dubai | Asia/Dubai | +2h |
| 🇬🇧London | Europe/London | -1h |
| 🇺🇸New York | America/New_York | -6h |
| 🇦🇺Sydney | Australia/Sydney | +8h |
| 🇺🇸San Francisco | America/Los_Angeles | -9h |
| 🇨🇳Shanghai | Asia/Shanghai | +6h |
Public holidays in France, 2026
Commonly observed national holidays. Regional holidays and bridge days are not included. See also the global holiday calendar.
- 2026-01-01
- 2026-04-06
- 2026-05-01
- 2026-05-08
- 2026-05-14
- 2026-05-25
- 2026-07-14
- 2026-08-15
- 2026-11-01
- 2026-11-11
- 2026-12-25
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