Les Arcs > Airports > Aéroport Lyon St-Exupéry

At A Glance:
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Lyon Saint Exupéry, formerly known as Lyon Satolas, is conveniently situated for many of the Alpine ski resorts. Resorts in the Southern Alps are around a 2h00 drive, Haute Savoie and Tarentaise resorts take about 2h30, resorts in the Espace Killy or Paradiski can be reached in about 3h00 and Verbier just a little longer at 3h15. Lyon Saint Exupéry has 2 main terminals and 1 smaller one; although there are facilities throughout the airport most of the shops and services are based in the Centre between terminals 1 and 2. The airport is named after Antoine de Saint Exupéry, Lyon-born pilot and author of novella The Little Prince.

General Info:

• Airport Code: LYS


• Distance from Les Arcs: 222km


• Distance from Lyon city centre: 37km


• Number of terminals: 3


• Accepted Currency: Euros (€)


• Information Desk: There are 3 Information Desks throughout the airport; the main one is located in the Centre, the others are in Terminal 1 Arrivals B and Terminal 2 Departures 3.


• Guided Tours: Groups of 10-25 adults and up to 35 children can book guided tours of the airport. The tours take 2 hours and run between 9h30 and 14h30 Monday to Friday. You can enquire about bookings here.

• Parking: Lyon airport has 5 long-stay car parks, all of which are open 24/7 and offer different access and rates according to what you need. Car parks P5 and P6 are linked to the terminals by free shuttle buses that run every 15-20 minutes. You pay for your parking on exit by credit card, or you can book your space in advance online. To check tariffs and availability please click here.


• Car Hire: Avis, Europcar, Hertz, National Citer and Sixt all have car rental desks at Lyon airport. There are free shuttles buses to take you from the terminal to the rental company car parks. They run every 6 minutes (15 minutes on weekends and bank holidays); the first stop is for Avis, Hertz and Europcar, the second stop is for National Citer and the third stop is for Sixt.


• Key-Drop: ?


• Travelling to Les Arcs: The most common methods of getting from Lyon Saint-Exupéry airport to Les Arcs are by transfer bus or hire car. Please read our article on Travelling Between the Airport & Les Arcs to find out more. Satobus run a number of regular bus routes from Lyon Saint Exupéry to many of the French ski resorts, please see here for destinations and timetables.


• Taxis: The taxi ranks are situated by the entrance to the Centre (next to P2 car park) and behind the train station (next to P6 car park). They provide transport to the city centre, the local area and many of the French ski resorts. You can pay in cash, by credit card (see which logos are displayed on the vehicle) or by cheque (unless otherwise indicated). Extra charges may be incurred for baggage, animals, more than 4 passengers, road tolls, having to drive in icy/snowy conditions – the cost of the trip should always be displayed on a meter inside the taxi. You can download a price list here .


• Railway Station: There is a TGV (high speed) train station just 5 minutes from the airport terminal buildings, access is via a connecting bridge with a moving walkway. You can book train tickets online through SNCF. To find out how to get to Chamonix by train please read our article on Travelling Between the Airport & Chamonix.


• Airlines: A range of international airlines such as easyJet, bmi and British Airways fly in and out of Lyon Saint Exupéry daily. To find a full list of all airlines operating out of Lyon please click here. Please note that the cheapest airport to fly into may not always be the most economical overall; it is a always worth researching how much your Airport Transfer will cost before you book your bargain flight!

• Restaurants, Bars & Takeaways: 7 restaurants serving a range of hot and cold food, as well as 8 bars/coffee shops. Most are open daily, the earliest opening at 5h00 and the latest closing at 23h00.


• Shops: There is a range of shops throughout the airport, with the main concentration being in the Centre between terminals 1 and 2. Here you will find clothes, jewellery, regional products and beauty shops, along with a pharmacy. Duty free stores are situated in terminals 1 and 2. Generally speaking most of the shops are open between 08h00 and 20h00 365 days a year, please click here for more details.


• Showers: Shower facilities can be accessed on production of a flight ticket at the Information Desk.


• Conference Rooms: Lyon Saint Exupéry has a 80-seat conference room in the Centre d’Affaires in the Centre of the airport, with restaurants, shops and amenities nearby. The Centre d’Affaires also offers individual offices and meeting rooms. It is air-conditioned and WiFi enabled; audiovisual facilities, secretarial services and catering can be provided on request. The Centre d’Affaires can be reserved from Monday to Friday from 7h30 to 19h00, please click here for more details and booking form.


• Internet Access: Visitors can access the Hub Télécom hotspots in all public areas of the airport and train station. You can purchase pre-paid cards or pay online with a credit card.


• Smokers: Lyon Saint Exupéry airport is entirely non-smoking, so if you need one last ciggie before boarding you will have to step outside the terminal building before going through to Departures.


• Cash & Currency: You can buy/sell foreign currency at the AOC desk in the Centre; it is open 8h00-20h00 Monday to Friday and 8h00-19h00 at weekends. There is also an automatic currency exchange dispenser located in the Centre, open 24 hours a day. You can draw out cash (euros) from the dispensers located in Departures, Arrivals and the Post Office in the Centre.


• First Aid: The Medical Centre ‘Infirmerie’ on the ground floor of the Arc building in the Centre offers medical assistance from 6h30 to 22h00 7 days a week. If you need emergency treatment outside of these hours please alert airport staff, who will contact the 24 hour service.

• Large / Unusual Luggage: ?


• Left Luggage: ?


• Lost Luggage: If you have arrived at your destination but your luggage has not fared quite so well, you should report it to your airline and the baggage handlers. Please report proprerty that has been lost within the airport at the Information Desk.


• Animals: The general policy is that animals weighing less than 5kg and carried in a bag (à la Paris Hilton's chihuahua) can be brought into the cabin, providing you have prior authorisation from the airline. Any animals weighing over 5kg must be transported in the hold, in a secure cage that can be bought from the airline. This must be arranged in advance of the flight and will be charged at the same rate as excess baggage. Guide dogs are allowed to travel in the cabin free of charge as long as they are muzzled and kept on a lead. All animals should have the correct vaccinations and medical records.