Lyon City Guide - Business Etiquette

Offices are normally open Monday to Friday 0900-1800, with an hour lunch break between 1300 and 1400. Since the introduction of the 35-hour working week in France, some people are not available in offices on Friday afternoons. Suits and ties are the norm in the financial sector, while the dress code in other businesses tends to be more relaxed, although it is still better for business visitors to avoid being too casual.

The French always exchange business cards at meetings. It is best to address people for the first time with their full title (Monsieur, Madame, Mademoiselle, Professeur or Docteur). If speaking French, it is advisable to use the polite ‘vous' form when meeting for the first time or if the relationship is formal. The informal ‘tu' should only be used once the other person has started to use this him/herself.

Meetings may be booked for before or after lunch but will often occur over lunch or dinner, where wine will play a big part in the meal. Normally, the person who organises the meeting pays the bill. More social dinners are often long and leisurely affairs in Lyon. At formal dinners, diners must wait for the most important guest or the host to give the signal to start eating.