Find an apartment to sublet in Lyon
Furnished, inspected, and move-in-ready apartments available for a few months in the heart of Lyon. A 100% legal and secure solution, managed by a real estate agency.
What You Get with Swwitch
- A furnished apartment that has been inspected and checked before being listed online
- A contract that complies with the law, drafted to protect you
- Electricity, heating, and internet are already set up when you arrive
- A team available 7 days a week for the entire duration of your stay
More Than Just a Sublet in Lyon
You can book an apartment in Lyon with 100% security: we have permission to sublet from all the owners of the properties we manage.
Verified Housing Options
Every apartment in Lyon is visited, inspected, and selected by our team before it is listed online. No unpleasant surprises upon arrival.
A 100% legal contract
A contract that complies with the law, drafted by us to protect the landlord, the tenant, and the subtenant.
Ready to move in on D-Day
Electricity, heat, and internet: everything is already set up. Just drop off your bags—no paperwork required.
Support 7 days a week
A responsive team that’s available before and during your stay in Lyon to handle any unexpected issues.
Your trusted agency in Lyon
Our agency is recommended by well-known schools and universities in Lyon—EM Lyon, ISG, and INSEEC—which refer their exchange students to our housing options.
Easy online booking
A streamlined process—book entirely online. You can reserve your apartment in Lyon in just a few minutes.
A Stress-Free Move
Our team will arrange your arrival in Lyon on the day and at the time that are most convenient for you, ensuring a stress-free move-in.
Availability during the stay
Plumbing, electrical issues, or any other unexpected problem: we’ll respond within 24 hours throughout your stay in Lyon.
Who is it for?
For as long as anyone can remember, Swwitch has been helping subtenants with a wide range of backgrounds in Lyon. What they all have in common is a dynamic lifestyle and the desire to quickly feel at home.
International Students
Whether you're on a university exchange or an Erasmus program at one of Lyon's schools, we have furnished housing ready for your study abroad experience.
Interns
Doing an internship in Lyon, far from home: flexible housing for the exact duration of your stay.
Mobility Professionals
Whether you're on a business trip, traveling for work, or starting a new job at Part-Dieu or elsewhere in Lyon: a comfortable place to stay, with no long-term commitment.
Temporary Expatriates
Staying in Lyon for a few months: a fully furnished place where you'll feel right at home from the moment you arrive.
Digital nomads
A fully equipped apartment, a reliable internet connection, and all the comforts you need to work from anywhere in Lyon.
What Our Subtenants in Lyon Have to Say
"I needed a place to stay for my 4-month internship in Lyon. The apartment was exactly as shown in the photos—clean and well-equipped."
"A professional and responsive team. They put my mind at ease about the sublease, which I thought was impossible. I recommend them without hesitation."
"Being able to sublet a French student's apartment is reassuring—and going through a specialized agency is even more so!"
Sublet Your Apartment in Lyon: It's Simple and Legal
Lyon is the city where Swwitch was founded. It is here that we have built our network of property owners, agencies, and partner schools.
Find a reliable subtenant without having to handle any of the details
Subletting Legally
Because we’re a real estate agency, 80% of landlords (whether agencies or private individuals) agree to sublets through Swwitch. We’ll help you from the very beginning to get your landlord’s approval.
Comprehensive management during the sublease
From finding a sublessee to handling administrative and financial matters, including the day-to-day management of your apartment, Swwitch takes care of everything promptly and transparently.
A monthly rent payment, a transparent commission
You receive your rent and utility payments every month on a fixed date, as soon as a subtenant moves in. Swwitch charges a 15% management fee on this amount, in addition to a one-time onboarding fee of €290.
High-quality subtenants
International students, expats, and professionals on assignment: Each subtenant has a clearly defined check-in and check-out date, and their application is reviewed before approval.
5 steps—we'll take care of everything
Introductory Call
An agent will call you within 24 hours to appraise your apartment in Lyon and answer your questions—free of charge and with no obligation.
Landlord's Authorization
We'll handle the request for permission with your landlord or real estate agency. 80% of them agree.
Signing the mandate
You sign the management agreement with Swwitch. Everything is 100% legal and secure.
Operational Management
Photo shoots, listings, selecting subtenants, check-in, check-out, property inspections: you don't have to do a thing.
Monthly payment
Receive your rent, minus the management fee, at the beginning of each month, directly into your account.
They were away for a few months and found their apartment just as it was when they left
"Swwitch took care of my apartment while I was doing a 4-month internship in Berlin. When I got back, I found my apartment just as I had left it."
"A professional and responsive team. They put my mind at ease about the sublease, which I thought was impossible. I would recommend their services without hesitation."
"Swwitch reimbursed my rent every month during my 6-month Erasmus program in Madrid. I was able to enjoy my time abroad without any worries. Top-notch service."
Answers to Your Questions
Who will be living in my home?
Your apartment accommodates international students on exchange programs staying in France for a few months, French students on internships, professionals on assignment, and temporary expatriates. Each subtenant has a specific arrival and departure date, which are set upon signing the lease. Before approval, each applicant submits a standard application package (identification, supporting documents, financial guarantees).
How much does your service cost?
The service includes a €290 sign-up fee, which covers the full onboarding process for your apartment: a professional photo shoot, posting the listing online, and contract management. This €290 is deducted directly from your first payment. After that, a 15% management fee is deducted from your rent each month that a subtenant is actually living in the apartment.
How does it work with the keys?
We take care of everything. When you leave, you hand over your keys to a member of our team or drop them off at a drop-off point. Throughout the sublease, we handle the handover and return of the keys with the subtenant. When you return, you’ll get your keys back the same way.
Is subletting legal?
Yes, as long as you obtain written permission from your landlord. Swwitch prepares and submits all the necessary documents to obtain this permission. Thanks to our status as a real estate agency and our experience, about 80% of landlords say yes when we submit the request.
How far in advance should I plan for this?
As soon as possible, on average between 1 and 2 months before departure. However, there are no strict rules: you can contact us up to a year in advance, and we can also take over management of an apartment at the last minute if necessary.
Do I have to remove my belongings while the unit is being sublet?
It's best to remove as many of your personal belongings as possible, especially your clothes and any items of significant financial or sentimental value. The rest of the furniture can stay where it is, since the apartment must remain furnished during the sublease.
What about my rental expenses?
Your utility costs (electricity, heating, etc.) are reimbursed based on actual usage, according to the subtenant's consumption. Each month, you send us your utility bill, and we issue the corresponding invoice to the subtenant before transferring the amount to you.
Can I keep my housing assistance while I'm away?
Legally, you can continue to receive your APL if you are away from France for less than 4 months. If you are away for more than 4 months, you are required by law to stop receiving the assistance; otherwise, the amount will be deducted from your payment.
Subletting Your Apartment in Lyon: The Complete Guide
Going on Erasmus, landing an internship abroad, or taking on an assignment for a few months away from Lyon always raises the same question: what to do with your apartment while you’re away? Terminating your lease means losing a place to live—which is often hard to find in a city where rental demand remains high. Leaving it empty means continuing to pay rent for nothing. Subletting is the middle ground that lets you keep your place while getting your rent paid back every month—as long as you do it by the book.
Why Subletting Is on the Rise in Lyon
Lyon combines two factors that make subletting particularly appealing. On the one hand, it is one of France’s major student cities, home to renowned institutions such as EM Lyon, Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University, and the IEP, which send hundreds of students abroad each year through international exchange programs and welcome just as many in return. On the other hand, the rental market remains tight: the average rent for an apartment is around €17 per square meter, and the rent control measures in effect in the metropolitan area since 2021 limit rent increases without resolving the imbalance between limited supply and sustained demand, particularly for small apartments favored by students and young professionals.
In practical terms, this means two things. For a tenant in Lyon who is leaving for a few months, there’s no guarantee of finding equivalent housing upon return—so subletting helps ensure they can keep their apartment. For an international student, an intern, or a professional on assignment who is coming to Lyon for a limited time, signing a standard lease is rarely a good fit: a furnished sublet for a few months is a much better solution.
What the Law Says About Subletting
Subletting an apartment is not a legal loophole: it is a practice governed by the law of July 6, 1989. The principle is simple—the primary tenant remains solely responsible for the lease vis-à-vis the landlord, but may sublet all or part of their apartment to a third party, provided they obtain the landlord’s prior written consent and never charge a higher rate per square meter for the sublet than what they themselves pay.
Since the ALUR law was enacted, the regulatory framework has actually become simpler with the introduction of the “mobility lease ”: a furnished lease lasting 1 to 10 months, with no security deposit required, designed specifically for people on the move (students, interns, those on business assignments, and trainees). This is the type of contract that Swwitch uses to ensure the legal validity of each sublease, while respecting the rights of the landlord, the primary tenant, and the subtenant.
How to Legally Sublet Your Apartment in Lyon
- Obtain the landlord’s written consent —this is an essential step; without it, the sublease is invalid. By working with a real estate agency like Swwitch, the acceptance rate rises significantly: landlords are reassured by the professional oversight of the process.
- Draft a compliant lease agreement —including specific move-in and move-out dates, a rent cap per square meter paid by the primary tenant, and move-in and move-out inspections.
- Select a reliable subtenant —verify their identity, creditworthiness, and the consistency of their move dates to avoid any disputes.
- Arrange for key handoff and provide support during the guest's stay —check-in, check-out, and handling of any unexpected issues (plumbing, heating, internet).
In which neighborhoods of Lyon is demand the highest?
Demand for temporary furnished housing naturally centers around areas with high concentrations of students and jobs: the Presqu’île and the 6th arrondissement for their central locations; the Croix-Rousse and the 7th arrondissement for their more student-oriented atmosphere and slightly more affordable rents; and the Part-Dieu neighborhood for professionals on assignment, just a stone’s throw from France’s second-largest business district. A well-located apartment in one of these areas generally rents out very quickly, which minimizes vacancy periods and thus rental income loss for the primary tenant.
Sublet with Swwitch Instead of on Your Own
Managing a sublease on your own—finding a reliable tenant, getting the landlord’s approval, drafting a solid lease agreement, and tracking payments from abroad—takes time and involves risks, especially when done remotely. Swwitch, a real estate agency specializing in subleasing that was founded in Lyon, handles the entire process: requesting permission from the landlord, taking photos, posting the listing, selecting subtenants, conducting move-in inspections, and collecting rent each month. The primary tenant doesn’t have to worry about a thing while away and will find the apartment in the same condition they left it upon their return.
Whether you're looking for a furnished apartment in Lyon for a few months, or you're moving away and want to legally sublet your own, the Swwitch team is available to discuss your options with no obligation.