Come Alone by Meet & Mint Events you can go to on your own

Not a date · Lyon

Meet people in Lyon without a dating app.

Swiping can feel like a second job. 41 events in Lyon over the coming weeks ask for none of it: you arrive, join in, and nobody is on a date.

See this week's picks How to go alone

Picks

Tonight and this week in Lyon nobody on a date

Six upcoming events, soonest first, free ones preferred and a mix of categories. Check the official page before you go.

Wed18Nov
MusicLyon
20:00–23:00

Monthly open jam session at Kraspek Myzik, Lyon

Kraspek Myzik

Kraspek Myzik, a small music venue on the slopes of the Croix-Rousse hill in Lyon's first arrondissement, holds its monthly jam night under the title Kick in the Jam on a Wednesday. The invitation is open to singers, rappers, guitarists, bass players, drummers and horn players, who are asked to come with their instrument for live and hybrid music in a warm, festive atmosphere. A drum kit and two guitar amplifiers are provided, and you can bring your own sticks and jack cables. Sign-up happens on the spot. Entry is free, but the venue asks for a two-euro membership of the association Lerockepamort, which is why the price is shown as €2.00. Doors open at 20:00 and we assume the night ends about 23:00. It is a good way to meet local musicians, or simply to listen. «KICK IN THE JAM | MER. 18.11» Starts 20:00, ends about 23:00. Source: OpenAgenda — Shotgun (open data).

Official page ↗See who's going in Meet & Mint
Thu19Nov
LearningLyon
18:30–19:30

Author talk on cultural exclusion with Victorien Bornéat

Hôtel71

Victorien Bornéat presents his essay on how cultural institutions can feel elitist and exclude people, drawing on his own arrival in Lyon. The one-hour talk at Hôtel71 by the Saône is a good fit if you enjoy discussing ideas with strangers afterwards.

Official page ↗See who's going in Meet & Mint
Thu19Nov
MusicLyon
20:00–22:30

Myra, YAPI tour, at Le Marché Gare, Lyon

Le Marché Gare

On Thursday 19 November 2026 at 20:00 Le Marché Gare in Lyon hosts Myra on her YAPI tour. The listing says she asserts herself as a singular voice of the new French scene: author, composer, performer and actress, she sculpts an organic music carried by a deep, smooth voice. After a series of remarkable projects, including Saudade Palace, Passion Câlins and Après la Pluie, she revealed in January 2026 her first album YAPI, conceived and recorded under the Greek sky, among landscapes that echo her origins, as a return to her roots. The page calls it a sound patchwork that is deep, danceable and deeply comforting. With the YAPI tour she extends this search for identity on stage, in concerts that the text calls generous, vibrant and deeply human, more like transgenerational parties where the audience is invited to sing, dance and celebrate being together. The listed times are 20:00 to 22:30. Tickets start at 24.72 euros. A warm, communal concert is easy to enjoy alone. «De véritables fêtes transgénérationnelles où elle invite le public à chanter, danser et célébrer.» Starts 20:00, ends about 22:30. Source: OpenAgenda — Shotgun (open data). The listing gives 22:30 as the end. Tickets start at 24.72 euros.

Official page ↗See who's going in Meet & Mint
Sun22Nov
Free
SocialLyon
17:00–20:00

Knight Clubbers chess evening at The Monkey Pub, Lyon

The Monkey Pub

On Sunday 22 November 2026 at 17:00 The Monkey Pub in Lyon hosts a chess evening organised by Knight Clubbers, a group that runs chess gatherings in bars. The pub is at 19 Place Tolozan, and the listing calls the event a friendly Sunday session around the board. The listing describes a relaxed atmosphere where people can play a few games and share a drink. Beginners and experienced players are both welcome, whatever their level, and chessboards are provided, so there is nothing to bring. The listing presents it as an event for people who come alone or in company. Entry is free, and free registration is recommended through the Knight Clubbers page for the evening, which is linked from the listing. The gathering runs from 17:00 to 20:00. A chess evening in a pub is easy to enjoy alone, since everyone is there to play. «Débutants comme joueurs confirmés sont les bienvenus, et les échiquiers sont fournis.» Starts 17:00, ends about 20:00. Source: OpenAgenda — Knight Clubbers, rencontres d'échecs en bar (open data). The listing says entry is free, boards are provided, and free registration is advised.

Official page ↗See who's going in Meet & Mint
Wed25Nov
Free
MusicLyon
20:00–23:00

Ariane Quintet: klezmer concert at Bar BU, Lyon

Bar BU

On Wednesday 25 November 2026 the Bar BU on the Quai Bondy in Lyon hosts the Ariane Quintet as part of the Culture Bar-Bars festival. The listing describes klezmer, music born in the traditions of Eastern European Jewish communities, full of joy, nostalgia and fervour, and enriched by Balkan, Romanian, Gypsy, Mediterranean and even jazz influences. It calls the sound a nomadic, festive and sensitive breath, and says the quintet stays faithful to tradition while mixing oriental influences with the soul of a music for dancing and for the heart. The listing gives no ticket price, so check at the bar. The page is in French. A klezmer concert in a bar near the river is a lively way to spend an evening alone, with a drink in hand and a band that makes strangers smile. The music starts at 20:00 and the end time is estimated. «ARIANE QUINTET» Starts 20:00, ends about 23:00. Source: OpenAgenda — FESTIVAL CULTURE BAR-BARS (open data).

Official page ↗See who's going in Meet & Mint
Fri27Nov
CultureLyon
20:30–23:00

Lyon Comedy Club: Stand-Up Line-Up Night

Palais de la Mutualité de Lyon

Several up-and-coming stand-up comedians share the stage in the first edition of this comedy club night, hosted by Ugo Strebel. Tickets start at 8.99 euros; comedy crowds are friendly and laughing together breaks the ice.

Official page ↗See who's going in Meet & Mint

Formats

Where you talk without pressure

These formats give you a task or a topic, so you never have to open with small talk. Pages for Lyon:

  • Language cafés in Lyon: The topic is built in: everyone is there to practise, so asking a stranger a question is the point.
  • Game nights in Lyon: The game gives your hands something to do and everyone something to talk about.
  • Padel and pickleball in Lyon: Doubles games where partners rotate, so one session puts you on court with several different people.
  • Walk and talk: Walking side by side is easier than sitting face to face. (all cities; nothing for Lyon yet)
  • Book clubs and silent reading in Lyon: Either you discuss one book, or nobody has to talk at all.
  • Library nights: Free, low-key programmes in a place where it is normal to be alone. (all cities; nothing for Lyon yet)
  • New in town guide: A practical first-weeks guide with events for newcomers.
  • Answers for Lyon: short answers to common questions about going out alone, with names and dates.

How to go alone

Five steps for your first time

  1. Choose a single event with a clear start time and a host. "Monthly open jam session at Kraspek Myzik, Lyon" is a good candidate.
  2. Open the official page and check the date, price, language and whether you need to book.
  3. Turn up a little before the start and mention to the organiser that you came alone.
  4. Keep one simple question ready ("Have you been before?") and commit to staying for an hour before you judge it.
  5. Return to the same group once more before deciding; regulars make it easier, and Meet & Mint shows who plans to attend.

Alternatives to dating apps

What actually works, compared

A neutral comparison of five ways to meet people through shared activities. None needs a profile; the last column shows what we list for Lyon.

FormatWhy conversation startsWorks well if youTypical costCommitmentIn Lyon now
Dinners with strangersA shared table and a host who seats youLike longer one-to-one conversationThe price of a mealOne evening, often booked aheadnone in our data yet
Run clubsYou move at the same pace and talk on the movePrefer doing something active to small talkOften free or low costWeekly; talking is optionalnone in our data yet
Language cafésEveryone is practising, so starting a chat is expectedWant a ready-made reason to talkFree or the cost of a coffeeDrop-in3 listed
Game nightsThe game provides the topic and something to doEnjoy light competition or puzzlesFree or a small table feeDrop-in, two to three hours4 listed
VolunteeringA shared task and a teamWant to meet people with similar valuesFreeRegular shifts matter more than one visitnone in our data yet

Questions people ask

How do I meet people in Lyon without a dating app?

Go to a hosted group activity where the activity does the introducing. We list 41 upcoming events in Lyon (music, learning, social); the soonest include "Monthly open jam session at Kraspek Myzik, Lyon" and "Author talk on cultural exclusion with Victorien Bornéat".

Is it normal to turn up alone in Lyon?

It is common. Drop-in formats assume that most people arrive solo, and organisers are used to seating newcomers.

Will I meet someone romantic at these events in Lyon?

These are not dating events and we make no promises about romance: nobody is expected to be on a date. People mostly make friends and acquaintances, and anything beyond that happens naturally.

Are there free things to do alone in Lyon?

Yes. 15 of the 41 upcoming events we list in Lyon are free, including 4 in the next 30 days. Language cafés, library programmes and many walks cost nothing.

How do I start in Lyon if I find talking to strangers hard?

Start with a structured event, like a workshop or a conversation table, where there is always something to do or say. Give it an hour. Meet & Mint shows who else is going so you recognise a face.

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How it works

Meet & Mint in Lyon: how it works

  1. Find an event on Come Alone or in the Meet & Mint map and open the official page for the details.
  2. Join alone in the app: you see how many people are going and can read the group chat.
  3. Say hello before in the chat, so the first minutes at the venue are with names you know.
  4. Meet at the event and decide afterwards whether to go again. Nobody is on a date.

Meet & Mint

See who's going, then go together

Meet & Mint shows events and people near you on one map. Join an event alone, chat with the group, meet at the event. Free on iPhone and Android.

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