Wifi in Lyon

The French pronunciation of Wifi sounds like 'weefee'. Hifi, however, is still pronounced like 'highfye'.

The particular thing about Lyon and perhaps France in general is that while Internet is widely used, carrying around your laptop and opening it in a café, or restaurant, or wherever it may be, is not as prevalent as it is in, say, Vancouver.
But sometimes, if you are lucky, you might be able to find an open connection.

I am happy to report that the Lyon 3 (and probably the other campuses) campus is Wifi enabled! But, you need a student number and password to access it.

I located a few sites that listed paying and non-paying wireless hotspots before I came but a few of the non-paying ones were gone or closed down. Bar none, for the technologically mobile (and not totally savvy), the best place for Wifi is almost any McDonald’s. You have unlimited access as long as you buy something. A cheeseburger is 0,95€.

Here are some things that I just found that I haven't read through yet but look interesting:
Windows users you can check the site wireless-lyon to connect to a proxy site. I have a Mac so I didn't bother reading through it.
Also, looks like this organisation Wifi-Lyon has something interesting going on. Worth looking into if just so that you don't leave after an internet session smelling like fry-oil.

On an un-Lyon related note, the restaurant on the ground level at Gare de Lyon in Paris provides free wireless for half an hour. Just sit on one of the benches near it.
In 2006, the mairie of Paris embarked on an ambitious project to make Paris wifi-enabled, including cutting taxes for companies that install fibre-optic cables, and allowing internet service providers to install antennae on strategic public locales. Currently, all public spaces in Paris are said to be Wifi enabled, i.e. parks, museums. To find open connection sources by arrondissements (district), check this link: Localisation des bornes Wi-Fi from the Mairie de Paris' website.

While I'm at it, here's a link to Londonist's map of Wi-fi hotspots in the eponymous city.