This paper advocates (l) as a sociolinguistic variable in Francoprovençal: (l) refers to variable palatalisation of /l/ in obstruent+lateral onset clusters (/kl, ɡl, pl, bl, fl/). Sociolinguistic interviews were performed in the Lyonnais region of France amid 21 FP speakers with distinct acquisition routes. The data are viewed as contact-caused change: phonological leveling is in progress, with convergence towards French.