It is the only species of the genus Thymallus (the graylings) native to Europe, where it is widespread from the United Kingdom and France to the Ural Mountains in Russia, and Balkans on the south-east, but does not occur in the southern parts of the continent.

Of typical Thymallus appearance, the grayling proper is distinguished from the similar Arctic grayling (T. arcticus arcticus) by the presence of 5–8 dorsal and 3–4 anal spines, which are absent in the other species; T. thymallus also has a smaller number of soft rays in these fins.

[5] In Europe, they used to be persecuted by anglers for the false perception that they stopped trout colonizing stretches of rivers and streams.

Wading does not necessarily spook the grayling as they are generally less cautious than trout and are not as easily put off by human presence.

The Allier is one of the rare places in Southern Europe where the common grayling occurs in a natural habitat.