Lyon (French French is a Romance language spoken as a first language by about 136 million people worldwide. Around 190 million people speak French as a second language, and an additional 200 million speak it as an acquired foreign language. French speaking communities are present in 57 countries and territories. Most native speakers of the language live in pronunciation: [ljɔ̃] ( listen); Arpitan Franco-Provençal , Arpitan, or Romand (in Switzerland) (Vernacular: francoprovençâl, arpetan, patouès; Italian: francoprovenzale, arpitano, dialetto, patoà; French: francoprovençal, arpitan, patois) is a Romance language with several distinct dialects that form a linguistic sub-group separate from Langue d'Oïl and Langue d'Oc. The name: Liyon, IPA: [ʎjɔ̃]; English: /liːˈɒn/ or anglicized Anglicisation or Anglicization is a process of conversion of verbal or written elements of any other language into a more comprehensible English form for an English speaker, or to become English in form or character as Lyons /ˈlaɪ.ənz/), is a city in east-central France France (pronounced /ˈfrænts/ frantss or /ˈfrɑːnts/ frahnts; French pronunciation (help·info): [fʁɑ̃s]), officially the French Republic (French: République française, pronounced: [ʁepyblik fʁɑ̃sɛz]), is a state in Western Europe with several of its overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, in the region Rhône-Alpes Rhône-Alpes (French pronunciation: [ʁon.alp] ; Arpitan: Rôno-Arpes; Occitan: Ròse Aups) is one of the 26 regions of France, located on the eastern border of the country, towards the south. The region was named after the Rhône River and the Alps mountain range. Its capital, Lyon, is the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris, situated between Paris Paris ([paʁi] in French, pronounced /ˈpærɪs/ in English) is the capital and largest city of France. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region (or Paris Region, French: Région parisienne). The city of Paris, within its administrative limits largely unchanged since 1860, has an estimated and Marseille Marseille , formerly known as Massalia (from Greek: Μασσαλία), is the oldest city in France, and currently its second most-populous, behind Paris, with 852,395 residents as of 2007. It forms the third-largest urban area after those of Paris and Lyon with a population of 1,420,000 and the third-largest metropolitan area, also after those of. Lyon is located at 470 km (292 mi A mile is a unit of length in a number of different systems. In contemporary English, a mile most commonly refers to the statute mile of 5,280 feet , the survey mile of 5,280 survey feet (1,609.3472 metres (5,280.01 ft)) or the nautical mile of 1,852 metres (6,076.12 ft). It is about a third of the old measurement, the league) from Paris Paris ([paʁi] in French, pronounced /ˈpærɪs/ in English) is the capital and largest city of France. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region (or Paris Region, French: Région parisienne). The city of Paris, within its administrative limits largely unchanged since 1860, has an estimated, 320 km (199 mi A mile is a unit of length in a number of different systems. In contemporary English, a mile most commonly refers to the statute mile of 5,280 feet , the survey mile of 5,280 survey feet (1,609.3472 metres (5,280.01 ft)) or the nautical mile of 1,852 metres (6,076.12 ft). It is about a third of the old measurement, the league) from Marseille Marseille , formerly known as Massalia (from Greek: Μασσαλία), is the oldest city in France, and currently its second most-populous, behind Paris, with 852,395 residents as of 2007. It forms the third-largest urban area after those of Paris and Lyon with a population of 1,420,000 and the third-largest metropolitan area, also after those of, 160 km (99 mi) from Geneva Geneva (Arpitan: Genèva, IPA: [ˈd͡zənɛva]; French: Genève, IPA: [ʒənɛv]; German: Genf, IPA: [ˈɡɛnf] ; Italian: Ginevra; Romansh: Genevra) is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and is the most populous city of Romandie (the French-speaking part of Switzerland). Situated where the Rhône River exits Lake Geneva (, 280 km (174 mi) from Turin Turin (Italian: Torino, pronounced [toˈriːno] ; Piedmontese: Turin, pronounced [tyˈɾiŋ]) is a major city as well as a business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 (November 2008) while, and 600 km (373 mi) from Barcelona Barcelona is the capital and the most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain, after Madrid, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of 101.4 km2 (39 sq mi). The urban area of Barcelona extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of over 4. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais (singular and plural).

Lyon is a major centre of business with a reputation as the French capital of gastronomy Gastronomy is the study of the relationship between culture and food. It is often thought erroneously that the term gastronomy refers exclusively to the art of cooking , but this is only a small part of this discipline; it cannot always be said that a cook is also a gourmet. Gastronomy studies various cultural components with food as its central and having a significant role in the history of cinema The history of film spans over a hundred years, from the latter part of the 19th century to the present day and beyond. Motion pictures developed gradually from a carnival novelty to one of the most important tools of communication and entertainment, and mass media in the 20th century. Motion picture films have had a substantial impact on the arts, due to Auguste and Louis Lumière The Lumière brothers, Auguste Marie Louis Nicolas and Louis Jean (5 October 1864, Besançon, France – 6 June 1948, Bandol), were among the earliest filmmakers in history. (Appropriately, "lumière" translates as "light" in English.). The local professional football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players using a spherical ball. It is widely considered to be the most popular sport in the world team, Olympique Lyonnais Olympique Lyonnais is a French football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1, has increased the profile of Lyon internationally through participation in European football championships The UEFA Champions League is an annual Association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. The final of the competition is – along with the NFL's Super Bowl – the most watched annual sporting event worldwide, drawing just over 100 million television viewers.

The population of the city of Lyon is 472,305. Together with its suburbs and satellite towns, Lyon forms the second-largest metropolitan area A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large metropolis and its adjacent zone of influence, or of more than one closely adjoining neighboring central cities and their zone of influence. One or more large cities may serve as its hub or hubs, and the metropolitan area is normally named after either the largest or most in France after that of Paris Paris ([paʁi] in French, pronounced /ˈpærɪs/ in English) is the capital and largest city of France. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region (or Paris Region, French: Région parisienne). The city of Paris, within its administrative limits largely unchanged since 1860, has an estimated, with the population of its urban area estimated to be 1,348,832 (Insee, 1999) and that of its metropolitan area 1,748,271 (2006). Its urban region (Urban Community of Lyon The Urban Community of Lyon , also known as Grand Lyon (i.e. "Greater Lyon") or by its former acronym COURLY, is the intercommunal structure gathering the city of Lyon (France) and some of its suburbs), represents half of the Rhône-Alpes Rhône-Alpes (French pronunciation: [ʁon.alp] ; Arpitan: Rôno-Arpes; Occitan: Ròse Aups) is one of the 26 regions of France, located on the eastern border of the country, towards the south. The region was named after the Rhône River and the Alps mountain range. Its capital, Lyon, is the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris région France is administratively divided into 26 regions , of which 22 are on Metropolitan France, and four are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity (French: collectivité territoriale), but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE Web site. Each mainland region and Corsica are further subdivided into population with three million inhabitants.[1]

Lyon is the préfecture There are 100 préfectures in France, one for each département . The official in charge is the prefect . The préfecture is an administration that belongs to the Ministry of the Interior, and is therefore in charge of the delivery of identity cards, driving licenses, passports, residency and work permits for foreigners, vehicle registration, (capital) of the Rhône The Rhône department was created on August 12, 1793 when the former département of Rhône-et-Loire was split into two departments: Rhône and Loire département The departments of France and many of its former colonies are administrative divisions. The 100 French departments are grouped into 22 metropolitan and four overseas regions, all of which have identical legal status as integral parts of France. The departments are subdivided into 342 arrondissements, which in turn, are divided into cantons. Each, and also the capital A capital city is the area of a country, province, region, or state, regarded as enjoying primary status; although there are exceptions, a capital is almost always a city which physically encompasses the offices and meeting places of the seat of government and is fixed by law. An alternate term is political capital, but this phrase has a second of the Rhône-Alpes Rhône-Alpes (French pronunciation: [ʁon.alp] ; Arpitan: Rôno-Arpes; Occitan: Ròse Aups) is one of the 26 regions of France, located on the eastern border of the country, towards the south. The region was named after the Rhône River and the Alps mountain range. Its capital, Lyon, is the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris région France is administratively divided into 26 regions , of which 22 are on Metropolitan France, and four are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity (French: collectivité territoriale), but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE Web site. Each mainland region and Corsica are further subdivided into. The city is known for its historical and architectural landmarks and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance. The list is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 state parties which are elected by their General Assembly for a four-year term. Lyon was historically known as the silk capital of the world. The city is known as the culinary capital of France.

Economically, Lyon is a major industrial centre specializing in chemical The chemical industry comprises the companies that produce industrial chemicals. It is central to modern world economy, converting raw materials into more than 70,000 different products, pharmaceutical, and biotech Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living things in engineering, technology, medicine, and other useful applications. Modern use similar term includes genetic engineering as well as cell- and tissue culture technologies. The concept encompasses a wide range of procedures for modifying living organisms according to industries. The city contains a significant software industry with a particular focus on video games, and in recent years has focussed on a growing local start-up A startup company or startup is a company with a limited operating history. These companies, generally newly created, are in a phase of development and research for markets. The term became popular internationally during the dot-com bubble when a great number of dot-com companies were founded. A high tech startup company is a startup company sector[2]. Lyon also hosts the international headquarters of Interpol Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation. It was established as the International Criminal Police Commission in 1923 and adopted its telegraphic address as its common name in 1956, Euronews Euronews is a pan-European multilingual news television channel launched on 1 January 1993 in Lyon. It covers world news from a European perspective, and is available in nine languages, International Agency for Research on Cancer The International Agency for Research on Cancer is an intergovernmental agency forming part of the World Health Organisation of the United Nations.

Lyon is a pilot city of the Council of Europe The Council of Europe is one of the oldest international organisations working towards European integration, having been founded in 1949. It has a particular emphasis on legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation. It has 47 member states with some 800 million citizens. It is distinct from the and the European Commission The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union Intercultural cities The Intercultural City programme is a joint project of the Council of Europe and the European Commission. It stimulates new ideas and practice in relation to the integration of migrants and minorities programme. Lyon is ranked 2nd in France as an economic centre and convention centre on some measures[3]. Lyon was in 2009 ranked 10th globally and 2nd in France France (pronounced /ˈfrænts/ frantss or /ˈfrɑːnts/ frahnts; French pronunciation (help·info): [fʁɑ̃s]), officially the French Republic (French: République française, pronounced: [ʁepyblik fʁɑ̃sɛz]), is a state in Western Europe with several of its overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, for innovation[4][5].

Contents

History

Main article for early history: Lugdunum Colonia Copia Claudia Augusta Lugdunum was an important Roman city in Gaul. The city was founded in 43 BC by Lucius Munatius Plancus. It served as the capital of the Roman province Gallia Lugdunensis. For 300 years after its foundation Lugdunum was the most important city in north-western Europe. Two emperors, Claudius (Germanicus) and Caracalla,
Main article for later history: History of Lyon Further information: Ecclesiastical history of Lyon
Lucius Munatius Plancus, founder of Lyon

Lyon was founded on the Fourvière hill as a Roman The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean. The term is used to describe the Roman state during and after the time of the first emperor, Augustus colony in 43 BC by Munatius Plancus, a lieutenant of Caesar Gaius Julius Cæsar/Caesar was a Roman military and political leader. He played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire, on the site of a Gaulish hill-fort settlement called Lug[o]dunon, from the Celtic Celtic mythology is the mythology of Celtic polytheism, apparently the religion of the Iron Age Celts. Like other Iron Age Europeans, the early Celts maintained a polytheistic mythology and religious structure. Among Celts in close contact with Ancient Rome, such as the Gauls and Celtiberians, their mythology did not survive the Roman empire, god Lugus Lugus was a deity of the Celtic pantheon. His name is rarely directly attested in inscriptions, but his importance can be inferred from placenames and ethnonyms, and his nature and attributes are deduced from the distinctive iconography of Gallo-Roman inscriptions to Mercury, who is widely believed to have been identified with Lugus, and from the ('Light', cognate with Old Irish Irish is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language only by a small minority of the Irish population but is also used as a second language by a larger and expanding minority[citation needed]. It also plays an important Lugh Lug or Lugh is an Irish deity represented in mythological texts as a hero and High King of the distant past. He is known by the epithets Lámhfhada (pronounced /'la:wad̪ˠə/, meaning "long arm" or "long hand", or "left hand"), for his skill with a spear or sling, Ildánach ("skilled in many arts"), Samhild, Modern Irish ) and dúnon (hill-fort). Lyon was first named Lugdunum meaning the "hill of lights" or "the hill of crows". Lug was equated by the Romans to Mercury Mercury (pronounced /ˈmɜrkjʉri/, Latin: Mercurius listen (help·info)) was a messenger, and a god of trade, the son of Maia Maiestas and Jupiter in Roman mythology. His name is related to the Latin word merx ("merchandise"; compare merchant, commerce, etc.), mercari (to trade), and merces (wages). In his earliest forms, he appears to.

Agrippa recognized that Lugdunum's position on the natural highway from northern to south-eastern France made it a natural communications hub, and he made Lyon the starting point of the principal Roman roads throughout Gaul. It then became the capital of Gaul, partly thanks to its convenient location at the convergence of two navigable rivers, and quickly became the main city of Gaul. Two emperors were born in this city: Claudius and Caracalla. Today, the archbishop of Lyon is still referred to as "le primat des Gaules" and the city often referred to as the "capitale des Gaules".

The Christians in Lyon were persecuted for their religion under the reigns of the various Roman emperors, most notably Marcus Aurelius and Septimus Severus. Local saints from this period include saints such as Blandina (Blandine), Pothinus (Pothin) , and Epipodius (Épipode), among others.

The great Christian bishop of Lyon in the 2nd century was the Easterner Irenaeus.

Lyon under siege (1793)

Burgundian refugees from the destruction of Worms by Huns in 437 were resettled by the military commander of the west, Aëtius, at Lugdunum, which was formally the capital of the new Burgundian kingdom by 461.

In 843, by the Treaty of Verdun, Lyon, with the country beyond the Saône, went to Lothair I, and later became a part of the Kingdom of Arles. Lyon only came under French control in the fourteenth century.

Fernand Braudel remarked, Historians of Lyon are not sufficiently aware of the bi-polarity between Paris and Lyon, which is a constant structure in French development from the late Middle Ages to the Industrial Revolution (Braudel 1984 p. 327). The fairs in Lyon, the invention of Italian merchants, made it the economic countinghouse of France in the late 15th century. When international banking moved to Genoa, then Amsterdam, Lyon simply became the banking centre of France; its new Bourse (treasury), built in 1749, still resembled a public bazaar where accounts were settled in the open air. During the Renaissance, the city developed with the silk trade, especially with Italy; the Italian influence on Lyon's architecture can still be seen[citation needed]. Thanks to the silk trade, Lyon became an important industrial town during the 19th century.

Lyon in the 18th century

Lyon was a scene of mass violence against Huguenots in the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacres in 1572.

During the French Revolution, Lyon rose up against the National Convention and supported the Girondins. In 1793, the city was under siege for over two months, assaulted by the Revolutionary armies, before eventually surrendering. Several buildings were destroyed, especially around the Place Bellecour, and Jean-Marie Collot d'Herbois with Joseph Fouché administered the execution of more than 2,000 people. A decade later, Napoleon himself ordered the reconstruction of all the buildings demolished during this period.

The silk workers of Lyon, known as canuts, staged two major uprisings: in 1831 and 1834. The 1831 uprising saw one of the first recorded uses of the black flag as an emblem of protest. The world's first funicular railway was built between Lyon and La Croix-Rousse in 1862.

Lyon in 1860 The Saône River in Lyon as seen from Pont La Feuillée View from Fourvière

Lyon was a centre for the occupying German forces and also a stronghold of resistance during World War II, and the city is now home to a resistance museum. (See also Klaus Barbie.) The traboules, or secret passages, through the houses enabled the local people to escape Gestapo raids.

Geography

Lyon's geography is dominated by the Rhône and Saône rivers that converge to the south of the historic city centre forming a peninsula or "Presqu'île"; two large hills, one to the west and one to the north of the historic city centre; and a large plain which sprawls eastward from the historic city centre.

To the west is Fourvière, known as "the hill that prays", the location for the highly decorated Notre-Dame de Fourvière basilica, several convents, the palace of the Archbishop, the Tour métallique (a highly visible TV tower, replicating the last stage of the Eiffel Tower) and a funicular (a railway on a steep hill).

To the north is the Croix-Rousse, "the hill that works", traditionally home to many small silk workshops, an industry for which the city was once renowned.

The original medieval city (Vieux Lyon) was built on the west bank of the Saône river at the foot of the Fourvière hill, west of the Presqu'île. This area, along with portions of the Presqu'île and much of the Croix-Rousse is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Place Bellecour is located on the peninsula (Presqu'île) between the rivers Rhône and Saône and is the third largest public square in France and one of the largest in Europe. Specifically, it is the largest clear square (i.e., without any patches of greenery, trees or any other kind of obstacles) in Europe.[citation needed] The broad, pedestrian-only Rue de la République leads north from Place Bellecour. The 2nd arrondissement has many of the finest old residential buildings in Lyon and the area is known for its concentration of old Lyonnaise Catholic families, particularly in the Ainay part of the arrondissement.

East of the Rhône from the Presqu'île is a large area of flat ground upon which sits much of modern Lyon and most of the city's population. Situated in this area is the urban centre of Part-Dieu which clusters the former Tour du Crédit Lyonnais, "Part-Dieu Tower" today, the Tour Oxygène, the Tour Swiss Life , the Part-Dieu shopping centre, and one of Lyon's two major rail terminals, Lyon Part-Dieu.

North of this district is the relatively wealthy 6th arrondissement, which is home to the Parc de la Tête d'Or, one of Europe's largest urban parks, the prestigious Lycée du Parc to the south of the park, and Interpol's world headquarters on the park's western edge. The park contains a free zoo that has recently been upgraded.

Several buildings are being constructed in Part-Dieu such as the Tour Oxygène and other projects such as the Tour Incity.

Panorama of the inner city of Lyon, taken from the Basilique of Fourvière.

Climate

Lyon is classed as borderline Oceanic and Humid Subtropical (Koppen Cfb/Cfa). Winters are cooler than much of the rest of France due to its more inland position, but generally not cold, averaging 3.2 °C (37.8 °F) in January. Summers are very warm, averaging 21.3 °C (70.3 °F) in July. Precipitation is adequate year-round, at an average of 840 millimetres (33.1 in), but the winter months are the driest.

Climate data for Lyon
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 6.2 (43.2) 8.4 (47.1) 12.4 (54.3) 15.3 (59.5) 20.0 (68) 23.5 (74.3) 27.0 (80.6) 26.7 (80.1) 22.3 (72.1) 16.7 (62.1) 10.2 (50.4) 7.1 (44.8) 16.3 (61.3)
Average low °C (°F) 0.1 (32.2) 1.2 (34.2) 3.3 (37.9) 5.6 (42.1) 9.9 (49.8) 13.1 (55.6) 15.6 (60.1) 15.3 (59.5) 11.9 (53.4) 8.4 (47.1) 3.6 (38.5) 1.5 (34.7) 7.5 (45.5)
Precipitation mm (inches) 52.9 (2.083) 50.5 (1.988) 54.8 (2.157) 72.3 (2.846) 87.8 (3.457) 80.2 (3.157) 62.0 (2.441) 69.0 (2.717) 88.3 (3.476) 94.7 (3.728) 75.1 (2.957) 55.5 (2.185) 843.1 (33.193)
Avg. precipitation days 9.4 9 8.8 9.5 11.3 8.8 6.8 7.2 7.7 10.3 9.2 9.5 107.5
Sunshine hours 69 97 172 180 225 232 275 259 187 111 70 55 1,932
Source #1: World Meteorological Organization[6]
Source #2: Météo France [7]

Administration

Lyon and its 9 arrondissements
History of Lyon Lugdunum · Geography of Lyon
1st arrondissement of Lyon 2nd arrondissement of Lyon 3rd arrondissement of Lyon 4th arrondissement of Lyon 5th arrondissement of Lyon 6th arrondissement of Lyon 7th arrondissement of Lyon 8th arrondissement of Lyon 9th arrondissement of Lyon
Lyon's early 17th-century town hall. The Notre-Dame de Fourvière Basilica, which overlooks the city Bartholdi Fountain at the Place des Terreaux Statue of Louis XIV, with Ferris wheel in background, at Bellecour The Ile Barbe island along the Saône in Lyon's 9th arrondissement Part Dieu District by night

Lyon is the capital of the Rhône-Alpes région, the préfecture of the Rhône département, and the capital of 14 cantons, covering 1 commune, and with a total population of 488,300 (2007).

Arrondissements

Main article: Arrondissements of Lyon

Like Paris and Marseille, Lyon is divided into a number of municipal arrondissements (sometimes translated into English as boroughs), each of which is identified by a number and has its own council and town hall.

Five arrondissements were originally created in 1852, when three neighbouring communes (La Croix-Rousse, La Guillotière, and Vaise) were annexed by Lyon.

Between 1867 and 1959, the 3rd arrondissement (which originally covered the whole of the Left Bank of the Rhône) was split three times, creating a new arrondissement in each case.

Then, in 1963, the commune of Saint-Rambert-l'Île-Barbe was annexed to Lyon's 5th arrondissement. A year later, in 1964, the 5th was split to create Lyon's 9th – and, to date, final – arrondissement.

Within each arrondissement, there are a number of recognisable quartiers or neighbourhoods:

Culture

UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Historic Site of Lyon was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. In their designation, UNESCO cited the "exceptional testimony to the continuity of urban settlement over more than two millennia on a site of great commercial and strategic significance."[11] The specific regions composing the Historic Site include:

Both Vieux-Lyon and the slopes of Croix-Rousse are known for their narrow passageways (traboules) that pass through buildings and link streets on either side.

Gastronomy

For several centuries Lyon has been known as the French capital of gastronomy, due, in part, to the presence of many of France's finest chefs in the city and its surroundings (e.g. Paul Bocuse). This reputation also comes from the fact that two of France's best known wine-growing regions are located near Lyon: the Beaujolais to the North, and the Côtes du Rhône to the South. Beaujolais wine is very popular in Lyon and remains the most common table wine served with local dishes.

Lyon is the home of very typical and traditional restaurants: the bouchons. Bouchons are usually convivial restaurants serving local dishes, and local wines.

Lyon is famous for its morning snacks formerly had by its (silk) workers, the mâchons, made up of local charcuterie and usually accompanied by Beaujolais red wine. Traditional local dishes include Rosette lyonnaise and saucisson de Lyon (sausage), andouillette, coq au vin, esox (pike) quenelle, gras double (tripe cooked with onions), salade lyonnaise (lettuce with bacon, croutons and a poached egg), marrons glacés, coussin de Lyon and cardoon au gratin.

Economy

The GDP of Lyon is 62 billion euro,[13] and the city is the second richest city after Paris. Lyon and its region Rhône-Alpes represent one of the most important economies in Europe and, according to the Loughborough university, can be compared to Philadelphia, Bombay or Athens concerning its international position. The city of Lyon is working in partnerships to more easily enable the establishment of new headquarters in the territory. (ADERLY, Chambre du commerce et d'industrie, Grand Lyon...). According to the ECER-Banque Populaire, Lyon is the 14th favorite city in the European Union concerning the creation of companies and investments.

Headquarters

Lyon is the headquarters of many companies like Euronews, Lyon Airports, BioMérieux, Sanofi Pasteur, LCL S.A., Cegid Group, Boiron, Infogrames,Groupe SEB, LVL Medical, GL Events, Compagnie Nationale du Rhône (C.N.R.) ... , and intergovernmental agencies IARC, Interpol.

Business quarter

The specialization of some sectors of activities have the consequence of creating several main business centers: La Part-Dieu, located in the 3rd arrondissement is the second biggest business district after La Défense in Paris with its emblematic Tour du Crédit Lyonnais (Pencil tower) and Oxygen Tower. Cité Internationale (International City), completely created by the architect Renzo Piano and finished in 2006. This zone is located in the border of the Parc de la tête d'or in the 6th arrondissement. The worldwide headquarters of Interpol is located there. The quarter of the Confluence, in the south of the historic centre is a new pole of economical and cultural development. This zone is located in the south of Bellecour and the Perrache railway station.

Tourism

The tourism industry is really beneficial to Lyon with one billion euros in 2007 and 3.5 million hotel nights from foreigners in 2006. Approximately 60% of tourists visit for business, with the rest for leisure. In January 2009, Lyon is in first place of the hostels business in France. The main tourist festivals are the Fête des lumières also known as the festival of lights. The Nuits de Fourvière, annual festival in June and August. The Biennale d'art contemporain. The Nuits Sonores

Research

Laboratory P4 Jean Merieux

Lyon is home to some of the most dangerous viruses in the world (class 4) in the Jean Merieux laboratory of research, like Ebola, Marburg, Nipah, Hendra, and Lassa.[14]

Main sights

The Roman-era Theatre on the Fourvière hill The Saint-Jean Cathedral, seat of the Archbishop of Lyon Place Bellecour, the "official" center of Lyon

These are the main sights in Lyon.

Noteworthy sites

Antiquity

Middle Ages and Renaissance

17th and 18th century

19th century and modern city

Museums

Parks and gardens

A view of one of the many gardens in the Parc de la Tête d'Or

The garden was established in 1857 as a successor to earlier botanical gardens dating to 1796, and now describes itself as France's largest municipal botanical garden. Today it contains about 15,000 plants, including 3500 plants of temperate regions, 760 species of shrubs, a hundred species of wild roses, 750 varieties of historical roses, 200 varieties of peonies recognized by the Conservatoire Français des Collections Végétales Spécialisées (CCVS), 1800 species of alpine plants, 50 varieties of water lilies, and 6,000 species in its greenhouses.

The garden's greenhouses enclose a total of 6,500 m2 (69,965.42 sq ft) in area, and include a central pavilion for tropical plants including camellias over a hundred years old; a greenhouse-aquarium with Amazonian water lilies; a Dutch greenhouse containing carnivorous plants; small greenhouses with orchids; and small cold greenhouses with azaleas, cactus, and so forth.

Colleges and universities

International primary and secondary level schools in Lyon

There are some international schools in Lyon, including:

Sport

Lyon is home to the Ligue 1 football team Olympique Lyonnais, commonly known as "Lyon" or "OL". The team has enjoyed unprecedented success recently, winning seven consecutive national titles and establishing themselves as France's premier football club. The team competes in the prestigious UEFA Champions League and currently plays at the Stade de Gerland, where the Danone Nations Cup is held every year. The team is set to move to a new stadium in Décines-Charpieu (in the eastern suburbs) in 2010, which will hold 61,556 people. Lyon also has a rugby union team, Lyon OU, currently playing in division 2, Rugby Pro D2. In addition, Lyon has a rugby league side: Lyon Villeurbanne Rhône XIII, or LVR XIII,[15] play in the French rugby league championship. The club's current home ground is Stade Georges Lyvet in Villeurbanne. Lyon is also home to the Lyon Hockey Club, an ice hockey team that competes in France's national ice hockey league. Finally, Villeurbanne also has a renowned basketball team, ASVEL, who play at the Astroballe arena in Cusset.

Transport

Air

The Saint-Exupéry International Airport is located 20 km (12 mi) east of Lyon, and serves as a base for domestic and international flights. With its in-house train station (Gare de Lyon Saint-Exupéry) the airport is also connected to the TGV network.

The Lyon-Bron Airport is a smaller airport dedicated to General Aviation (both private and commercial), located 10 km (6.2 mi) east of the city centre. Having helipads, the facility hosts a Gendarmerie and a Sécurité Civile (civilian defence) Base. This smaller airport used to be Lyon's international airport before all the airline's activities got transferred to Lyon Saint-Exupéry.

Rail

Lyon is connected to the north (Lille, Paris, Brussels, and in the future Amsterdam) and the south (Marseille, Montpellier, and in the future Barcelona, Turin) by the TGV. It was the first city to be connected to Paris by the TGV in 1981.

Lyon has two major railway stations: Lyon Part-Dieu, which was built to accommodate the TGV and has become the principal railway station for extra-regional trains; and Lyon Perrache, which is an older station that now primarily serves regional rail services. In practice, many trains, including TGVs, serve both stations. Smaller railway stations include Gorge de Loup, Vaise, Vénissieux, St-Paul and Jean-Macé.

Road

Network of highways around Lyon

The City is at the heart of a dense road network and is located at the meeting point of several highways: A6 (to Paris), A7 (to Marseille), A42 (to Geneve), A43 (to Grenoble). The city is now bypassed by the A46.

Intercity coach

Lyon is served by the Eurolines intercity coach organisation. Its Lyon terminal is located at the city's Perrache railway station, which serves as an intermodal transportation hub that also includes tramways, local and regional trains and busses, the terminus of metro line A, the bicycle service Vélo'v, taxis, and high-speed TGV trains.

Public transport

public transport map Further information: Lyon Metro, Tramways in Lyon, Transports in Rhône-Alpes and TER Rhône Alpes

The TCL (French: Transports en Commun Lyonnais), Lyon's public transit system, consisting of metro, buses and tramways, serves 62 communes of the Lyon agglomeration. The subway network has 4 lines ( A B C D), 39 stations and runs with a frequency of up to a train every 2 minutes. The bus network consists of normal buses, trolleybuses and coaches for areas outside the centre. There are four tram lines since April 2009: T1 from Montrochet in the south to IUT-Feyssine in the north, Tram T2 from Perrache railway station in the southwest to Saint-Priest in the southeast, Tram T3 from Part-Dieu to Meyzieu, and Tram T4 from Mendès-France to Feyzin. There are also two funicular lines from Vieux Lyon to Saint-Just and Fourvière. Despite the existence of several systems and operators the ticketing is unified through a unique system.

The REAL project intends on promoting and eventually increasing, the usage of public transport means by commuters.

Public bicycle service Vélo'v

Rhônexpress (formerly The LESLYS - Liaison ExpresS LYon Saint-Exupéry[16]) will provide the metropolis with a light train shuttle ("Tram-Train") connecting the airport to the city's downtown. Rhônexpress (a consortium created for this purpose by major French construction companies) was awarded the operation of this rail link by the prime owner of the infrastructure (Département du Rhône) through a PPP (Public-Private-Partnership) vehicle.[17]

The public transit system is complemented by Vélo'v, a bicycle network providing a low cost and convenient bicycle hire service where bicycles can be hired and dropped off at any of 340 stations throughout the city. Borrowing a bicycle for less than 30 minutes is free.

Lyon's tramway

International attraction

The unusual project Lyon Dubai City, a reproduction of some districts of Lyon in Dubai, is a major point for the tourism in Lyon.

People from Lyon

Movies in Lyon

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in France

Twin towns — Sister cities

Lyon is twinned with:[18]

The lion is a common sight in Lyon:

A lion door knocker in Lyon

The lion at Maison des Avocats

A real lion in the Parc de la Tête d'Or

Sculpture of lions at the Gare Part-Dieu

The lion on the seal of Lyon

See also

Lyon portal

Other

Lyon centre, view to Fourvière Hill from Presqu'île near Place Bellecour

References

Notes
  1. ^ "The RUL website (French)". Regionurbainedelyon.fr. http://www.regionurbainedelyon.fr/. Retrieved 2009-02-05.
  2. ^ http://www.business.greaterlyon.com/city-business-support-lyon-entrepreneurship-system.85.0.html?&L=1
  3. ^ http://www.en.lyon-france.com/business-and-press/business-tourism/p-616/why-lyon.php
  4. ^ http://www.innovation-cities.com/top-innovation-cities-75-ranked-worldwide/
  5. ^ http://www.innovation-cities.com/release-innovation-cities™-europe-25-index/
  6. ^ "Historical Weather for Lyon". worldweather.org. http://www.worldweather.org/062/c01054.htm. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  7. ^ "Prévisions météo de Météo-France". Météo France. http://france.meteofrance.com/france/climat_france?CLIMAT_PORTLET.path=climatstationn/69029001. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  8. ^ "Pierre Alain Muet Archives 2008". Pa-muet.com. 2008-06-17. http://pa-muet.com/archives.htm. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
  9. ^ "Bottazzi fait le mur". Brefonline.Com. http://www.brefonline.com/numeroERA_affichearticle.asp?idA=3262. Retrieved 2009-02-05.
  10. ^ "The African Museum of Lyon Website". Musee-africain-lyon.org. http://www.musee-africain-lyon.org/. Retrieved 2009-02-05.
  11. ^ Entry on Historic Site of Lyons UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Retrieved November 26, 2009.
  12. ^ UNESCO World Heritage Site. City of Lyon official website. Retrieved November 26, 2009.
  13. ^ "Chiffres-clés Lyon & sa région" (in french). http://www.opale-lyon.com/content/medias/pdf/000051.pdf.
  14. ^ "Le laboratoire P4, ménagerie virale". LeMonde.fr. http://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2009/06/05/le-laboratoire-p4-menagerie-virale_1202866_3244.html. Retrieved 2009-07-08.
  15. ^ Le site de Lyon Villeurbanne Rhône à XIII - LVR XIII
  16. ^ Press release for the official name change signature
  17. ^ Press release from local authorities reporting the contract awarding to Rhônexpress
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Partner Cities of Lyon and Greater Lyon". © 2008 Mairie de Lyon. http://www.lyon.fr/vdl/sections/en/villes_partenaires/villes_partenaires_2/?aIndex=1. Retrieved 2008-10-21.
  19. ^ "Twinning the Cities". City of Beirut. http://www.beirut.gov.lb/MCMSTest/Menu-Pages/SisterCitiesEN.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRORIGINALURL=%2fwww%2ebeirut%2egov%2elb%2fMCMSEN%2fTwinning%2bthe%2bCities%2f&NRNODEGUID=%7b18839037-0140-436E-A1AF-7F8F3693C3E6%7d&NRCACHEHINT=NoModifyGuest#. Retrieved 2009-03-17.
  20. ^ "Partner Cities". Birmingham City Council. http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/twins. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
  21. ^ "Sister Cities of Guangzhou". Guangzhou Foreign Affairs Office. http://www.gzwaishi.gov.cn/Item/3970.aspx. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
  22. ^ "Frankfurt -Partner Cities". © 2008 Stadt Frankfurt am Main. http://www.frankfurt.de/sixcms/detail.php?id=502645. Retrieved 2008-12-05.
  23. ^ "Leipzig - International Relations". © 2009 Leipzig City Council, Office for European and International Affairs. http://www.leipzig.de/int/en/int_messen/partnerstaedte/. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
  24. ^ "Official Yokohama City Tourism Website: Sister Cities". © Yokohama Convention & Visitors Bureau. http://www.welcome.city.yokohama.jp/eng/tourism/mame/a3000.html. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  25. ^ "Yerevan Municipality - Sister Cities". © 2005-2009 www.yerevan.am. http://yerevan.am/main.php?lang=3&page_id=194. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
  26. ^ "Twin Cities". The City of _Łódź_ Office. (English) and (Polish) © 2007 UM_. http://en.www.uml.lodz.pl/index.php?str=2029. Retrieved 2008-10-23.
  27. ^ "Milano - Città Gemellate". © 2008 Municipality of Milan (Comune di Milano). http://www.comune.milano.it/portale/wps/portal/CDM?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/wps/wcm/connect/ContentLibrary/In%20Comune/In%20Comune/Citt%20Gemellate. Retrieved 2008-12-05.
  28. ^ "Twin towns of Minsk". © 2008 The department of protocol and international relations of Minsk City Executive Committee. http://minsk.gov.by/cgi-bin/org_ps.pl?k_org=3604&mode=doc&doc=3604_2_a&lang=eng. Retrieved 2008-12-08.
  29. ^ "Montreal partner city". Lyon.fr. http://www.lyon.fr/vdl/sections/en/villes_partenaires/villes_partenaires_2/?aIndex=1. Retrieved 2009-02-05.
  30. ^ "Saint Petersburg in figures - International and Interregional Ties". Saint Petersburg City Government. http://eng.gov.spb.ru/figures/ities. Retrieved 2008-11-23.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Lyon
Lyon Topics
History Lugdunum · History of Lyon · Category:History of Lyon · Canut revolts · Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lyon · Cognet de Seynes · Traboule
Arrondissements 1st arrondissement of Lyon · 2nd arrondissement of Lyon · 3rd arrondissement of Lyon · 4th arrondissement of Lyon · 5th arrondissement of Lyon · 6th arrondissement of Lyon · 7th arrondissement of Lyon · 8th arrondissement of Lyon · 9th arrondissement of Lyon
Geography Arrondissements of Lyon · Rhone · Saône · Quarters of Lyon · Squares in Lyon · Streets in Lyon
Education Catholic University of Lyon · Claude Bernard University Lyon 1 · Collège-lycée Ampère · ESDES · École Catholique des Arts et Métiers · École centrale de Lyon · École nationale des beaux-arts de Lyon · École Normale Supérieure Lettres et Sciences Humaines · École Normale Supérieure de Lyon · École supérieure de chimie physique électronique de Lyon · École de management de Lyon · Institut d'études politiques de Lyon
Préfectures of départements of France

Bourg-en-Bresse (Ain) · Laon (Aisne) · Moulins (Allier) · Digne-les-Bains (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence) · Gap (Hautes-Alpes) · Nice (Alpes-Maritimes) · Privas (Ardèche) · Charleville-Mézières (Ardennes) · Foix (Ariège) · Troyes (Aube) · Carcassonne (Aude) · Rodez (Aveyron) · Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône) · Caen (Calvados) · Aurillac (Cantal) · Angoulême (Charente) · La Rochelle (Charente-Maritime) · Bourges (Cher) · Tulle (Corrèze) · Ajaccio (Corse-du-Sud) · Bastia (Haute-Corse) · Dijon (Côte-d'Or) · Saint-Brieuc (Côtes-d'Armor) · Guéret (Creuse) · Périgueux (Dordogne) · Besançon (Doubs) · Valence (Drôme) · Évreux (Eure) · Chartres (Eure-et-Loir) · Quimper (Finistère) · Nîmes (Gard) · Toulouse (Haute-Garonne) · Auch (Gers) · Bordeaux (Gironde) · Montpellier (Hérault) · Rennes (Ille-et-Vilaine) · Châteauroux (Indre) · Tours (Indre-et-Loire) · Grenoble (Isère) · Lons-le-Saunier (Jura) · Mont-de-Marsan (Landes) · Blois (Loir-et-Cher) · Saint-Étienne (Loire) · Le Puy-en-Velay (Haute-Loire) · Nantes (Loire-Atlantique) · Orléans (Loiret) · Cahors (Lot) · Agen (Lot-et-Garonne) · Mende (Lozère) · Angers (Maine-et-Loire) · Saint-Lô (Manche) · Châlons-en-Champagne (Marne) · Chaumont (Haute-Marne) · Laval (Mayenne) · Nancy (Meurthe-et-Moselle) · Bar-le-Duc (Meuse) · Vannes (Morbihan) · Metz (Moselle) · Nevers (Nièvre) · Lille (Nord) · Beauvais (Oise) · Alençon (Orne) · Arras (Pas-de-Calais) · Clermont-Ferrand (Puy-de-Dôme) · Pau (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) · Tarbes (Hautes-Pyrénées) · Perpignan (Pyrénées-Orientales) · Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin) · Colmar (Haut-Rhin) · Lyon (Rhône) · Vesoul (Haute-Saône) · Mâcon (Saône-et-Loire) · Le Mans (Sarthe) · Chambéry (Savoie) · Annecy (Haute-Savoie) · Paris (Paris) · Rouen (Seine-Maritime) · Melun (Seine-et-Marne) · Versailles (Yvelines) · Niort (Deux-Sèvres) · Amiens (Somme) · Albi (Tarn) · Montauban (Tarn-et-Garonne) · Toulon (Var) · Avignon (Vaucluse) · La Roche-sur-Yon (Vendée) · Poitiers (Vienne) · Limoges (Haute-Vienne) · Épinal (Vosges) · Auxerre (Yonne) · Belfort (Territoire de Belfort) · Évry (Essonne) · Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine) · Bobigny (Seine-Saint-Denis) · Créteil (Val-de-Marne) · Cergy (Val-d'Oise)

Overseas departments

Cayenne (French Guiana) · Basse-Terre (Guadeloupe) · Fort-de-France (Martinique) · Saint-Denis (Réunion)

Préfectures of régions of France
Metropolitan France

Strasbourg (Alsace) · Bordeaux (Aquitaine) · Clermont-Ferrand (Auvergne) · Dijon (Burgundy) · Rennes (Brittany) · Orléans (Centre) · Châlons-en-Champagne (Champagne-Ardenne) · Ajaccio (Corsica) · Besançon (Franche-Comté) · Paris (Île-de-France) · Montpellier (Languedoc-Roussillon) · Limoges (Limousin) · Metz (Lorraine) · Toulouse (Midi-Pyrénées) · Lille (Nord-Pas de Calais) · Caen (Lower Normandy) · Rouen (Upper Normandy) · Nantes (Pays de la Loire) · Amiens (Picardy) · Poitiers (Poitou-Charentes) · Marseille (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur) · Lyon (Rhône-Alpes)

Overseas regions

Cayenne (French Guiana) · Basse-Terre (Guadeloupe) · Fort-de-France (Martinique) · Saint-Denis (Réunion)

World Heritage Sites in France
Île-de-France

Palace and Park of Versailles · Palace of Fontainebleau and Park · Paris – Banks of the Seine · Provins · Routes of Santiago de Compostela1

Parisian basin

Amiens Cathedral · Belfries of Belgium and France2 · Bourges Cathedral · Cathedral of Chartres · Cathedral of Notre-Dame, former Abbey of Saint-Remi and Palace of Tau, Reims · Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay · Fortifications of Vauban1 · Le Havre · Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes1 · Mont Saint-Michel and its Bay1 · Routes of Santiago de Compostela1 · Vézelay Church and Hill

Nord-Pas-de-Calais

Belfries of Belgium and France2 · Fortifications of Vauban1

East

Fortifications of Vauban1 · Great Saltworks of Salins-les-Bains and Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans · Place Stanislas, Place de la Carrière and Place d'Alliance, Nancy · StrasbourgGrande Île

West

Abbey Church of Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe · Fortifications of Vauban1 · Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes1 · Mont Saint-Michel and its Bay1 · Routes of Santiago de Compostela1

South West

Bordeaux · Canal du Midi1 · Fortifications of Vauban1 · Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley · Pyrénées - Mont Perdu3 · Routes of Santiago de Compostela1 · Saint-Émilion

Centre East

Lyon · Routes of Santiago de Compostela1

Mediterranean

Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments · Canal du Midi1 · Carcassonne · Fortifications of Vauban1 · Gulf of Porto (Calanches de PianaGulf of GirolataScandola Reserve) · Papal Palace, Episcopal Ensemble and Avignon Bridge, Avignon · Pont du Gard · Roman Theatre and its Surroundings and Triumphal Arch of Orange · Routes of Santiago de Compostela1

Overseas departments and territories

Lagoons of New Caledonia

1 Shared with other region/s · 2 Shared locally with other region/s and with · 3 Shared with

Categories: Lyon | Communes of Rhône | Populated places on the Rhone

 

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'London Bridge' table to be auctioned - The Associated Press
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'London Bridge' table to be auctioned - The Associated Press
Sun, 27 Jun 2010 13:01:09 GMT+00:00
The Associated Press The table is to be auctioned off Wednesday. Scottish auctioneers Lyon and Turnbull, estimate it will fetch between 2000 and 3000 pounds ($3000 to $4500). Table made from Old London Bridge foundations for sale BBC News 'London Bridge' table to be sold The Press Association 'London Bridge' table to be auctioned Atlanta Journal Constitution
Google News Search: Lyon,
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Yahoo Images Search: Lyon,
Wed Jul 21 11:57:47 2010
 Lyon | fredericiana
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Lyon | fredericiana

Fred

Sat, 03 Jul 2010 16:16:32 GM

A week ago, Tara and I took a trip to . Lyon. , France, and spent a few days basically eating the most delicious food in the universe all day (did I mention the.

Google Blogs Search: Lyon,
Mon Jul 26 15:54:16 2010
What sponsor are genuine lyon jerseys meant to have?
Q. the lyon home and away jersey ive seen from online stores as sponsored by betclic, novotel and even without a sponsor as the main sponsor above the horizontal line in the middle of the jersey. which one is the genuine home and away jersey meant to have?
Asked by will.i.am.legend - Mon Apr 12 05:55:51 2010 - - 2 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Lyon's main sponsor is BetClic, but since the league bans such organisations from appearing on kit, due to French law prohibiting online gambling, they have been selling sponsorship for individual league games. Not too long ago they advertised a pop band's latest release across their chests. On 12 August 2009, just before the opening league match against Le Mans, the club was relieved of their BetClic-sponsored shirts by the Ligue de Football Professionnel, who warned the club that they risked forfeiting points if they wore them. Lyon complied and, since the Le Mans match, have worn sponsor-less shirts while playing on French soil. Lyon does have the freedom to wear their BetClic sponsored shirts outside of France. An example being, on 25… [cont.]
Answered by Sebastian Yeo - Thu Apr 15 00:37:36 2010

Yahoo Answers Search: Lyon,
Sat Jul 17 08:56:33 2010