Lyon
Capital of the Gauls, Capital of Lights
Lyon (Franco-Provençal: Liyon; formerly Lyons in English) is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, 391 km southeast of Paris, 278 km north of Marseille, and 113 km southwest of Geneva, Switzerland. The City of Lyon is the third-largest city in France with a population of 519,127 as of 2023 within its small municipal territory of 48, but together with its suburbs and exurbs the Lyon metropolitan area had a population of 2,339,329 that same year, the second largest in France.
Quick Facts
- Context
- UEFA Champions League & UEFA Cup
- Peak era
- 2005–2008
- Key location
- Estadio de la Cerámica and Groupama Stadium
- Notable stage
- Champions League Round of 16 (2006)
- Fan nickname
- El Derbi de la Europa
- Significance
- Symbolic battle between two rising European forces
Lore & Background
The capital of the Gauls during the Roman Empire, Lyon is the seat of an archbishopric whose holder bears the title of Primate of the Gauls. Lyon became a major economic hub during the Renaissance. The city is recognised for its cuisine and gastronomy, as well as historical and architectural landmarks; as such, the districts of Old Lyon, the Fourvière hill, the Presqu'île and the slopes of the Croix-Rousse are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Lyon was historically an important area for the production and weaving of silk. Lyon played a significant role in the history of cinema since Auguste and Louis Lumière invented the cinematograph there. The city is also known for its light festival, the Fête des lumières, which begins every 8 December and lasts for four days, earning Lyon the title of 'Capital of Lights'.
Reader's Guide
Economically, Lyon is a major centre for banking, chemical, pharmaceutical and biotech industries. The city contains a significant software industry with a particular focus on video games; in recent years it has fostered a growing local start-up sector. The home of renowned universities and higher education schools, Lyon is the second-largest student city in France, with a university population of nearly 200,000 students within the Metropolis of Lyon. Lyon hosts the international headquarters of Interpol, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, as well as Euronews. According to the Globalization and World Rankings Research Institute, Lyon is considered a Beta city. It ranked second in France and 40th globally in Mercer's 2019 liveability rankings. Lyon will be the centre of the 2030 Winter Olympics.
Did You Know?
- Lyon was renamed Commune-Affranchie ('Emancipated Commune') on 12 October 1793 by a decree of the Convention Nationale, and resumed its name in 1794.
- The Gallic name Lugdunon may mean 'hill of the god Lug', 'hill of the crows', or 'shining hill'.
- Two Roman emperors were born in Lyon: Claudius and Caracalla.
- Lyon was a key centre of literary activity and book publishing in the late 1400s and 1500s.
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