Lyon

Lyon
Motto: Avant, avant, Lion le melhor. (Franco-Provençal: Forward, forward, Lyon the best)
Top, Lyon, with the old city in the foreground. Centre, the Pont Bonaparte, at night, and the Pont Lafayette. Bottom, the Place Bellecour, with the Basilique de Notre-Dame de Fourvière and the Tour Metal in the background.
City flag	City coat of arms
Lyon
Location within Rhône-Alpes region  Lyon
Administration
Country	France
Region	Rhône-Alpes
Department	Rhône
Arrondissement	Lyon
Subdivisions	9 arrondissements
Intercommunality	Urban Community of Lyon
Mayor	Gérard Collomb (PS) (2008–2014)
Statistics
Elevation	162–305 m (531–1,001 ft)
Land area1	47.95 km² (18.51 sq mi)
Population2	483,181  (2008)
- Ranking	3rd in France
- Density	10,077 /km2 (26,100 /sq mi)
Urban area	954.19 km² (368.41 sq mi) (1999)
- Population	1,422,331 (2007)
Metro area	3,306 km² (1,276 sq mi) (2006)
- Population	2,118,132 (2008)
Time zone	CET (GMT +1)
INSEE/Postal code	69123/ 69001-69009
Website	lyon.fr
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Coordinates: 45°45′35″N 4°50′32″E / 45.7597°N 4.8422°E / 45.7597; 4.8422

Lyon (French pronunciation: [ljɔ̃] ( listen), locally: [lijɔ̃]; Occitan: Lion [liˈu]; Arpitan: Liyon [ʎjɔ̃]; English: /liːˈɒn/), traditionally spelt Lyons in English, is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located approximately 470 km (292 mi) from Paris, 320 km (199 mi) from Marseille, 420 km (261 mi) from Strasbourg, 160 km (99 mi) from Geneva, 280 km (174 mi) from Turin. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais.

The city of Lyon has 483,181 inhabitants.^[1] Together with its suburbs and satellite towns, Lyon forms the largest conurbation in France outside Paris with a population estimated to be 1,422,331; its overall metropolitan area was estimated to have a population of 2,118,132.^[2][3] Its urban region represents half of the Rhône-Alpes region population with 2.9 million inhabitants.^[4] Lyon is the capital of this region, as well as the capital of the smaller Rhône département.

The city is known for its historical and architectural landmarks and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lyon was historically known as an important area for the production and weaving of silk and in modern times has developed a reputation as the capital of gastronomy in France. It has a significant role in the history of cinema due to Auguste and Louis Lumière who invented the cinematographe in Lyon. The city is also known for its famous light festival 'Fete des Lumieres' which occurs every 8 December and lasts for four days, that earned Lyon the title of Capital of Lights (not to be mixed up with Paris the city of lights). The legend says that the Virgin Mary saved the city from the plague, and to thank her a statue was built and on the day it was erected the whole city was lit by candles that its citizens put at their windows. The local professional football team, Olympique Lyonnais, has increased Lyon's profile internationally through participation in European football championships.

Economically, Lyon is a major centre for banking as well as for chemical, pharmaceutical, and biotech industries. The city contains a significant software industry with a particular focus on video games, and in recent years has fostered a growing local start-up sector.^[5] Lyon also hosts the international headquarters of Interpol, Euronews and International Agency for Research on Cancer. Lyon is ranked 2nd in France as an economic centre and convention centre on some measures.^[6] Lyon was ranked 9th globally and 2nd in France for innovation in 2010.^[7] It ranked 38th globally in Mercer's 2010 liveability rankings.

History

Main article for early history: Lugdunum. Main article for later history: History of Lyon.

Further information: Ecclesiastical history of Lyon

Amphithéâtre des Trois-Gaules, vestige of the Roman colony of Lugdunum

Lyon was founded on the Fourvière hill as a Roman colony in 43 BC by Munatius Plancus, a lieutenant of Caesar, on the site of a Gaulish hill-fort settlement called Lug[o]dunon, from the Celtic god Lugus ('Light', cognate with Old Irish Lugh, Modern Irish Lú) and dúnon (hill-fort). Lug[us] was equated by the Romans to Mercury.

Marcus Vipsanius 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 "Primat des Gaules" and the city often referred to as the "capitale des Gaules".

The Christians in Lyon were martyred 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.

Burgundian refugees from the destruction of Worms by the 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 14th 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.^[8]

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.

Thanks to the silk trade, the city became an important industrial town during the 19th century but in 1831 and 1834, the silk workers of Lyon, known as canuts, staged two major uprisings. The 1831 uprising saw one of the first recorded uses of the black flag as an emblem of protest^{[citation needed]}. The world's first funicular railway was built between Lyon and La Croix-Rousse in 1862^{[citation needed]}.

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. The city was liberated by the 1st Free French Division and the Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur on 3 September 1944.

Lyon under siege in 1793

Lyon in the 18th century

Lyon in 1860

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. 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.

To the west is Fourvière, known as "the hill that prays", the location for the highly decorated basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, 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.

Place Bellecour is located on the Presqu'île between the two rivers and is the third largest public square in France. 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 Tour Part-Dieu (affectionately nicknamed "The Pencil"), the Tour Oxygène, the Tour Swiss Life, a 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.

Panorama of the inner city of Lyon, taken from the basilica of Notre-Dame de 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.

Administration

Map of the City of Lyon divided into 9 arrondissements

Map of the Urban Community of Greater Lyon (the city of Lyon is in red)

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 480,660.^[1]

Like Paris and Marseille, the city of Lyon is divided into a number of municipal arrondissements, 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:

• 1st arrondissement : Slopes of La Croix-Rousse, Terreaux, Martinière/St-Vincent
• 2nd arrondissement : Cordeliers, Bellecour, Ainay, Perrache, Confluent
• 3rd arrondissement : Guillotière (north), Préfecture, Part-Dieu, Villette, Dauphiné/Sans Souci, Montchat, Grange Blanche (north), Monplaisir (north)
• 4th arrondissement : Plateau de la Croix-Rousse, Serin
• 5th arrondissement : Vieux Lyon (Saint-Paul, Saint-Jean, Saint-Georges), Saint-Just, Saint-Irénée, Fourvière, Point du Jour, Ménival, Battières, Champvert (south)
• 6th arrondissement : Brotteaux, Bellecombe, Parc de la Tête d'Or, Cité Internationale
• 7th arrondissement : Guillotière (south), Jean Macé, Gerland
• 8th arrondissement : Monplaisir (south), Bachut, États-Unis, Grand Trou/Moulin à Vent, Grange Blanche (south), Laënnec, Mermoz, Monplaisir-la-Plaine
• 9th arrondissement : Vaise, Duchère, Rochecardon, St-Rambert-l'Île-Barbe, Gorge de Loup, Observance, Champvert (north)

Geographically, Lyon's two main rivers, the Saône and the Rhône, divide the arrondissements into three groups:

• To the west of the Saône, the 5th arrondissement covers the old city (Vieux Lyon), Fourvière hill and the plateau beyond. The 9th is immediately to the north, and stretches from Gorge de Loup, through Vaise to the neighbouring suburbs of Écully, Champagne-au-Mont-d'Or, Saint-Didier-au-Mont-d'Or, Saint-Cyr-au-Mont-d'Or and Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or.
• Between the two rivers, on the Presqu'île are the 2nd, 1st and 4th arrondissements. The 2nd includes most of the city centre, including Bellecour and Perrache railway station, and reaches as far as the confluence of the two rivers. The 1st is directly to the north of the 2nd and covers part of the city centre (including the Hôtel de Ville) and the slopes of La Croix-Rousse. To the north of the Boulevard is the 4th arrondissement, which covers the Plateau of La Croix-Rousse, up to its boundary with the commune of Caluire-et-Cuire.
• To the east of the Rhône, are the 3rd, 6th, 7th and 8th arrondissements.

The Urban Community of Lyon, also known as Greater Lyon is the intercommunal structure gathering the city and some of its suburbs. The Urban Community encompasses only the core of the metropolitan area of Lyon.

Culture

Historic Site of Lyons *
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière on the hill.
Country	France
Type	Cultural
Criteria	ii, iv
Reference	872
Region **	Europe and North America
Inscription history
Inscription	1998 (22nd Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List ** Region as classified by UNESCO

• Since the Middle Ages, the residents of the region, speak several dialects of Arpitan language. The Lyonnais dialect was partly replaced by the French language as the importance of the city grew. However, it is still alive and, in addition, some "frenchified" Franco-Provençal words can also be heard in the French of the Lyonnais, who call their little boys and girls "gones" and "fenottes" for example.^[10]
• Lyon was an early centre for printing books, and nurtured a circle of 16th century poets.^{[citation needed]}
• The Lumière brothers pioneered cinema in the town in 1895. The Musée Lumière, built as Auguste Lumiere's house, and a fascinating piece of architecture in its own right, holds many of their first inventions and other early cinematic and photographic artefacts.
• 8 December each year is marked by the Festival of Lights (la Fête des lumières), a celebration of thanks to the Virgin Mary, who purportedly saved the city from a deadly plague in the Middle Ages. During the event, the local population places candles (lumignons) at their windows and the city of Lyon organizes impressive large-scale light shows onto the sides of important Lyonnais monuments, such as the medieval Cathédrale St-Jean.
• The church of Saint Francis of Sales is famous for its large and unaltered Cavaillé-Coll pipe organ, attracting audiences from around the world.
• The Opéra Nouvel (New Opera House) is the home of the Opéra National de Lyon. The original opera house was re-designed by the distinguished French architect, Jean Nouvel between 1985 and 1993 and is named after him.
• Lyon is also the French capital of "trompe l'œil" walls, a very ancient tradition. Many are to be seen around the city. This old tradition is now finding a contemporary expression, for example in the art of Guillaume Bottazzi.^[11][12]
• The Brothers of the Sacred Heart, a Roman Catholic congregation that operates schools in Europe and North America, was founded in Lyon in 1821.
• The African Museum of Lyon is one of the oldest museums situated in Lyon.^[13]
• The Museum of Resistance and Deportation looks at the various persons prominent in the Resistance movement in World War II. The building is strongly linked to Klaus Barbie. Lyon sees itself as the centre of the French resistance and many members were shot in Place Bellecour in the town centre. The exhibition is largely a series of mini-biographies of those involved.
• The unusual project Lyon Dubai City, a reproduction of some districts of Lyon in Dubai, is a major point for the tourism in Lyon.
• Lyon is a pilot city of the Council of Europe and the European Commission Intercultural cities programme.

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."^[14] The specific regions composing the Historic Site include the Roman district and Fourvière, the Renaissance district (Vieux Lyon), the silk district (slopes of Croix-Rousse), and the Presqu'île, which features architecture from the 12th century to modern times.^[15] Both Vieux Lyon and the slopes of Croix-Rousse are known for their narrow passageways (named traboules) that pass through buildings and link streets on either side. The first examples of traboules are thought to have been built in Lyon in the 4th century. The traboules allowed the inhabitants to get from their homes to the Saône river quickly and allowed the canuts on the Croix-Rousse hill to get quickly from their workshops to the textile merchants at the foot of the hill.

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 serving local dishes, and local wines: the bouchons.

The city 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 (a sausage of coarsely cut tripe), pistachio sausage, 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.

Cervelle de canut (lit. silk worker's brains) is a cheese spread/dip, a Lyonnais speciality. The dish is a base of fromage blanc, seasoned with chopped herbs, shallots, salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar.

Sport

Stade Gerland

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 2013, which will hold 61,556 people. Lyon also has a rugby union team, Lyon OU, currently playing in Top 14. In addition, Lyon has a rugby league side: Lyon Villeurbanne Rhône XIII, or LVR XIII,^[16] 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 Laurent Bonnevay.

Economy

La Part-Dieu, the city's central business district

The GDP of Lyon is 62 billion euro,^[17] 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, Mumbai 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. High-tech industries like biotechnology, software development, game design, and internet services are also growing. Other important sectors include medical research and technology, non-profit institutions, and universities. 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.^[18]

The city 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, and intergovernmental agencies IARC, Interpol. 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 quarter after La Défense in Paris with over 1,600,000 m² (17,222,256.67 sq ft) of office space and services and more than 40,000 jobs.^[19] Cité Internationale, created by the architect Renzo Piano 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 district of Confluence, in the south of the historic centre, is a new pole of economical and cultural development.

Tourism provides a big boost to the Lyon economy with one billion euros in 2007 and 3.5 million hotel nights in 2006 provided by non-residents. Approximately 60% of tourists visit for business with the rest for leisure. In January 2009 Lyon ranked first in France for hostels business. The festivals most important for attracting tourists are the Fête des lumières, the Nuits de Fourvière every summer, the Biennale d'art contemporain and the Nuits Sonores.

Demographics

Main sights

Antiquity

The Roman-era Theatre on the Fourvière hill

• The Roman ruins on the hillside near the Fourviere Basilica with the Ancient Theatre of Fourvière, the Odeon of Lyon and the accompanying Gallo-Roman Museum.
• Amphitheatre of the Three Gauls, roman ruins of an amphiteatre.

Middle Ages and Renaissance

Cathedral of St. John

• Cathedral of St. John, a medieval church with architectural elements of the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries. It is the principal religious structure in the city and the seat of the Archbishop of Lyon.
• Basilica of St-Martin-d'Ainay is one of the rare surviving Romanesque basilica-style churches in Lyon.
• Église Saint-Paul, Romanesque (12 and 13th century) and Gothic (15–16th century) church.
• Église Saint-Bonaventure, 14th- and 15th-century Gothic church.
• Eglise Saint-Nizier, Gothic church from the 15th century. Its doorway was carved in the 16th century by Philibert Delorme.
• Vieux Lyon (English: Old Lyon) area – Medieval and Renaissance quarter of the town, with cobbled streets, shops, and dining.
• The many Renaissance hôtels particuliers of the Old Lyon quarter, such as the Hôtel de Bullioud, also built by Philibert Delorme.

17th and 18th century

Bartholdi Fountain at the Place des Terreaux

• City Hall on the Place des Terreaux, built by architects Jules Hardouin-Mansart and Robert de Cotte.
• Musée des beaux-arts de Lyon, fine arts museum housed in a former convent of the 17th century, including the Baroque chapelle Saint-Pierre.
• Hôtel-Dieu de Lyon (17th and 18th century), historical hospital with a baroque chapel.
• Temple du Change (17th and 18th century), former stock exchange of Lyon, Protestant temple since the 18th century.
• Place Bellecour, one of the largest town squares in Europe.
• Chapelle de la Trinité (1622), the first Baroque chapel built in Lyon, it was part of the former École de la Trinité, now Collège-lycée Ampère.
• Église Saint-Polycarpe (1665–1670), Classical church.
• Église Saint-Just (16th to 18th century), Classical church.
• Saint-Bruno des Chartreux (17th and 18th century), church, masterpiece of Baroque architecture.
• Église Notre Dame Saint-Vincent (18th century), Neoclassical church.

19th century and modern city

Overview on Lyon during Fête des Lumières

• Opéra National de Lyon (1831), renovated in 1993 by Jean Nouvel.
• Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, large 19th century basilica on the top of Fourvière Hill.
• Tour métallique de Fourvière (1894).
• La Mouche Cattle Market and Abbatoir (1914, 1928), designed by Tony Garnier.
• Sainte Marie de La Tourette monastery (1960) designed by Le Corbusier
• Saint-Exupéry International Airport (formerly Satolas Airport), designed by Guillaume Gilbert.
• Gare de Lyon Saint-Exupéry (1994) by Santiago Calatrava.
• Palais des congrès de Lyon (1998), designed by Renzo Piano is a group of buildings for various functions.
• Tour du Crédit Lyonnais
• Tour Oxygène
• Tour Incity

Museums

• Musée des beaux-arts de Lyon (Fine Arts Museum), main museum of the city and one of the largest art galleries in France. Housed in the "Palais Saint Pierre", a former 17th century convent, it displays a major collection of paintings (Tintoretto, Paolo Veronese, Nicolas Poussin, Rubens, Rembrandt, Zurbaran, Canaletto, Delacroix, Monet, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Cézanne, Matisse, Picasso, Francis Bacon...), collections of sculptures, drawings and printings, decorative arts, roman and Greek antiquities, the second largest collection of Egyptian antiquities in France after that of the Louvre and a medal cabinet of 50 000 medals and coins.
• The Gallo-Roman Museum displays many valuable objects and artworks found on the site of Roman Lyon (Lugdunum) such as Circus Games Mosaic, Coligny calendar and the Taurobolic Altar.
• African Museum of Lyon
• Centre d'histoire de la résistance et de la déportation
• Musée des Confluences, planned future museum of Sciences and anthropology.
• La Sucrière, contemporary art center.
• Musée des Tissus et des Arts Décoratifs, decorative arts museum.
• Musée d'art contemporain de Lyon, contemporary art museum.
• Musée Gadagne, museum of the history of Lyon housed in a historic building in Vieux Lyon.

Parks and gardens

The lake, in the Parc de la Tête d'Or.

• Parc de la Tête d'Or, (literally, Golden Head Park), in central Lyon is the largest urban park in France at 117 hectares. Located in the 6th arrondissement, it features a large lake on which boating takes place during the summer months. Due to the relatively small number of other parks in Lyon, it receives a huge number of visitors over summer, and is a frequent destination for joggers and cyclists. At the northern end of the park, there is a small zoo, with giraffes, elephants, tigers and other animals. There is also sporting equipment, such as a velodrome, boules court, mini-golf, horse riding, and even a miniature train.

• Jardin botanique de Lyon (8 hectares), included in the Parc de la Tête d'Or, is a municipal botanical garden. It is open weekdays without charge. 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, 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.

• Parc de Gerland, in the south of the city (80 hectares).
• Parc des hauteurs, in Fourvières.
• Parc de Miribel-Jonage (300 hectares).
• Parc de Lacroix-Laval (115 hectares).
• Parc de Parilly (178 hectares).

Education

Université Lumière

• École Centrale de Lyon
• École Normale Supérieure de Lyon
• EM Lyon (École de Management de Lyon)
• ECE Lyon (École de Commerce Européenne de Lyon)
• Institut d'études politiques de Lyon
• CPE Lyon
• ECAM Lyon (École Catholique d'Arts et Métiers de Lyon)
• École pour l'informatique et les nouvelles technologies
• ENTPE (École Nationale des Travaux Publiques de l'État)
• ESME-Sudria
• École des Beaux-Arts
• Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (located in Villeurbanne)
• ISTIL (Institut des Sciences et Techniques de l'Ingénieur de Lyon) (located in Villeurbanne)
• Institut supérieur européen de gestion group
• ISARA (Institut Supérieur d'Agriculture Rhône Alpes)
• Institution des Chartreux
• Université Claude Bernard (Lyon 1)
• Université Lumière (Lyon 2)
• Université Jean Moulin (Lyon 3)
• IAE (Institut d'Administration des Entreprises de Lyon)
• Catholic University of Lyon
• ESDES Business School
• IDRAC (International School of Management)
• Wesford Graduate Business School
• IFAG (Business Management School)
• Institut supérieur européen de formation par l'action
• Le Lycée du Parc
• La Martiniere Lyon
• CEESO (Centre Européen d'Enseignement Supérieur de l'Ostéopathie)
• Bellecour, Ecoles D'Arts

There are some international private schools in Lyon, including:

• Cité Scolaire Internationale de Lyon
• Ombrosa
• International School of Lyon
• Montessori School of Lyon

Transport

Network of highways around Lyon

Saint-Exupéry International Airport, located east of Lyon, serves as a base for domestic and international flights. It is an important transport facility for the entire Rhône-Alpes region. Coach links connect the airport with other towns in the area including Chambéry and Grenoble. With its in-house train station (Gare de Lyon Saint-Exupéry) the airport is also connected to the TGV network. Since August 2010 the new Rhônexpress tram links the international airport with the business quarter of La Part Dieu in less than 30 minutes, it can reach up to 100 km/hour and offers connections with Underground A&B, Tramway T1,T2 & T3, and many bus lines. The Lyon-Bron Airport is a smaller airport dedicated to General Aviation (both private and commercial). Having helipads, the facility hosts a Gendarmerie and a Sécurité Civile (civilian defence) Base.

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, Saint-Paul and Jean Macé. 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.

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. A double motorway tunnel passes under Fourvière, connecting the A6 and the A7 autoroutes, both forming the "Autoroute du Soleil". Prior to the construction of the bypass by the east, the tunnel was famous for its traffic jams, since traffic between northern and southern France, as well as from neighboring countries and local traffic all wanted to cross, Lyon being virtually the only low passage between the Alps and the Massif Central (extinct) volcano range. 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 buses, the terminus of metro line A, the bicycle service Vélo'v, and taxis.

Public transport map

The TCL (for Transports en Commun Lyonnais), Lyon's all-four public transit system, consisting of metro, tramways and buses, serves 62 communes of the Lyon agglomeration. The metro network has 4 lines ( A  B  C  D), 39 stations and runs with a frequency of up to a train every 2 minutes. There are 4 Lyon tram lines ( T1  T2  T3  T4) 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. The Lyon bus network consists of the Lyon trolleybus system, motorbuses, and coaches for areas outside the centre. There are also two funicular lines from Vieux Lyon to Saint-Just and Fourvière.

The ticketing system is quite simple right now, knowing that the city only has one operator for public transport, the SYTRAL (TCL is the brand name used for the transport, it stands for Transport en Commun Lyonnais (Lyon Common Transport)).

In 2008, an 'RER' (commuter rail) project was started. It has the objective of linking Lyon with the surrounding cities which are growing fast. It should have a total of 8 lines and will replace the actual TER lines operated by the SNCF (National French Railway Network). It was planned to be fully finished by 2010.

The public transit system has been complemented since 2005 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 of Lyon and Villeurbane, Lyon was the first city in France to introduce this bicycle renting system. Borrowing a bicycle for less than 30 minutes is free. In 2011 the Auto'lib car renting service was introduced, it works exactly like the Velo'v but for cars.

Notable residents

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

André-Marie Ampère

Paul Bocuse

Ludovic Giuly

Louise Labé

Juliette Récamier

Jean-Claude Trichet

• Louise Labé famous Renaissance female poet
• Frederique Bangue, athlete
• Claudius (10 BC – AD 54), Roman emperor
• Caracalla (188–217), Roman emperor
• Irenaeus (2nd century AD – 202), Bishop and
• André-Marie Ampère (1775–1836), physicist and mathematician
• Raymond Barre, French politician
• Azouz Begag, writer and politician
• Paul Bocuse (born 1926), prominent chef (received the "Chef of the Century" award)
• Gérard Collomb, politician and current mayor of Lyon
• Clovis Cornillac, actor
• Natalie Dessay, opera singer
• Youri Djorkaeff, footballer
• Liane Foly, singer, humorist and actress
• Éric Guirado, film director and writer
• Maurice Jarre, musician (famous for his movie soundtracks)
• Jean Michel Jarre musician (son of Maurice Jarre, above)
• Allan Kardec, spiritist
• Katsuni, pornographic actress
• Jérôme Kerviel, trader
• Alexandre Lacassagne, criminologist
• Edmond Locard, pioneer in forensic science
• Auguste and Louis Lumière, inventors of cinematograph
• André Manoukian, musician
• Jean-Baptiste Maunier, actor
• Jean Moulin heroe and leader of the French Resistance during the Second World War
• Emile Ntamack, rugby player
• Abbé Pierre, priest and philanthrop
• Juliette Récamier, famous XIXe century society leader, intellectual and "muse"
• Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, writer and pioneer of aviation
• Jean-Baptiste Say, economist
• Louis Gabriel Suchet, marshal of France, one of Napoleon's grestest generals
• Bertrand Tavernier, film director
• Seyhan Kurt,poet,writer
• Sylvie Testud, actress
• Florence Foresti, humorist

Movies in Lyon

• 1895: 14 vues Lumière filmées à Lyon entre 1895 et 1900 by Auguste and Louis Lumière
• 1929: The Kiss, (Le Baiser) by Jacques Feyder with Greta Garbo
• 1938: Le Petit Chose by Maurice Cloche with Arletty, Robert Lynen
• 1945: 120 rue de la Gare by Jacques Daniel-Norman with René Dary, Sophie Desmarets
• 1946: Un revenant by Christian-Jaque with Louis Jouvet, Gaby Morlay, François Périer, Marguerite Moreno, Ludmilla Tchérina
• 1949: La Cage aux filles by Maurice Cloche with Danièle Delorme, Noël Roquevert
• 1950: Cœur sur mer by Jacques Daniel-Norman
• 1952: Les Dents longues by Daniel Gélin with Daniel Gélin, Danièle Delorme, Louis de Funès
• 1953: Thérèse Raquin by Marcel Carné, with Simone Signoret, Raf Vallone, Jacques Duby
• 1956: Un condamné à mort s'est échappé by Robert Bresson
• 1956: Crime et Châtiment by Georges Lampin with Jean Gabin, Robert Hossein, Marina Vlady, Bernard Blier, Gaby Morlay, Lino Ventura
• 1964: L'Insoumis by Alain Cavalier with Alain Delon, Léa Massari
• 1966: Le Voyage du père by Denys de La Patellière with Fernandel, Lilli Palmer, Laurent Terzieff, Madeleine Robinson, Michel Auclair, Philippe Noiret
• 1969: La Sirène du Mississipi by François Truffaut with Jean-Paul Belmondo, Catherine Deneuve
• 1969: L'Armée des ombres by Jean-Pierre Melville with Lino Ventura, Simone Signoret, Paul Meurisse, Jean-Pierre Cassel
• 1974: L'Horloger de Saint-Paul by Bertrand Tavernier with Philippe Noiret, Jean Rochefort
• 1975: Verdict by André Cayatte with Jean Gabin, Sophia Loren
• 1975: La Chair de l'orchidée by Patrice Chéreau with Charlotte Rampling, Edwige Feuillère, Bruno Cremer, Simone Signoret, Alida Valli
• 1980: Une semaine de vacances by Bertrand Tavernier, with Nathalie Baye, Gérard Lanvin, Michel Galabru
• 1981: Le Voyage à Lyon by Claudia von Aleman
• 1982: Coup de foudre by Diane Kurys with Miou-Miou, Isabelle Huppert, Guy Marchand
• 1985: Parole de flic by José Pinheiro, with Alain Delon, Jacques Perrin
• 1993: Un crime by Jacques Deray, with Alain Delon
• 1994: Lucie Aubrac by Claude Berri with Carole Bouquet, Daniel Auteuil
• 1996: Les Voleurs by André Téchiné
• 1998: Le Gone du Chaâba by Christophe Ruggia, from the book by Azouz Begag
• 2000: Lyon police spéciale by Bertrand Arthuys
• 2000: Tout va bien, on s'en va by Claude Mouriéras
• 2000: Une affaire de goût by Bernard Rapp with Bernard Giraudeau
• 2002: Inventaire filmé des rues de la Croix-Rousse à Lyon by Gérard Courant
• 2002: Quand tu descendras du ciel by Éric Guirado
• 2003: Le Coût de la vie by Philippe Le Guay
• 2004: Vaada by Satish Kaushik, film by Bollywood
• 2005: Destination Fourvière by Gérard Courant
• 2007: Après Lui by Gaël Morel
• 2007: Détrompez-vous by Bruno Dega
• 2007: J'veux pas que tu t'en ailles by Bernard Jeanjean
• 2007: La Fille coupée en deux by Claude Chabrol
• 2008: Les Liens du sang by Jacques Maillot
• 2009: The International by Tom Tykwer
• 2009: Je te mangerais by Sophie Laloy
• 2011: Les Lyonnais by Olivier Marchal
• 2011: Les Adoptés by Melanie Laurent

International relations

• Lyon is a pilot city of the Council of Europe and the European Commission Intercultural cities programme.^[20]

Twin towns – Sister cities

Lyon is twinned with:^[21]

Obtaining official documents in Lyon - Préfecture de Lyon

The Préfecture de Lyon ^[34] which is in charge of delivering official documents for foreigners (carte de residence), has since the early 2000s been completely overwhelmed by the demand: people have to queue from midnight in the hope to obtain a ticket at 9:00 when the prefecture office opens,^[35] even for formalities that are, by law, automatic, such as a resident card renewal. As this constraint has never been mentioned on any of the official documents or web pages, it probably violates the French regulation about public service^{[citation needed]}.

Gallery

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

• 

  The lion on the seal of Lyon

Other images :

• 

  City Hall towering over the Place des Terreaux

• 

  the théâtre des Célestins.

• 

  The théâtre gallo-romain.

• 

  Mullioned windows, Renaissance house, climb the Great Coast

• 

  Maison des avocats in the Vieux Lyon

• 

  The Tour Rose in the Vieux Lyon

• 

  Parc de la Tête d'Or

• 

  Belltower of Charity

• 

  Nave of Church of Saint-Bruno des Chartreux

• 

  Faculties and the University Bridge

• 

  The Rhône, Pont Lafayette

• 

  The business district of la Part-Dieu

• 

  The Cité Internationale of Lyon

• 

  Stade de Gerland

See also

	Geography portal
	Europe portal
	European Union portal
	France portal
	Lyon portal

• Outline of France
• List of streets and squares in Lyon
• Gallia Lugdunensis

Notes

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Lyon

• Lyon Culture Land, the cultural guide of the French culture in Lyon
• City of Lyon official website
• Lyon travel guide from Wikitravel
• Lyon public transport company^{[dead link]}, including maps and timetables
• Official tourist office site
• Greater Lyon business official website
• Grand Lyon website (in French)
• A selection of 50 very representative photos of Lyon
• 'A Taste of Rome in France,' Travelogue in Sunday MidDay (India) by Arjun Razdan, 25-09-2011

v t e Communes of the Rhône department Affoux Aigueperse Albigny-sur-Saône Alix Ambérieux Amplepuis Ampuis Ancy Anse L'Arbresle Les Ardillats Arnas Aveize Avenas Azolette Bagnols Beaujeu Belleville Belmont-d'Azergues Bessenay Bibost Blacé Le Bois-d'Oingt Bourg-de-Thizy Le Breuil Brignais Brindas Bron Brullioles Brussieu Bully Cailloux-sur-Fontaines Caluire-et-Cuire Cenves Cercié Chambost-Allières Chambost-Longessaigne Chamelet Champagne-au-Mont-d'Or La Chapelle-de-Mardore La Chapelle-sur-Coise Chaponnay Chaponost Charbonnières-les-Bains Charentay Charly Charnay Chassagny Chasselay Chassieu Châtillon Chaussan Chazay-d'Azergues Chénas Chénelette Les Chères Chessy Chevinay Chiroubles Civrieux-d'Azergues Claveisolles Cogny Coise Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or Colombier-Saugnieu Communay Condrieu Corbas Corcelles-en-Beaujolais Cours-la-Ville Courzieu Couzon-au-Mont-d'Or Craponne Cublize Curis-au-Mont-d'Or Dardilly Dareizé Décines-Charpieu Denicé Dième Dommartin Dracé Duerne Échalas Écully Émeringes Éveux Feyzin Fleurie Fleurieu-sur-Saône Fleurieux-sur-l'Arbresle Fontaines-Saint-Martin Fontaines-sur-Saône Francheville Frontenas Genas Genay Givors Gleizé Grandris Grézieu-la-Varenne Grézieu-le-Marché Grigny Les Haies Les Halles Haute-Rivoire Irigny Jarnioux Jonage Jons Joux Juliénas Jullié Lacenas Lachassagne Lamure-sur-Azergues Lancié Lantignié Larajasse Légny Lentilly Létra Liergues Limas Limonest Lissieu Loire-sur-Rhône Longes Longessaigne Lozanne Lucenay Lyon Marchampt Marcilly-d'Azergues Marcy Marcy-l'Étoile Mardore Marennes Marnand Meaux-la-Montagne Messimy Meys Meyzieu Millery Mions Moiré Monsols Montagny Montanay Montmelas-Saint-Sorlin Montromant Montrottier Morancé Mornant La Mulatière Neuville-sur-Saône Nuelles Odenas Oingt Les Olmes Orliénas Oullins Ouroux Le Perréon Pierre-Bénite Poleymieux-au-Mont-d'Or Pollionnay Pomeys Pommiers Pont-Trambouze Pontcharra-sur-Turdine Pouilly-le-Monial Poule-les-Écharmeaux Propières Pusignan Quincié-en-Beaujolais Quincieux Ranchal Régnié-Durette Rillieux-la-Pape Riverie Rivolet Rochetaillée-sur-Saône Ronno Rontalon Sain-Bel Saint-Andéol-le-Château Saint-André-la-Côte Saint-Appolinaire Saint-Bonnet-de-Mure Saint-Bonnet-des-Bruyères Saint-Bonnet-le-Troncy Saint-Christophe Saint-Clément-de-Vers Saint-Clément-les-Places Saint-Clément-sur-Valsonne Saint-Cyr-au-Mont-d'Or Saint-Cyr-le-Chatoux Saint-Cyr-sur-le-Rhône Saint-Didier-au-Mont-d'Or Saint-Didier-sous-Riverie Saint-Didier-sur-Beaujeu Sainte-Catherine Sainte-Colombe Sainte-Consorce Sainte-Foy-l'Argentière Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon Sainte-Paule Saint-Étienne-des-Oullières Saint-Étienne-la-Varenne Saint-Fons Saint-Forgeux Saint-Genis-l'Argentière Saint-Genis-Laval Saint-Genis-les-Ollières Saint-Georges-de-Reneins Saint-Germain-au-Mont-d'Or Saint-Germain-sur-l'Arbresle Saint-Igny-de-Vers Saint-Jacques-des-Arrêts Saint-Jean-d'Ardières Saint-Jean-des-Vignes Saint-Jean-de-Touslas Saint-Jean-la-Bussière Saint-Julien Saint-Julien-sur-Bibost Saint-Just-d'Avray Saint-Lager Saint-Laurent-d'Agny Saint-Laurent-de-Chamousset Saint-Laurent-de-Mure Saint-Laurent-de-Vaux Saint-Laurent-d'Oingt Saint-Loup Saint-Mamert Saint-Marcel-l'Éclairé Saint-Martin-en-Haut Saint-Maurice-sur-Dargoire Saint-Nizier-d'Azergues Saint-Pierre-de-Chandieu Saint-Pierre-la-Palud Saint-Priest Saint-Romain-au-Mont-d'Or Saint-Romain-de-Popey Saint-Romain-en-Gal Saint-Romain-en-Gier Saint-Sorlin Saint-Symphorien-d'Ozon Saint-Symphorien-sur-Coise Saint-Vérand Saint-Vincent-de-Reins Salles-Arbuissonnas-en-Beaujolais Sarcey Sathonay-Camp Sathonay-Village Les Sauvages Savigny Sérézin-du-Rhône Simandres Solaize Soucieu-en-Jarrest Sourcieux-les-Mines Souzy Taluyers Taponas Tarare Tassin-la-Demi-Lune Ternand Ternay Theizé Thel Thizy Thurins La Tour-de-Salvagny Toussieu Trades Trèves Tupin-et-Semons Valsonne Vaugneray Vaulx-en-Velin Vaux-en-Beaujolais Vauxrenard Vénissieux Vernaison Vernay Ville-sur-Jarnioux Villechenève Villefranche-sur-Saône Villeurbanne Villié-Morgon Vourles Yzeron

v t e 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 · Strasbourg – Grande Île  · Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps4 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 Albi · 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 · Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne · Fortifications of Vauban1 · Gulf of Porto (Calanches de Piana • Gulf of Girolata • Scandola 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 · Pitons, cirques and remparts of Reunion Island 1 Shared with other region/s · 2 Shared locally with other region/s and with Belgium · 3 Shared with Spain  · 4 Shared with Austria, Germany, Italy, Slovenia and Switzerland