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About Lyon

Informational video about the city of Lyon

Lyon city view 2

The stunning French city of Lyon

Lyon city view 1

A view of the beautiful city of Lyon at night

Lyon city view 4

Lyon is France's second biggest city and one of its most stunning

Located in the spectacular Rhône-Alpes region, Lyon with its suburbs and satellite towns forms France’s largest metropolitan area outside Paris with 2.5 million inhabitants.

The stunning city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site visited by six million people each year and is known for its historical and architectural landmarks.

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 due in part to the presence of many of France's finest chefs in the city and its surroundings. 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.

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 earning the city the title 'Capital of Lights'.

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. Lyon also hosts the international headquarters of Interpol, Euronews and the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

In terms of climate winters are colder than much of the south of France due to its more inland position, 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.

Saint-Exupéry International Airport, located to the east of Lyon, serves as a base for domestic and international flights. The city also 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.

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 also boasts five major motorways linking it to all major European cities.

Lyon's public transportation system, known as TCL, is regarded as one of the most efficient in the country. Central areas are very well served; so are the campuses and eastern suburbs, where many jobs are concentrated.

There are four metro (subway) lines (A to D). Trains generally run every 2 to 10 minutes, depending on the line and the time. Information screens above the platforms display the waiting times for the next two trains and useful information such as delays, upcoming closures, etc.

Useful Links:

www.lyon-france.com/

Saint-Exupéry International Airport