Capital of the Gauls, Renaissance trading center, Mecca of the silk industry and birth place of cinema, during its 2000-year history Lyon has founded its development and influence on intense economic, commercial and cultural activity.
To lovers of the finer things in life, Lyon offers its prestigious heritage, along with an easy access to the Alpine slopes and the Mediterranean sun.
An undisputed center of scientific and technological excellence, the Lyon metropolitan area is the richest and most dynamic economic capital in France after the Paris area.
Chemicals, textiles, mechanics, state-of-the-art technology... the flagship sectors of Lyon's economy have their roots in a dense industrial history. And each day, companies and their managers demonstrate their ability to innovate in the global marketplace.
The chemical and pharmaceutical industries may have had humble beginnings as dyeing workshops, late in the last century, but today their products and materials are in demand across the globe. Companies such as Rhône-Poulenc, Mérieux and Boiron make Lyon a European healthcare center of the first rank.
The people of Lyon are deeply attached to their city, and quite naturally enjoy sharing its attractions with visiting guests.
They love the pleasures of dining and will drag their guests off, a shade mischievously, to the famous bouchons, the cozy restaurants whose family atmosphere encourages endless discussion, fueled by the region's finest culinary specialities. You will sample the most renowed specialities. Among the main dishes: pork chitterlings, fried tripe in brezad crumbs, pike dumplings, sheep's feet... On the sweet side: thin beignets, cushion and cocoon chocolates... The wines include delicious vintages from the prestigious vineyards of neighboring Burgundy, the Côtes du Rhône and the Beaujolais. Tastebuds at the ready !
The city itself is an invitation to stroll and wander. You will amble across squares, along river banks, through the Gardens of Fourvière or the sumptuous Tête d'Or Park. You will fall for its delicate hues, the pinks and ochres of the Croix-Rousse and the banks of the Saône, the rivers blues and browns, all made richer and deeper by the night-time illuminations. Feel the city's pulse throb in the market on the Quai Saint-Antoine, and the Craft Market. In the luxury downtown boutiques, in craftsmen's workshops in Saint-Jean, and in antique dealers' shops on the Rue Auguste Comte. When evening falls, the show will go on long after the audiences have gone home. Night and day, Lyon's heart beats for you.