Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at 470 km (292 mi) from Paris, 320 km (199 mi) from Marseille, 160 km (99 mi) from Geneva, 280 km (174 mi) from Turin, and 600 km (373 mi) from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyoner (singular) and Lyoners (plurial).

The city of Lyon has 480,660 inhabitants. Together with its suburbs and satellite towns, Lyon forms the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris, with the population of its urban area estimated to be 1,422,331 and that of its metropolitan area 1,757,180. Its urban region represents half of the Rhône-Alpes region population with 2.9 million inhabitants. 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. The local professional football team, Olympique Lyonnais, has increased the profile of Lyon internationally through participation in European football championships.

Economically, Lyon is a major centre for banking and also the chemical, pharmaceutical, and biotech 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 sector. 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. Lyon was in 2010 ranked 9th globally and 2nd in France for innovation. It ranked 38th globally in Mercer's 2010 liveability rankings.

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.

Main sights
Antiquity
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, 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
City Hall on 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 Ecole 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
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.
Gallo-Roman Museum, it displays many valuable objects and artwoks found on the site of roman Lyon (Lugdunum) like the Circus Games Mosaic, Coligny calendar or 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 historical building of the Vieux Lyon.

Parks and gardens
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).