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83-540: Rhône-Alpes is located in the southeast of France. The neighboring (pre-2016) regions are Bourgogne (Burgundy) and Franche-Comté to the north, Auvergne to the west, Languedoc-Roussillon to the southwest, and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur to the south. The eastern part of the region is in the Alps , and borders Switzerland and Italy. The highest peak is Mont Blanc , on the French-Italian border. The central part of

166-579: A Gross Metropolitan Product of about €85 billion. The region has been part of Alps–Mediterranean Euroregion since 10 July 2007. Rhône-Alpes region has hosted the Winter Olympics three times; in 1924 at Chamonix , 1968 at Grenoble , and 1992 at Albertville . Situated between Paris and the Côte d’Azur, on the border with both Switzerland and Italy, and offering access to two international airports ( Lyon and Geneva ), rail connections and

249-600: A basketball team, ASVEL , that plays at the Astroballe arena. Since 2000, Birdy Kids , a group of graffiti artists from the city, has decorated several random buildings and walls along the Lyon ring road. In 2012, the artist collective was chosen to represent the city as its cultural ambassadors. The population of the city (commune) of Lyon proper was 522,250 at the January 2021 census. As of 2011, 14% of its population

332-475: A humid subtropical climate ( Köppen : Cfa ), bordering an oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb , Trewartha : Do ). The mean temperature in Lyon in the coldest month is 4.1 °C (39.4 °F) in January and in the warmest month in July is 22.6 °C (72.7 °F). Precipitation is adequate year-round, at an average of 820 mm (32.3 in), the winter months are the driest. The highest recorded temperature

415-459: A poached egg ), marrons glacés and cardoon au gratin . Bourgogne Burgundy ( / ˈ b ɜːr ɡ ən d i / BUR -gən-dee ; French: Bourgogne [buʁɡɔɲ] ; Burgundian : Bregogne ) is a historical territory and former administrative region and province of east-central France. The province was once home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the early 11th until

498-845: A rugby league side called Lyon Villeurbanne that plays in the French rugby league championship . The club's home is the 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. The Patinoire Charlemagne is the seat of Club des Sports de Glace de Lyon, the club of Olympic ice dancing champions Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat , and world champions Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Shoenfelder . Lyon-Villeurbanne also has

581-634: A large part due to the charisma and influence of Bernard of Clairvaux . The Abbey of Fontenay , a UNESCO World Heritage Site , is today the best-preserved Cistercian abbey in Burgundy. The Abbey of Vézelay, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is still a starting point for pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela . Cluny was almost totally destroyed during the French Revolution. During the Hundred Years' War , King John II of France gave

664-575: A national phenomenon favoured by the French elite; a tradition which Paul Bocuse later turned into a worldwide success. The bouchon is a traditional Lyonnais restaurant that serves local fare such as sausages, duck pâté or roast pork, along with local wines. Two of France's best known wine-growing regions are located near the city: the Beaujolais region to the north and the Côtes du Rhône region to

747-470: A poached egg); and the sausage-based rosette lyonnaise and andouillette . Popular local confections include marron glacé and coussin de Lyon . Cervelle de canut (literally, "silk worker's brains") is a cheese spread/dip made of a base of fromage blanc , seasoned with chopped herbs, shallots, salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar. More recently, the french tacos was invented in Lyon suburbs ( Vaulx-en-Velin ) (or Grenoble according to some theories), in

830-679: 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 , as of 2018 . It ranked second in France and 40th globally in Mercer's 2019 liveability rankings . The name of

913-635: A vast motorway network, the Rhône-Alpes region is at "the crossroads of Europe". Boasting eight natural parks and peerless sites such as Mont Blanc and the Gorges de l’Ardèche , Rhône-Alpes offers a wide range of different landscapes: mountains, vineyards and gentle valleys, fields of lavender and olive groves. Every form of sport is readily available, set against a natural backdrop: skiing, hiking, mountain biking or even paragliding and canoeing. Besides hosting three Winter Olympics games due to its being

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996-480: Is La Part-Dieu urban centre, which clusters the landmark structures Tour Incity , Tour Part-Dieu , Tour Oxygène , and Tour Swiss Life , as well as the city's primary railway station, Gare de Lyon-Part-Dieu . North of this district lays the sixth arrondissement , which is home to one of Europe's largest urban parks, the Parc de la Tête d'or , as well as Lycée du Parc and Interpol 's world headquarters. Lyon has

1079-626: Is dunos ('fortress', 'hill'). The name thus may designate the hill of Fourvière , on which the ancient city of Lyon is founded, but could mean "hill of the god Lug", "hill of the crows" or "shining hill". Alternatively Julius Pokorny associates the first part of the word with the Indo-European radical * lūg ('dark, black, swamp'), the basis of the toponyms Ludza in Latvia, Lusatia in Germany (from Sorbian Łužica ), and several places in

1162-472: Is a prosperous region which can be seen by its per capita GDP of about €31,231 ($ 40,000), which is higher than the French average, and an average income of €35,910 ($ 50,246), its economy second in size only to Île-de-France in France. This can be attributed to the diversity of the production in different sectors. The region is one of the Four Motors for Europe . In the past mining, especially coal mining

1245-532: Is divided into the Côte-d'Or , where the most expensive and prized Burgundies are found, and Beaujolais , Chablis , the Côte Chalonnaise and Mâcon . The reputation and quality of the top wines, together with the fact that they are often produced in small quantities, has led to high demand and high prices, with some Burgundies ranking among the most expensive wines in the world. With regard to cuisine,

1328-645: Is essentially oceanic (Cfb in Köppen classification ), with a continental influence (sometimes called a "half-continental climate"). The regional council of Burgundy was the legislative assembly of the region, until its merger to form the regional council of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté . Burgundy is one of France's main wine-producing areas. It is well known for both its red and white wines, mostly made from Pinot noir and Chardonnay grapes, respectively, although other grape varieties can be found, including Gamay , Aligote , Pinot blanc , and Sauvignon blanc . The region

1411-642: Is home to the P4-Inserm–ean Merieux Laboratory which conducts top-level vaccine research. The city is home to the headquarters of many large companies such as Groupe SEB , Sanofi Pasteur , Renault Trucks , Norbert Dentressangle , LCL S.A. , Descours & Cabaud , Merial , Point S , BioMérieux , Iveco Bus , Compagnie Nationale du Rhône , GL Events , April Group , Boiron , Feu Vert, Panzani , Babolat , Lyon Airports , LVL Medical, and inter-governmental agencies IARC and Interpol. The specialisation of some sectors of activities has led to

1494-494: Is located there. The district of Confluence , in the south of the historic centre, is a new pole of economical and cultural development. Tourism is an important part of 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

1577-572: Is made in the region. Lyon is the home of very typical and traditional restaurants: the bouchons . Bouchons are usually convivial restaurants serving local dishes, and local wines. Lyon is famous for its morning snacks, the mâchons , made up of local charcuterie , especially the rosette and usually accompanied by Beaujolais red wine . Traditional local dishes include saucisson de Lyon (sausage), andouillette , coq au vin , esox (pike) quenelle , gras double ( tripe cooked with onions), salade lyonnaise (lettuce with bacon , croûtons and

1660-450: Is the only metropolitan authority in France which is a territorial collectivity , on par with French communes and departments . Its metropolitan council was for the first time directly elected by universal suffrage in 2020 within 14 electoral wards, the only directly elected metropolitan council in France. The 14 electoral wards are the following (see map for location): The six wards with names starting with "Lyon" are all located within

1743-538: Is the third-largest public square in France. The broad, pedestrian-only Rue de la République leads north from Place Bellecour. The northern hill is La Croix-Rousse , known as "the hill that works" because it is traditionally home to many small silk workshops, an industry for which the city has long been renowned. The western hill is Fourvière, known as "the hill that prays" because it is the location for Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière , several convents, and Archbishop residence. The district, Vieux Lyon , also hosts

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1826-677: The Fête des lumières , the Nuits de Fourvière every summer, the Biennale d'art contemporain and the Nuits Sonores . Since the Middle Ages, the region residents have spoken several dialects of Franco-Provençal. The Lyonnais dialect was replaced by the French language as the importance of the city grew. However some "frenchified" Franco-Provençal words can also be heard in the French of

1909-745: The Duchy , the County , and the kingdoms of Upper Burgundy and Lower Burgundy . During the Middle Ages , Burgundy was home to some of the most important Western churches and monasteries , including those of Cluny , Cîteaux , and Vézelay . Cluny, founded in 910, exerted a strong influence in Europe for centuries. The first Cistercian abbey was founded in 1098 in Cîteaux. Over the next century, hundreds of Cistercian abbeys were founded throughout Europe, in

1992-601: The House of Valois-Burgundy came into possession of numerous French and imperial fiefs stretching from the western Alps to the North Sea, in some ways reminiscent of the Middle Frankish realm of Lotharingia . The Burgundian State, in its own right, was one of the largest ducal territories that existed at the time of the emergence of early Modern Europe . It was regarded as one of the major western European powers of

2075-908: The Huns in 437 were re-settled in eastern Gaul. In 443 the Romans established the Kingdom of the Burgundians, and Lugdunum became its capital in 461. In 843, under the Treaty of Verdun , Lyon went to the Holy Roman Emperor Lothair I . It later was made part of the Kingdom of Arles which was incorporated into the Holy Roman Empire in 1033. Lyon did not come under French control until the 14th century. Fernand Braudel remarked, "Historians of Lyon are not sufficiently aware of

2158-480: The Place Bellecour , and Jean-Marie Collot d'Herbois and Joseph Fouché administered the execution of more than 2,000 people. The Convention ordered that its name be changed to "Liberated City", and a plaque was erected that proclaimed "Lyons made war on Liberty; Lyons no longer exists". A decade later, Napoleon ordered the reconstruction of all the buildings demolished during that period. The convention

2241-695: 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

2324-521: The Rhine during the late Roman period. The name Burgundy has historically denoted numerous political entities. It first emerged in the 9th century as one of the successors of the ancient Kingdom of the Burgundians , which after its conquest in 532 had formed a constituent part of the Frankish Empire . Since the inception of the French departmental system in 1790, Burgundy has referred to

2407-638: The Tour métallique (a highly visible TV tower, replicating the last stage of the Eiffel Tower ) and one of the city's railways. Fourvière, along with portions of the Presqu'île and much of La Croix-Rousse, is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . East of the Rhône from the Presqu'île is a large flat area upon which sits much of modern Lyon and contains most of the city's population. Situated in this area

2490-526: The 14th and 15th centuries. The Dukes of Burgundy were among the wealthiest and the most powerful princes in Europe and were sometimes called "Grand Dukes of the West". Through its possessions the Burgundian State was a major European centre of trade and commerce. The extinction of the dynasty led to the absorption of the duchy itself into the French crown lands by King Louis XI , while the bulk of

2573-668: The 4th century. The traboules allowed the inhabitants to get from their homes to the Saône quickly and allowed the canuts on the Croix-Rousse hill to get from their workshops to the textile merchants at the foot of the hill. Lyon has a long and chronicled culinary arts tradition. The noted food critic Curnonsky referred to the city as "the gastronomic capital of the world", a claim repeated by later writers such as Bill Buford . Renowned 3-star Michelin chefs such as Marie Bourgeois and Eugénie Brazier developed Lyonnaise cuisine into

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2656-454: The 9th-century partitions of the Kingdom of Burgundy , the lands and remnants partitioned to the Kingdom of France were reduced to a ducal rank by King Robert II of France in 1004. The House of Burgundy , a cadet branch of the House of Capet , ruled over a territory that roughly conformed to the borders and territories of the modern administrative region of Burgundy. Upon the extinction of

2739-659: The Bold was killed in battle, and the Duchy itself was annexed by France and became a province. However, the northern part of the empire was taken by the Austrian Habsburgs . With the French Revolution in the end of the 18th century, the administrative units of the provinces disappeared, but were reconstituted as regions during the Fifth Republic in the 1970s. The modern-day administrative region comprises most of

2822-673: The Burgundian male line the duchy reverted to the King of France and the House of Valois . Following the marriage of Philip of Valois and Margaret III of Flanders , the Duchy of Burgundy was absorbed into the Burgundian State alongside parts of the Low Countries which would become collectively known as the Burgundian Netherlands . Upon further acquisitions of the County of Burgundy , Holland , and Luxembourg ,

2905-639: The Burgundian possessions in the Low Countries passed to Duke Charles the Bold 's daughter, Mary , and her Habsburg descendants. Thus the partition of the Burgundian heritage marked the beginning of the centuries-long French–Habsburg rivalry and played a pivotal role in European politics long after Burgundy had lost its role as an independent political identity. It is named for the Burgundians , an East Germanic people who moved westwards beyond

2988-991: The Burgundians , 411–534   Francia , 534–843   Middle Francia , 843–855   Lotharingia , 855–879   Lower Burgundy , 879-933   Kingdom of Arles , 933–1312 [REDACTED] Kingdom of France ( Lyonnais ), 1312–1792 [REDACTED] French First Republic , 1792–1793 [REDACTED] Counter-revolutionary , 1793 [REDACTED] French First Republic , 1793–1804 [REDACTED] First French Empire , 1804–1814 [REDACTED] Kingdom of France , 1814–1815 [REDACTED] First French Empire , 1815 [REDACTED] Kingdom of France , 1815–1830 [REDACTED] Kingdom of France , 1830–1848 [REDACTED] French Second Republic , 1848–1852 [REDACTED] Second French Empire , 1852–1870 [REDACTED] French Third Republic , 1870–1940 [REDACTED] Vichy France , 1940–1944 [REDACTED] French Fourth Republic , 1944–1958 [REDACTED]   France , 1958–present According to

3071-657: The Czech Republic named Lužice; it could then also be compared to Luze in Franche-Comté and various hydronyms such as Louge . Further down, in the current Saint-Vincent district, was the Gallic village of Condate, probably a simple hamlet of sailors or fishermen living on the banks of the Saône. Condate is a Gallic word meaning "confluence", from which the Confluence district gets its name. In Roman times

3154-737: The Lyon metropolitan area had a population of 2,308,818 that same year, the second most populated in France . Lyon and 58 suburban municipalities have formed since 2015 the Metropolis of Lyon , a directly elected metropolitan authority now in charge of most urban issues, with a population of 1,424,069 in 2021. Lyon is the prefecture of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and seat of the Departmental Council of Rhône (whose jurisdiction, however, no longer extends over

3237-473: The Lyonnais, who call their little boys and girls "gones" and "fenottes" for example. The historic site of Lyon was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. In its 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." The specific regions comprising the historic site include

3320-691: The Metropolis of Lyon since 2015). 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 ,

3403-466: The Metropolis of Lyon's metropolitan council were chosen by indirectly elected metropolitan councilors. The current president since July 2020 was elected by new metropolitan councilors following their election by universal suffrage in March (1st round) and June (2nd round) 2020, the first direct election of a metropolitan council in France. The GDP of Lyon was 124 billion US dollars in 2019, making it

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3486-520: The Parc Olympique Lyonnais, a 59,000-seat stadium located in the eastern suburb of Décines-Charpieu . OL operates a women's team, Olympique Lyonnais Féminin , which competes in and dominates Division 1 Féminine . They won fourteen consecutive top-flight championships (2007–2020), and additionally claim the four titles won by the original incarnation of FC Lyon, a women's football club that merged into OL in 2004 (the current FC Lyon

3569-501: 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. 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

3652-510: The Roman period. During the 4th century, the Burgundians , a Germanic people who may have originated on the Baltic island of Bornholm , settled in the western Alps. They founded the Kingdom of the Burgundians , which was conquered in the 6th century by another Germanic tribe, the Franks . Under Frankish dominion, the Kingdom of Burgundy continued for several centuries. Later, the region

3735-449: The Saône and the Rhône, divide the arrondissements into three groups: This is a list of mayors of the commune of Lyon since the end of the 19th century. Since 2015, the commune of Lyon (48 km (19 sq mi) in land area) and 58 suburban communes have formed the Metropolis of Lyon (534 km (206 sq mi) in land area), a directly elected metropolitan authority now in charge of most urban issues. The Metropolis of Lyon

3818-515: The banking centre of France. During the Renaissance , the city's development was driven by the silk trade , which strengthened its ties to Italy. Italian influence on Lyon's architecture is still visible among historic buildings. In the late 1400s and 1500s Lyon was also a key centre of literary activity and book publishing, both of French writers (such as Maurice Scève , Antoine Heroet , and Louise Labé ) and of Italians in exile (such as Luigi Alamanni and Gian Giorgio Trissino ). In 1572, Lyon

3901-467: The bi-polarity between Paris and Lyon, which is a constant structure in French development...from the late Middle Ages to the Industrial Revolution ". In the late 15th century, the fairs introduced by Italian merchants made Lyon the economic counting house of France. Even the Bourse (treasury), built in 1749, resembled a public bazaar where accounts were settled in the open air. When international banking moved to Genoa , then Amsterdam , Lyon remained

3984-413: The city has taken the forms Lugdon , Luon , and since the 13th century, Lyon . The Gallic Lugdun or Lugdunon that was Latinized in Roman as Lugdunum is composed of two words. The first may be the name of the Celtic god Lug (in charge of order and law), or the derived word lugon , meaning "crow" (the crow being the messenger of Lug), but might also be another word lug , meaning "light". The second

4067-570: The city was called Caput Galliæ , meaning "capital of the Gauls". As an homage to this title, the Archbishop of Lyon is still called the Primate of Gaul. During the revolutionary period, Lyon was renamed Commune-Affranchie (" Emancipated Commune ") on 12 October 1793 by a decree of the Convention Nationale . It resumed its name in 1794, after the end of the Terror . Lyon is called Liyon in Franco-Provençal .   Roman Empire (Gallia Lugdunensis), 43 BC-286   Western Roman Empire (Gallia Lugdunensis), 286-411   Kingdom of

4150-437: The commune of Lyon. The Villeurbanne ward is coterminous with the namesake commune. All other seven wards each group various suburban communes. The division of the Metropolis of Lyon in large electoral wards often grouping various communes and dividing the commune of Lyon into six wards was criticized by the suburban mayors, as it ended the rule of 'one commune, one metropolitan councilor'. The goal of this electoral division of

4233-457: The convergence of two navigable rivers made it a natural communications hub. The city became the starting point of main Roman roads in the area, and it quickly became the capital of the province, Gallia Lugdunensis . Two Emperors were born in this city: Claudius , whose speech is preserved in the Lyon Tablet in which he justifies the nomination of Gallic Senators, and Caracalla . Early Christians in Lyon were martyred for their beliefs under

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4316-454: The creation of many main business centres: La Part-Dieu, located in the 3rd arrondissement is the second biggest business quarter after La Défense in Paris with over 1,600,000 m (17,222,256.67 sq ft) of office space and services and more than 55,000 jobs. 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

4399-410: The duchy to his youngest son, Philip the Bold . The duchy soon became a major rival to the crown. The court in Dijon outshone the French court both economically and culturally. Phillip the Bold's grandson Philip the Good acquired Namur , Hainaut , Brabant , and Holland in modern Belgium and the Netherlands . In 1477, at the battle of Nancy during the Burgundian Wars , the last duke Charles

4482-437: The earliest recorded settlers of the region were the Gauls (Celts). Cities such as Lyon were founded by them and the region traded with both northern and southern Europe. Most of the area became part of Roman territory during the invasion of Celtic Gaul led by Julius Caesar and was at various times part of the regions of Lugdunensis and Gallia. Lyon itself became a major city in the Roman Empire . The region, excepting Savoy,

4565-407: The early 2000s and is now famous worldwide. Lyon is home to the football club Olympique Lyonnais (OL), whose men's team plays in Ligue 1 and has won the championship of that competition seven times, all consecutively from 2002 to 2008. OL played until December 2015 at the 43,000-seat Stade de Gerland , which also hosted matches of the 1998 FIFA World Cup . Since 2016, the team has played at

4648-436: The east of the region the food has an Alpine flavour with dishes such as fondue , raclette common, gratin dauphinois and gratin savoyard. The region is also famous for its Bresse poultry and the many varieties of cheese including Tomme de Savoie , Bleu de Bresse , Reblochon , Saint-Marcellin and Vacherin du Haut-Doubs . Wines in this region include Beaujolais , Côtes du Rhône and Savoy wine . Chartreuse liqueur

4731-399: The first of Lyon's extensive network of funicular railways began operation. During World War II , Lyon was a centre for the occupying Nazi forces, including Klaus Barbie , the infamous "Butcher of Lyon". However, the city was also a stronghold of the French Resistance , the many secret passages known as traboules , enabled people to escape Gestapo raids. On 3 September 1944, Lyon

4814-440: The former duchy. In 2016, Burgundy and the historical region of Franche-Comté merged for administrative purposes into the new region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté . The region of Burgundy is both larger than the old Duchy of Burgundy and smaller than the area ruled by the Dukes of Burgundy , from the modern Netherlands to the border of Auvergne . Today, Burgundy is made up of the old provinces: The climate of this region

4897-439: The geographic area comprising the four departments of Côte-d'Or , Saône-et-Loire , Yonne , and Nièvre . The first recorded inhabitants of the area that was to become Burgundy were various tribes of Gallic Celts , the most prominent of which were the semi-republican Aedui , who were eventually incorporated into the Roman Empire following the Gaulish defeat in the Battle of Alesia . Gallo-Roman culture flourished during

4980-486: The gods. The city became increasingly referred to as Lugdunum (and occasionally Lugudunum ). The earliest translation of this Gaulish place-name as "Desired Mountain" is offered by the 9th-century Endlicher Glossary . In contrast, some modern scholars have proposed a Gaulish hill-fort named Lug[o]dunon, after the Celtic god Lugus (cognate with Old Irish Lugh , Modern Irish Lú ), and dúnon (hill-fort). The Romans recognised that Lugdunum's strategic location at

5063-408: The historian Dio Cassius , in 43 BC, the Roman Senate ordered the creation of a settlement for Roman refugees of war with the Allobroges . These refugees had been expelled from Vienne and were now encamped at the confluence of the Saône and Rhône rivers. The foundation was built on Fourvière hill and officially called Colonia Copia Felix Munatia , a name invoking prosperity and the blessing of

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5146-532: The largest ski area in the world, Rhône-Alpes is the second most important golfing region in France with over 60 courses. Enthusiasts of art and culture will not be disappointed by the region's Villes d’Art: Lyon, which is classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage site, Annecy, Grenoble, Chambéry, and Saint-Étienne. Lyon is noted as a gastronomic centre of France and specialities served in its traditional bouchons include Lyon sausage , sophisticated salami (known there as " rosette "), tripe and quenelles . In

5229-401: The late 15th century. The capital, Dijon , was wealthy and powerful, being a major European centre of art and science, and of Western Monasticism . In early Modern Europe, Burgundy was a focal point of courtly culture that set the fashion for European royal houses and their court. The Duchy of Burgundy was a key in the transformation of the Middle Ages towards early modern Europe . Upon

5312-453: The metropolis was to focus metropolitan elections more on metropolitan issues than parochial communal issues, and ensure the 'one person, one vote' rule be respected, by creating electoral wards of more homogeneous population sizes. Opponents said it diluted the voice of the small suburban communes, which are now part of large electoral wards and do not each possess a representative in the metropolitan council anymore. The two first presidents of

5395-436: The northwest of the French Alps , 391 km (243 mi) southeast of Paris , 278 km (173 mi) north of Marseille , 113 km (70 mi) southwest of Geneva , Switzerland, 58 km (36 mi) northeast of Saint-Étienne . The City of Lyon had a population of 522,250 at the Jan. 2021 census within its small municipal territory of 48 km (19 sq mi), but together with its suburbs and exurbs

5478-434: The region comprises the river valleys of the Rhône and the Saône . The confluence of these two rivers is at Lyon. The western part of the region contains the start of the Massif Central mountain range. The region also borders or contains major lakes such as Lake Geneva ( Lac Léman ) and Lake Annecy . The Ardèche flows through the southwest portion of the region, where it has carved the deepest gorge in Europe. As with

5561-544: The region is famous for Dijon mustard , Charolais beef , Bresse chicken , the Burgundian dishes coq au vin and beef bourguignon , and époisses cheese. Tourist sites of Burgundy include the Rock of Solutré , the Hospices de Beaune , the Ducal Palace in Dijon, and many Renaissance and mediaeval châteaus, castles, churches and abbeys. Earlier, the southeastern part of Burgundy was heavily industrial, with coal mines near Montceau-les-Mines and iron foundries and crystal works in Le Creusot . These industries declined in

5644-425: The reigns of various Roman emperors, most notably Marcus Aurelius and Septimius Severus . Local saints from this period include Blandina , Pothinus , and Epipodius , among others. The Greek Irenaeus was the second bishop of Lyon during the latter part of the second century. To this day, the archbishop of Lyon is still referred to as " Primat des Gaules ". Burgundians fleeing the destruction of Worms by

5727-662: The rest of France, French is the only official language of the region. Until the mid-20th century, Arpitan was widely spoken in the whole region, while many of the inhabitants of the south spoke varieties of Occitan ; both are in steep decline in this region. There are immigrant populations from Armenia, Italy, North Africa, Poland and Portugal, and elsewhere. Rhône-Alpes is made up of the following departments : And, since 2015, Metropolis with territorial collectivity statute: There are six main lakes in Rhône-Alpes: Prefectures listed in descending order of size: Although there have been people in Rhône-Alpes since pre-historic times,

5810-400: The sea. The E15 Euroroute ( Britain to Spain) runs through the region. There are international airports at Lyon, Grenoble and Saint-Étienne and many other minor airports and airfields. The region is also a transport hub for the rail network with the TGV running through Lyon from Paris and the north, to the Mediterranean. A high-speed rail link is planned from Lyon to Turin . Rhône-Alpes

5893-403: The second half of the twentieth century. The local dialect is known as Burgundian (Bourguignon); it is an Oïl language similar to Standard French but with some Franco-Provençal and Dutch influence. Lyon Lyon is the third-most populous city of France, at the centre of its second-largest urban area . It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône , to

5976-784: The second richest city in France after Paris. Lyon and its region Rhône-Alpes represent one of the most important economies in Europe and, according to Loughborough University, can be compared to Philadelphia, Mumbai or Athens with regard to its international position. The city of Lyon is working in partnership to more easily enable the establishment of new headquarters in the territory (ADERLY, Chambre du commerce et d'industrie , Grand Lyon ...). High-tech industries such as biotechnology, software development, video game ( Arkane Studios , Ivory Tower , Eden Games , EA France , Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe), and internet services are also growing. Other important sectors include medical research and technology, non-profit institutions, and universities. Lyon

6059-441: The south. Another Lyon tradition is a type of brunch food called "mâchons", made of local charcuterie and usually accompanied by Beaujolais red wine. Mâchons were the customary meal of the canuts, the city's silk workers, who ate a late-morning meal after they finished their shifts in the factories. Other traditional local dishes include coq au vin ; quenelle ; gras double ; salade lyonnaise (lettuce with bacon, croûtons and

6142-593: The third 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 fifth arrondissement. A year later, in 1964, the fifth was split to create Lyon's 9th – and, to date, final – arrondissement. Within each arrondissement, the recognisable quartiers or neighbourhoods are: Geographically, Lyon's two main rivers,

6225-418: The title of "Capital of Lights". 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

6308-526: Was 40.5 °C (104.9 °F) on 13 August 2003 while the lowest recorded temperature was −24.6 °C (−12.3 °F) on 22 December 1938. Like Paris and Marseille , the commune (municipality) 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,

6391-743: Was a scene of mass violence by Catholics against Protestant Huguenots in the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre . Two centuries later, Lyon was again convulsed by violence during the French Revolution , when the citizenry rose up against the National Convention and supported the Girondins . The city was besieged by Revolutionary armies for over two months before it surrendered in October 1793. Many buildings were destroyed, especially around

6474-493: Was an important sector, particularly around Saint-Étienne , although this has declined since the 1970s. The area of the region that lies close to Switzerland has an economy linked to that of Geneva . This area forms a hinterland for the Geneva hub. The Triangle of Lyon , Saint-Étienne and Grenoble contribute a GDP of €145 billion to the region. Add Valence to it, it is almost €150 billion. In addition, Lyon alone has

6557-522: Was divided between the Duchy of Burgundy (to the west) and the Free County of Burgundy (to the east). The Duchy of Burgundy is the better known of the two, later becoming the French province of Burgundy, while the County of Burgundy became the French province of Franche-Comté . Burgundy's modern existence is rooted in the dissolution of the Frankish Empire . In the 880s, there were four Burgundies:

6640-560: Was founded in 2009). The OL women have also won the UEFA Women's Champions League eight times, including in five consecutive editions from 2016 to 2020. Lyon hosted the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup semi-finals as well as the Final on 7 July at Stade de Lyon. Lyon has a rugby union team, Lyon OU , in the Top 14 , which moved into Stade de Gerland full-time in 2017–18. In addition, Lyon has

6723-472: Was liberated by the 1st Free French Division and the Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur . The city is now home to a Resistance museum. The Rhône and Saône converge to the south of the historic city centre, forming a peninsula – the " Presqu'île " – bounded by two large hills to the west and north and a large plain eastward. Place Bellecour is located on the Presqu'île between the two rivers and

6806-577: Was not the only target within Lyon during the French Revolution. After the Convention faded into history, the French Directory appeared and days after the 4 September 1797 Coup of 18 Fructidor , a Directory's commissioner was assassinated in Lyon. The city became an important industrial town in the 19th century. In 1831 and 1834, the canuts (silk workers) of Lyon staged two major uprisings for better working conditions and pay. In 1862,

6889-660: Was part of the Merovingian and Carolingian Kingdoms before becoming a royal territory under the Capetians. As it became a royal territory early on in French history, its cultural, political and economic influences and developments paralleled those of greater France. (See History of France .) Rhône-Alpes is a major European transit hub, linking northern France and Europe to the Mediterranean area. Millions travel along its motorways in summertime from Paris to holidays at

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