Lyon

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Lyon or Lyons (UK /liːˈɒn/ or /ˈliːɒn/;[3] French pronunciation: [ljɔ̃] ( listen), locally: [lijɔ̃]; Arpitan: Liyon [ʎjɔ̃]) is a city in east-central France, in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. The correct spelling in French is Lyon but the spelling Lyons is sometimes specified in English, particularly in newspaper style guides.[4] Lyon is located approximately 470 kilometres (292 miles) from Paris, 320 km (199 mi) from Marseille, 420 km (261 mi) from Strasbourg, 160 km (99 mi) from Geneva, and 280 km (174 mi) from Turin. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais.

The municipality (commune) of Lyon has a population of 491,268 (January 2011)[1] and is France's third largest city after Paris and Marseille. Lyon is the seat of the metropolis of Lyon, and the capital of both the Rhône-Alpes region and the Rhône département. The greater metropolitan area of Lyon, a concept for statistical purposes that is not an administrative division, has a population of 2,214,068 (2012), which makes it the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Île-de-France (Paris).[2]

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. Since the late 20th century, it has developed a reputation as the capital of gastronomy in France and in the world.[5]

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, 'Fête des Lumières,' which occurs every 8 December and lasts for four days, earning Lyon the title of Capital of Lights.

Economically, Lyon is a major centre for banking as well as for 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 fostered a growing local start-up sector.[6] Lyon hosts the international headquarters of Interpol, Euronews and International Agency for Research on Cancer. Lyon was ranked 19th globally and 2nd in France for innovation in 2011.[7] It ranked 2nd in France and 39th globally in Mercer's 2015 liveability rankings.