Lyon travel guide - Wikitravel http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Lyon&printable=yes From Wikitravel Europe : France : Southeastern France : Rhône-Alpes : Rhône : Lyon Contents Lyon [1] (http://www.en.lyon-france.com/) , also written Lyons in English, is the third largest city in France and centre of the second [+] Understand largest metropolitan area in the country. It is the capital of the Districts Rhone-Alpes region and the Rhône département. It is known as a History gastronomic and historical city with a vibrant cultural scene. It is Politics also the birthplace of cinema. Economy Climate Events Language Founded by the Romans, with many preserved historical areas, Smoking Lyon is the archetype of the heritage city, as recognised by Tourist information UNESCO. Long seen as a dreary, grey city, partly because of [+] Get in By plane urban planning errors such as building motorways right through the By train city centre, Lyon is now a vibrant metropolis which starts to make By bus the most out of its unique architectural, cultural and gastronomic By car heritage, its dynamic demographics and economy and its strategic [+] Get around location between Northern and Southern Europe. It is more and On foot more open to the world, with an increasing number of students and By public transport international events. By bicycle By car The city itself has about 470,000 inhabitants. However, the direct Taxis influence of the city extends well over its administrative borders. [+] See The figure which should be compared to the population of other Highlights major metropolises is the population of Greater Lyon (which Vieux Lyon includes 57 towns or communes): about 1,200,000. Lyon and its Fourvière, Saint-Just metropolitan area are rapidly growing and getting younger, Croix-Rousse because of their economic attractiveness. Presqu'île Confluence Districts Other areas Museums and Galleries Lyon is shaped by its two rivers, the Rhône (to the East) and the Parks and Gardens Saône (to the West), which both run North-South. The main areas [+] Do of interest are: Music, dancing and opera Theatre Fourvière hill Cinemas Also known as "the hill that prays" due to the numerous Sports churches and religious institutions it hosts. The hill was also Learn the place where the Romans settled. Work Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon) [+] Buy The Renaissance area, along the right bank of the Saône. Food Wine Presqu'île [+] Eat Between the two rivers, the real heart of the city. Budget Croix-Rousse Mid-range North of Presqu'île between the two rivers, it is known as 1 of 37 05/04/2012 19:56 Lyon travel guide - Wikitravel http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Lyon&printable=yes Splurge "the hill that works" because it was home to the silk workers Ice cream, pastries, brunch (canuts) until the 19th century. This industry has shaped the [+] Drink unique architecture of the area. English/Irish pubs Confluence Live music An emerging district with great contemporary architecture Others in a former industrial area. Boats Wine bars Part-Dieu [+] Sleep The main business district and home to the main train Budget station of Lyon. Mid-range Brotteaux Splurge The wealthiest district, next to the beautiful Tête d'Or park. Contact Guillotière [+] Stay safe A picturesque district with a large immigrant population. Emergency numbers [+] Cope Etats-Unis Consulates An interesting 1920s housing project. Get out Vaise Another developing district. Fourvière, Vieux Lyon, Croix- Rousse and a large part of Presqu'île are classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Lyon has nine administrative subdivisions called arrondissements, which are designated by numbers. They correspond approximately to the following neighbourhoods: 1st arrondissement (centre): North of Presqu'île and slopes of the Croix-Rousse hill; home of the canuts (silk workers), and still a 'rebel' neighbourhood. 2nd arrondissement (centre): Most of Presqu'île; basically, this is where the action is. 3rd arrondissement (East): Part-Dieu, North of Fourvière basilica from the river Saône, illuminated at night. Guillotière, Montchat, North of Monplaisir; the most populated arrondissement with wealthy and popular neighbourhoods, former industrial or military sites and a modern business district. 4th arrondissement (North): Plateau of the Croix-Rousse hill; historical area with a "village" mood. 5th arrondissement (West): Vieux Lyon, Fourvière, Saint-Just, Point du Jour; historical sites and quiet residential neighbourhoods. 6th arrondissement (Northeast): Brotteaux; the wealthiest part of the city. 7th arrondissement (South): South of Guillotière, Gerland; from popular neighbourhoods to high-tech industrial zones. 2 of 37 05/04/2012 19:56 Lyon travel guide - Wikitravel http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Lyon&printable=yes 8th arrondissement (Southeast): South of Monplaisir, Etats-Unis, industrial and popular neighbourhoods built mainly in the 1920s-1930s. 9th arrondissement (Northwest): Vaise, La Duchère, St Rambert; some of the areas which have evolved the most in recent years. Don't forget to visit Sainte- Foy-lès-Lyon, a nice little town on the western hill of Lyon,across the river Saône, where you can enjoy a walk halfway between the city and the countryside, with marvellous perspectives on the Main districts of interest in Lyon with arrondissement numbers and borders city. Zip codes for Lyon begin with 69 for the Rhône département and end with the number of the arrondissement: 69004 is therefore the zip code for the 4th arrondissement. Special zip codes may be used for businesses. History All periods of Lyon's 2000-year history have left visible traces in the city's architectural and cultural heritage, from Roman ruins to Renaissance palaces to contemporary skyscrapers. It never went through a major disaster (earthquake, fire, extensive bombing...) or a complete redesign by urban planners. Very few cities in the world boast such diversity in their urban structure and architecture. Early traces of settlement date back to 12,000 BC but there is no evidence of continuous occupation prior to the Roman era. Lugdunum, the Roman name of the city, was officially founded in 43 BC by Lucius Munatius Plancus, then Governor of Gaul. The first Roman settlements were on Fourvière hill, and the first inhabitants were probably veterans of Caesar's war campaigns. The development of the city was boosted by its strategic location and it was promoted Capital of Gauls in 27 BC by General Agrippa, emperor Augustus's son-in-law and minister. Large carriageways were then built, providing easy access from all 3 of 37 05/04/2012 19:56 Lyon travel guide - Wikitravel http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Lyon&printable=yes parts of Gaul. Lugdunum became one of the most prominent The Roman theatre in Fourvière, the most administrative, economic and financial centres in Gaul, along important remain of the Roman city of with Narbonne. The main period of peace and prosperity of the Lugdunum. Roman city was between 69 and 192 AD. The population at that time is estimated between 50,000 and 80,000. Lugdunum consisted of four populated areas: the top of Fourvière hill, the slopes of Croix-Rousse around the Amphithéâtre des Trois Gaules, the Canabae (around where Place Bellecour is today) and the right bank of the Saône river, mainly in what is today St Georges neighbourhood. Lugdunum was the place where the first Christian communities of Gaul appeared. It was also where the first martyrdoms took place, most notably in 177 AD when the young slave Blandine was killed in the Amphithéâtre des Trois Gaules, along with 47 other martyrs. The city lost its status of Capital of Gauls in 297 AD. Then, in the early years of the 4th century, the aqueducts which brought water to the top of Fourvière suddenly stopped functioning. This was due to a lack of funds for their maintenance and security; the lead pipes which carried the water were stolen and could not be replaced. The city was completely deprived of water overnight. This triggered the end of the Roman Lugdunum, which lost a large part of its population and was reorganised around the Saône. In the Middle Ages, the city developed on both banks of the Saône. The name "Lion" or "Lyon" appeared in the 13th century. The early Middle Ages were very troubled politically. Since the political geography of France kept changing, the city belonged successively to multiple provinces. It then belonged to the Holy Roman Empire from 1018 to 1312, when it was given to France at the Vienna Council. At that time, the city was still of limited size but had a large religious influence; in 1078, Pope Gregory VII made the Archbishop of Lyon the highest Catholic dignitary in the former Gaul (Primat des Gaules). In the Renaissance, fiscal advantages and the organisation of numerous trade fairs attracted bankers from Florence and merchants from all over Europe; the city became more and more prosperous and experienced a second golden age. The main industries were silk weaving, introduced in 1536, and printing. Lyon became one of Europe's largest cities and its first financial place, helped by the advantages given by King François I who even considered, at one time, making Lyon the capital of France. Around 1530, the population of Lyon reached 50,000. In the following centuries, Lyon was hurt by the religious wars but remained a major industrial and intellectual centre, while the financial activity moved to Geneva and Switzerland. In the 18th century, half of the inhabitants were silk workers (canuts). The eastern bank of the Rhône was not urbanised before the 18th century, when the swamps (called Brotteaux) were dried out to allow construction. Those massive works were led by engineer Morand. In the meantime, works conducted by Perrache doubled the area of the Presqu'île.