Greater Lyon, an area where life is good

Heritage

Capital of the Gauls during the Roman Empire, a flourishing center during the Renaissance and the reign of the Italian bankers, adulated for centuries by all the courts of Europe for the excellence of its silks... And even today, the city still boasts Roman amphitheatres, Renaissance townhouses, its unique traboule alleyways and a historic and architectural legacy that is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Lyon, “capital of gastronomy”, cultivates its tradition of innovation by developing new tastes and flavors that will titillate your taste buds…

Of course, Lyon still has its typical bouchon restaurants; indeed, the culinary tradition is firmly rooted in every quarter of the city! But there are also a host of other tables where you can discover new ways of eating well:

• reinvented French cuisine,
• cuisines from every corner of the world,
• molecular cuisine...

Naturally, Lyon's great chefs – Bocuse, Blanc, Lacombe and Orsi, to name just a few – still hold the banner high for French gastronomy.

The city also boasts many creative young spirits, such as Sébastien Bouillet, who has made quite a name for himself with his innovative pastries. Today, rising stars are taking over: Le Bec, Viannay, Ezgulian... each a great classic in the making!

Though Lyon is a large city, nature is never far off: wooded hills, the Rhône River's shady banks dotted with green spaces, parks covering dozens of hectares, and river islands are all intimately woven into the urban fabric.

And for the purists enamored of authenticity, the preserved countryside is only a short distance away: the Beaujolais hills and the Rhône Valley await visitors, with their magnificent landscapes and culinary specialties – not to mention the Alps, a thrilling region all year round!

In Lyon, sustainable transportation is no pipe dream. It was here that the concept of self-service bicycles was first tested and proven on a large scale.

Three years after its creation, the Vélo'v bike-hire scheme already has over 60,000 subscribers, 4,000 bikes and 343 stations. Combined with trains and bicycles, the city's public transportation system – its subway, tramway and trolleybuses – is a model of sustainable development. In particular, it seeks to facilitate access to the park-and-ride facilities located in the suburbs.

As a result, Lyon is the only major metropolitan area in France in which less than half of all trips into the city center are made by car.

Since the summer of 2007, the banks of the Rhône, between Gerland and Tête d'Or Park, have been returned to pedestrians, cyclists and inline-skaters. The 5 kilometers of playgrounds, footpaths and bike paths have become one of Lyon's most popular attractions.

10 hectares entirely devoted to relaxing, strolling and getting away from it all... right in the heart of the city.

Opt for a change of scenery and make new acquaintances and discoveries on the grassy expanses of the "Grande Prairie" or the stepped terraces of La Guillotière, or while enjoying a delicious meal on any of a number of restaurant-barges.

And very soon, the banks of the Saône will once again renew their intimate dialog with the city and its inhabitants...