Venue & Travel > About Lyon

Lyon, France’s second-largest city and its gastronomic capital, lies at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers. The city boasts a remarkable historical, architectural and cultural heritage, first as the capital of the Gauls during the Roman Empire, then as a major economic hub during the Renaissance. Historically, Lyon was an important area for the production and weaving of silk. The city played a significant role in the history of cinema with the invention of the cinematograph by the Lumière brothers. The city is also known for its light festival, the Fête des Lumières, major European cultural events such as The Nuits de Fourvière held at the ancient theaters, and the Contemporary Art Biennale. Finally, it is easy to escape the city: a short drive north or south takes you to the Beaujolais or Côtes du Rhone wine regions.

 

 

The French Capital of gastronomy, home of Michelin-starred Chef Paul Bocuse and numerous internationally renowned Chefs. From fine restaurants to the famous local bouchons, home-made organic and veggie burgers, falafel and donut shops, as well as tea rooms and coffee shops (for those with a sweet tooth), Lyon is tasty from starter to dessert. A list of restaurants in Lyon can be found here:

Lyon has established itself as a major European metropolitan area all the while offering the charms of a French city. Ideally located at the crossroads of Europe, its central location offers easy access to many key European cities. With 1,500 decision-making centers and 8 competitive clusters, Lyon offers a lively and dynamic job market, while revealing the beauty of its Roman foundations and drawing on the advantages offered by its two hills and two rivers. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998, the city also hosts some of Europe's biggest cultural events.

 

MAIN CULTURAL EVENTS IN LYON

Festival of Lights

With 4 million visitors, The Festival of Lights stands out as one of the 3 biggest festive public events in the world after the Rio Carnival and the Munich Oktoberfest. The internationally renowned festival takes place every year for four days around December 8th, offering scenographies and innovative light spectacles in every neighborhood of Lyon.

Nuits de Fourvière

Every year in June and July, the Nuits de Fourvière, Lyon’s unmissable summer evening festival, offers some 50 shows to over 130,000 spectators. A veritable melting pot of artistic expression, the festival returns the ancient theaters to their original function as performance venues, combining music, dance, opera, theater and circus.

Contemporary Art Biennale

Organized every two years, the Lyon Contemporary Art Biennale attracts some 500 artists in its various exhibition areas located throughout the city and welcomes approximately 250,000 visitors.

Dance Biennale

Organized every two years alternately with The Contemporary Art Biennale, the Lyon Dance Biennale takes place in September and October for three weeks attracting nearly 300,000 visitors each year.

Beaujolais Nouveau Celebration

The ‘‘Beaujolais Nouveau’’ is produced on a 34-mile-long guaranteed quality label area (appellation AOC) between Macon and L’Arbresle in the Lyon region. Each 3rd Thursday of November, celebrating the new wine, producers from Beaujolais villages open their domains for the weekend for a taste of the new wine.

 

Vieux Lyon

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