Quick answerLyon is a city in France, with 519,127 people inside the city limits in 2023. The wider metropolitan area had about 2.3 million people in 2023. It is best known for the French gastronomy, the Renaissance old town (UNESCO) and the Roman ruins. Its official language is French, and its currency is the Euro.
Lyon is the third-largest city in France by municipal population, with 519,127 residents in 2023, and the centre of the country's second-largest metropolitan area, with about 2.3 million people. It stands at the meeting of the Rhône and Saône rivers in eastern France.
Key facts
| Country | France |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 519,127 (2023) |
| Population (metro) | 2,339,329 (2023) · INSEE aire d'attraction (functional / metropolitan area), 2023 |
| Elevation | 173 m above sea level |
| Time zone | Europe/Paris |
| Language | French |
| Currency | Euro (EUR, €) |
| Coordinates | 45.7675° N, 4.835° E |
Overview
Lyon lies in eastern France at the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône, about 390 kilometres south-east of Paris. The city proper is compact, covering 47.9 square kilometres, and had 519,127 residents in 2023. Its metropolitan area, the second largest in France, had 2,339,329 people that year.
Lyon was founded as the Roman city of Lugdunum and grew into a trading and banking centre, then the heart of France's silk industry. Its Renaissance old town, Vieux Lyon, is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the hill of Fourvière above it holds a Roman theatre and the 19th-century basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière. Today the city is best known for its food: Lyon is often called the gastronomic capital of France, home of the bouchon restaurants and of chefs such as Paul Bocuse.
What Lyon is known for
- French gastronomy
- Renaissance old town (UNESCO)
- Roman ruins
- Silk industry heritage
- Festival of Lights
Landmarks
- Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière
- Vieux Lyon (Old Town)
- Place des Terreaux
- Parc de la Tête d'Or
- Roman Theatre of Fourvière
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Lyon?
Lyon had 519,127 residents inside the city limits in 2023, according to INSEE. The wider metropolitan area had 2,339,329 people that year, making it the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris. The city itself is small in area, just 47.9 square kilometres.
Where is Lyon and what is it known for?
Lyon stands where the Rhône and Saône rivers meet, about 390 kilometres south-east of Paris. It is the capital of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and is known for its food, its Roman ruins and its Renaissance old town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
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Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.