Lyon, Metropolitan area in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
Lyon sits at the meeting point of the Rhône and Saône rivers and stretches across nine districts with Renaissance buildings and Roman remains on its hills. The old quarter below the basilica preserves narrow lanes and tall narrow houses dating from the 15th to 18th centuries.
Lugdunum was founded in 43 BC and served as the capital of Roman Gaul before developing into a center for silk production during the Renaissance. The textile industry brought Italian craftsmen to the city in the 16th century, introducing new weaving techniques and trade routes to northern Europe.
Market halls offer fresh regional produce every morning, while residents often dine in traditional bouchons, small restaurants serving dishes made from offal and charcuterie. In the early evening, locals gather along the riverbanks for walking, jogging or picnicking, especially on warm summer evenings by the Rhône quayside.
The urban transport network includes four metro lines, five tram lines and two funiculars connecting different neighborhoods and hills. Public bicycles are available at hundreds of stations and pedestrian zones run along both river banks for several kilometers.
A network of covered passageways called traboules, built between the 4th and 16th centuries, creates shortcuts through buildings linking main streets. Some of these passages cross several courtyards and up to four different buildings, sometimes starting and ending at different street levels.
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