A 2000-year-old city located at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers, Lyon is rich in history. It is particularly well known for its Gallo-Roman origins - hence its ancient name of Lugdunum. From the start of the industrial era, Lyon attracted numerous companies from a variety of industrial sectors, which made its economic growth one of the most dynamic in the country.
This expansion encouraged the development of research and higher education establishments, including private and public research centres, universities, and engineering schools. The University of Lyon is considered France’s second largest university centre after Paris, with more than 150 000 students.
Today, Lyon is the main city in a community of about 2 million inhabitants. Lyon is easily accessible by all means of transportation from Europe and other continents. France welcomes international visitors from all over the world, and May is an ideal time to visit Lyon and the surrounding area.