 Lyon,
past and present
It was the Romans who established the military colony of Lugdunum,
now modern-day Lyon, in 43 BC, on the convergence of the Rhône
and Saône rivers. It became the capital of Gaul and, thanks
to its position as commercial and cultural gateway to the rest
of Europe, Lyon has prospered ever since.
Today, France's second city is a major commercial, financial
and industrial centre whose wealth was generated in the 15th
and 16th centuries through printing, the silk trade and banking.
Lyon constantly asserts its independence and singularity in
the face of Paris. The city's population may have a reputation
for reserved conservatism but the Lyonnais can be very welcoming.
Lyon has a wealth of lavish shopping streets, ancient buildings
and fine museums relating to its past. The vestiges of Roman
heritage can be found on the site of the 2000 year-old amphitheatre
or in the Gallo-Roman Museum. The city has always been recognised
as a seat of learning, it has fostered scientific research since
the 18th century and still has an important university to this
day. Lyon has given us many well-known figures like the Lumière
brothers, the inventors of cinema, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry,
the author, Jean Moulin, the resistance leader and Paul Bocuse,
the world-class chef.
Links
French and English content dealing with all aspects of Lyon,
especially where to stay and the sights of interest in Lyon.
French site dealing with all aspects of Lyon, especially where to go and the events of interest in town.
French and English details of the nightlife, events, accommodation
and facilities of the city.
These links do not constitute
an endorsement by the 麻豆社 of the companies, their services or
products. The 麻豆社 is not responsible for the content of external
sites. |
