Lyon is the capital of the Rhône-Alpes region and the Rhône département in France. A city of half a million, Lyon alone is the country's third-largest city, but its metropolitan area is only second in population to Paris. Lyon is mostly known as an economic centre with many corporate headquarters and bustling financial, IT and natural science industries, but it is also rich in historic and architectural heritage, and has a very vivid cultural life. It is also considered the gastronomic epicentre of France.
Lyon is shaped by its two rivers, the Rhône (to the East) and the Saône (to the West), which both run North-South. The main areas of interest are:
Fourvière, Vieux Lyon, Croix-Rousse and a large part of Presqu'île are classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
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