Region: Rhone-Alpes (Rhone-Alpes-Auvergne from 2016)
Population: 491,268 (2.18 million in the urban conglomeration)
City ambassadors: Wendie Renard (Olympique Lyonnais and France), Thierry Fremaux (Cannes Film Festival director)

Lyon is a city synonymous with the silk industry, the French Resistance and a reputation as the 'gastronomic capital of the world', and is located between the Rhone and the Saone rivers in the southwest of France. Lyon is home to some of the finest restaurants and chefs in the country and forms the second largest metropolitan area in France, after Paris.

Besides the many restaurants, bistros and cafes that entice people to this endearing city, Lyon boasts three large city parks, some 30 museums and countless monuments symbolising Lyon's development through the ages. It is home to the world-famous Lyon Opera House, whose orchestra's reputation has travelled far beyond French borders.

UNESCO lists Lyon as a World Heritage site due to its rich and diverse 2,000-year history, evident in the awe-inspiring Romanesque architecture and medieval buildings in Old Lyon, including the Primatiale St-Jean Cathedral, and the 16th-century Hotel du Chamarier.

What to See

•  Musee des Confluences

The Musee des Confluences is a science centre and anthropology museum which opened on 20 December 2014 in the 2nd arrondissement of Lyon, (Rhone), France. It is located at the southern tip of the Presqu'ile at the confluence of the Rhone and the Saone, adjacent to Autoroute A7, and comprises part of a larger redevelopment project of the Confluence quarter of Lyon. The deconstructivist architectural design, said to resemble a floating crystal cloud of stainless steel and glass, was created by the Austrian firm Coop Himmelb(l)au.

•  Ancient Theatre of Fourviere

The ancient theatre in Lyon is the oldest in France, dating back to the year 17 BC. Built by the Emperor Augustus, it was originally used for theatre, pageants, musical shows, and poetry competitions. There are actually two theatres on the site: the massive Grand Theatre, which once seated up to 10,000 people; and the smaller Odeon below it on the hillside, which once seated 3,500 people and was used for more intimate performances like poetry readings. While much of the rich decorations are gone, decorated floors of inlaid marble and porphyry are still visible and the state of preservation of the place in general is astounding.

Transport

Getting around in Lyon is easy and fairly cheap compared to other European cities.

Lyon takes full advantage of the Rhone Valley's roads and rivers, and transport routes into and out of the city is numerous. Air-rail links are made simple with Lyon Saint-Exupery International Airport's TGV high-speed train station, as well as the highly developed TGV network and freeway system.

The urban transport network consists of over 130 bus lines, two funiculars, four metro lines and two tramway lines. Tickets can be used across all modes of transport. A single ticket is valid for an hour and allows for multiple changes across the different forms of transport, but not a return journey.

The City Card is ideal for sightseeing as you can get to most places in the city with it and receive free entry to some sites. The metro runs from 5am to midnight and night buses are available thereafter. Taxis are widely available. Commuters should make sure the meter has been reset before travelling and that the meter is on during the journey. If there is no meter then agree on a fee before setting off. Lyon's Old Town is a charming part of the city to explore on foot, and bicycles can also be rented.

Distances to other UEFA EURO 2016 venues
Saint-Etienne – 65km
Marseille – 315km
Paris – 465km
Saint-Denis – 480km
Nice – 480km
Toulouse – 540km
Bordeaux – 555km
Lille – 690km
Lens – 675km

Football

Under the guidance of Jean-Michel Aulas, who became president in 1987, Olympique Lyonnais turned out to be the best French team of the 2000s. Ligue 1 champions for the first time in 2002 after a 3-1 victory in a title-deciding match against RC Lens, OL went on to win seven consecutive league crowns, a record in France.

As well as their Aulas-era championships, the club lifted the French Cup in 2008 and 2012, the French League Cup in 2001 and the Trophee des Champions (Super Cup) on seven occasions, also reaching the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in 2010.But after a period of star players and big transfers, OL returned to a policy of developing talent some three years ago, with Lyon's academy one of the most effective in Europe. Remi Garde left the club after three seasons in the dugout, with Hubert Fournier taking up the reins as manager.

UEFA capacity: 59,000
Tenants: Olympique Lyonnais
Opened: January 2016

Grand Stade OL, also referred to as Stade des Lumieres and Grand Stade de Lyon, is the currently under-construction new home of Olympique Lyonnais and as such will replace Stade Gerland.

Lyon had been looking at the possibility of building a new stadium since 2007, but saw earlier proposals delayed due to local opposition and a lack of funding because of the financial crisis. The project received the final push when France got awarded the Euro 2016 tournament and Lyon got selected as a host city.

The total cost of the project is estimated to be €450 million, of which almost €170 for improvements in infrastructure. The latter part will be publicly paid for, while the stadium will be privately financed by the club and other investors.

Lyon received the final building permit in February 2012 and later that year started preparations to get the site ready for building works. Subsequent delays have postponed the expected completion date from the summer of 2014 to January 2016.

Grand Stade OL will be one of the playing venues of Euro 2016, during which it will host four group matches, a round of 16 match, and one of the two semi-finals.

UEFA EURO 2016 matches

Group stage
13/06/16, 21.00: Belgium v Italy
16/06/16, 18.00: Ukraine v Northern Ireland
19/06/16, 21.00: Romania v Albania
22/06/16, 18.00: Hungary v Portugal

Round of 16
26/06/16, 15.00: WA v 3C/D/E