Lyon

Lyon (pop. 500,000 as of 1985 census) is currently France's third-largest city and serves as capital of the Rhone department in southeastern France. The city is divided into three parts by the intersection of the Rhone and Saone rivers. Lyon's main commercial and entertainment districts lie on a peninsula between the two rivers. On the west bank of the Saone is the city's oldest section, famous for its narrow streets and towering houses. The newer part of Lyon, which includes most of its industry (mainly textiles), its major university, and much of its upper-class housing, is situated on the east bank of the Rhone.

As early as 43 B.C. a Roman colony existed on the site that is now Lyon. In the 15th century, Lyon became a prosperous trading center because of its location and that prosperity was greatly augmented in the 16th century when silk manufacturing was introduced from Italy. The lucrative textile industry encouraged the city's growth and for three centuries Lyon was known as France's second city. By the start of World War II, Lyon was an established cosmopolitan center with a jumble of medieval streets and buildings spread throughout.

The city's location near the Swiss and Italian borders as well as its predominantly medieval architecture and layout made it an ideal stronghold of the French Resistance during the Second World War. Consequently, under the Vichy regime, Lyon became known as the "Capital of the French Resistance" as well as a popular hiding place for those persecuted by the Nazis, especially Jews who had recently arrived in France. When the Germans occupied the city on November 11, 1942 as part of their larger occupation of Vichy France, Klaus Barbie was among the SS officers in charge of dismantling the Resistance in the city.

Related Site:
Lyon Info -- In French