Lyon is a city in east-central France, in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located approximately 470 kilometres (292 miles) from Paris, 320 km (199 mi) from Marseille, 420 km (261 mi) from Strasbourg, 160 km (99 mi) from Geneva, 280 km (174 mi) from Turin. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais.The small municipality of Lyon proper has a population of 491,268, but together with its suburbs and satellite towns Lyon forms the 2nd-largest metropolitan area in France with a population of 2,188,759 at the January 2011 census. Lyon is the capital of the Rhône-Alpes region, as well as the capital of the smaller Rhône département.
The city of Lyon boasts a good public transport network, including a modern and eco-friendly tram system. A new TGV train station has recently opened and can be found along the Grenoble autoroute, on the south-eastern side of Lyon, close to Saint Exupery Airport.
Lyon is divided into nine main districts, which are known in France as arrondissements. These include the Presqu'ile area, which encompasses both the 1er and 2e arrondissements, between the River Rhone and the River Saone. Other prominent areas include Vieux Lyon, the 5e arrondissement, located alongside the western bank of the River Saone and home to the La-Part-Dieu development.