Lyon, also known as Liyon in Arpetan, is a city in east-central France in the region Rhône-Alpes. Its name is pronounced 
[ljɔ̃] (help·info) in French and Arpitan, and /liːˈɒn/ (Lyon) or /ˈlaɪ.ənz/ (Lyons) in English. Lyon is the second-largest French urban area, the first being Paris and the third Marseille. It is a major center of business, situated between Paris and Marseille, and has a reputation as the French capital of gastronomy and having a significant role in the history of cinema with Auguste and Louis Lumière. The local professional football team, Olympique Lyonnais, has increased the profile of Lyon internationally through participation in European football championships. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais.
Together with its suburbs and satellite towns, Lyon forms the second-largest metropolitan area in France after that of Paris, with a population estimated to be 1,783,400 in urban area and 4,415,000 in metropole area (2007). Its "urban region" (Urban Community of Lyon), represents half of the Rhône-Alpes région population with three million inhabitant. Lyon is also a major industrial center specializing in chemical, pharmaceutical, and biotech industries. There is also a significant software industry with a particular focus on video games.
