Industrial city (textiles, chemicals,
machinery, printing) and capital of Rhone
departement, Rhone-Alpes region, and third
largest city of France, at the confluence of
the Rhone and Saone rivers, 275 km/170 mi NNW
of Marseille; population (1982) 418,476,
conurbation 1,221,000. Formerly a chief
fortress of France, it was the ancient
Lugdunum, taken by the Romans 43 bc.