The pink tower of the La Tour Rose hotel in Lyon

Lyon is a sprawling commercial, cultural and culinary hub and the capital of France's eastern Rhône-Alpes region.

Lyon lies on the mighty Rhône river and its old town, Vieux Lyon, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that boasts a glut of medieval and Renaissance buildings.

Lyon's Roman roots are apparent in the Fourvière district where the Romans built their city of Lugdunum more than 2,000 years ago.

Every December, Lyon hosts a Festival of Light which sees around 200 of the city's buildings and monuments illuminated.

Lyon is one of France's foremost gastronomic centres and has the highest concentration of restaurants in the country. Some of the world's top chefs reside here, but if it's an inexpensive feed you're after, pop into a bouchons for your fill of tripe and salami.

Lyon is only an hour-and-a-half's travel to the Rhône-Alpes - one of biggest ski areas in the world. In the summer, the Alps offer holidaymakers walking trails, golf courses, canoeing, kayaking and mountain biking. Lyon is also within easy reach of some of France's finest vineyards.

Lyon is just two hours from Paris by direct TGV train. Lyon's Saint-Exupéry airport, around 15 miles west of the city, is serviced by international flights.