Quick facts
Lyon overview
Lyon (orange) and the other large cities of France
Lyon lies in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in France at 45.75°N, 4.85°E, about 173 m above sea level. The local time zone is Europe/Paris (UTC+2); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Marseille (877,215) and larger than Toulouse (511,684). The largest city in France is Paris with 2,138,551 people; the capital, Paris, has 2,138,551.
The national capital, Paris, is about 393 km away; the nearest large city is Villeurbanne, 3 km from Lyon.
France as a whole has a live population of 66,776,264 (+0.1% a year) and ranks #23 of 238 countries — see the France population page for the full statistics and the France atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Lyon
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Villeurbanne Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | 3 km | 131,445 |
| Saint-Étienne Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | 50 km | 176,280 |
| Grenoble Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | 93 km | 158,552 |
| Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | 137 km | 147,865 |
| Dijon Bourgogne-Franche-Comté | 174 km | 159,941 |
| Besançon Bourgogne-Franche-Comté | 189 km | 128,426 |
Largest cities in France
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ParisCapital | Île-de-France | 2,138,551 |
| 2 | Marseille | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | 877,215 |
| 3 | Lyon | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | 520,774 |
| 4 | Toulouse | Occitanie | 511,684 |
| 5 | Nice | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | 342,669 |
| 6 | Nantes | Pays de la Loire | 325,070 |
| 7 | Marne La Vallée | Île-de-France | 318,325 |
| 8 | Strasbourg | Grand Est | 274,845 |
| 9 | Bordeaux | New Aquitaine | 265,328 |
| 10 | Montpellier | Occitanie | 248,252 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Lyon?
Lyon has about 520,774 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Lyon the capital of France?
No. The capital of France is Paris (2,138,551 people), about 393 km away. Lyon is the 3rd largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Lyon compared with the rest of France?
Its 520,774 residents are 0.8% of the 66,776,264 people living in France today. Paris is larger with 2,138,551 people.
Where is Lyon?
In Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, at latitude 45.75 and longitude 4.85, 173 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Villeurbanne (3 km), Saint-Étienne (50 km), Grenoble (93 km).
Explore more
Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Lyon Population 2026 — France. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/france/lyon/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/france/lyon/">Lyon Population 2026 — France</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.