Located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Lyon is the third-largest city in France. At the time of the Roman Empire, Lyon served as the capital of Gaul. Louis XI chose Lyon as the place to establish silk manufacturing in France in 1466 that led to Lyon becoming one of the biggest producers of silk in the world. The cinematograph was invented in Lyon, and the city is known as the “Capital of Lights” for its annual festival lights in December.