RhôneAlpes

Rhône-Alpes was an administrative region of southeastern France that existed until 2016. Its capital was Lyon, a major city known for cuisine, industry, and its historic center. The region was composed of eight departments: Ain, Ardèche, Drôme, Isère, Loire, Rhône, Savoie, and Haute-Savoie. It bordered Switzerland to the northeast and included a diverse landscape that ranged from the Alpine massifs in the east to the Rhône Valley in the south and west, with parts of the Massif Central and Beaujolais wine country.

Geographically, Rhône-Alpes encompassed high mountain terrain in the Alps, including ski resorts and the Mont Blanc massif, as well as fertile plains along the Rhône and Saône rivers. The Rhône River and its tributaries shaped transport routes and agricultural patterns, while lakes and foothill areas added to its regional diversity. The region was home to several important cities beyond Lyon, including Grenoble, Saint-Étienne, Chambéry, Annecy, Valence, and Bourg-en-Bresse.

The economy featured a mix of heavy industry, chemistry, pharmaceuticals, machinery, and a strong services sector centered in Lyon. Agriculture and viticulture were significant, with Beaujolais and the Northern Rhône renowned for wine production. Tourism was sustained by Alpine resort areas, Lake Annecy, and cultural heritage in cities such as Lyon, which is famous for gastronomy, silk history, and its UNESCO-listed historic district.

In 2016, Rhône-Alpes merged with Auvergne to form the larger Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region as part of France’s territorial reform. The name reflects the Rhône River and the Alpine geography that defined the region for decades.

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