In the Rhône department, the capital, Lyon, obviously attracts all the attention with its 522,000 residents bustling across an area of 48 km². But surprise! When it comes to size, Lyon gets overshadowed, and not by a little. As confirmed by Actu Lyon, the largest municipality in the Rhône is... Deux-Grosnes! That name doesn’t ring a bell? That’s probably normal, so let’s make the introductions!
Voir cette publication sur Instagram
Located south of Mâcon, Deux-Grosnes spreads its vast landscapes over 84 km², which is almost twice the size of the capital of the Gauls. And yet, it feels nothing like the urban density of Lyon. Here, it’s calm and peaceful, with barely 1,900 residents, which means just 23 souls per km², compared to the 10,693 Lyonnais crammed into each km². Let's just say that in Deux-Grosnes, you can breathe.
A municipality born from the merging of 7 villages
Why is it so spacious, you may ask? Deux-Grosnes is the result of merging several villages in 2019, creating a municipality of impressive proportions: Avenas, Monsols, Ouroux, Saint-Christophe, Saint-Jacques-des-Arêts, Saint-Mamert, and Trades. And even though it doesn't have monuments as iconic as Fourvière or Place Bellecour, Deux-Grosnes captivates with its rolling landscapes, forests, and the authenticity of its hamlets.
Voir cette publication sur Instagram
In terms of area, Deux-Grosnes not only surpasses Lyon but also other major municipalities in the department, like Thizy-les-Bourgs (44 km²) and Saint-Martin-en-Haut (39 km²). On a regional scale, Val-Cenis in Savoie takes the top spot with its 408 km² of area. In the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Lyon only ranks 126th among the largest cities, while Saint-Étienne comes in 38th (for once Saint-Étienne finishes ahead of Lyon in a ranking...).
Source: Actu Lyon