The Foire de Lyon (Foire internationale de Lyon; or Lyon Fair) is a
trade fair, traditionally held in March in
Lyon, France. Begun as an initiative by Lyon mayor
Édouard Herriot in 1916, the fair has been held in the
Eurexpo convention center in
Chassieu since 1985.
History
The creation of the Foire de Lyon began in 1916 through an initiative by then mayor
Édouard Herriot. He decided to build a vast "Palace" to accommodate the commercial stalls that were crowding the quays and streets, and impeding traffic flow in the area. The Fair Palace was built from 1918 to 1938 on land located between the
Rhône and
Parc de la Tête d'Or.[1] Subsequent construction did not adhere to the original plan.[2] The buildings of the Fair Palace were ultimately destroyed to make room for the
Cité Internationale, leaving only the main façade of the central pavilion, now integrated into the
Musée d'art contemporain de Lyon. In 1985 the fair was moved to the
Eurexpo convention center in the commune of
Chassieu, east of the
Metropolis of Lyon.
Themes
Each edition of the fair, starting from 2006, is devoted to a particular theme.
2006 – The People of Tibet, with
Maurice Herzog as sponsor