Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes operates as France's industrial powerhouse, second only to Île-de-France by GDP (€329 billion, 12% of national output) but first in manufacturing intensity. The 2016 merger combined the industrial Lyon basin with rural Auvergne, creating a region where 15% of employment remains in industry (versus 11% nationally) and 17 of France's 100 largest factories operate. France 2030 investment (€6.3 billion committed) reinforces this industrial vocation.

Lyon anchors the regional economy as France's second-largest metropolitan area, hosting pharmaceutical giants (Sanofi, bioMérieux), chemical producers, and the technology cluster that makes the Rhône corridor France's most dynamic industrial corridor. Grenoble adds nanotechnology and semiconductor research; Clermont-Ferrand hosts Michelin's global headquarters. The Alps provide ski tourism that generates winter employment peaks.

The region leads France in factory openings (32 net new facilities in 2024), demonstrating reindustrialization that other regions struggle to achieve. Yet first-half 2025 data shows challenges: 40% of SMEs reported revenue declines, turnover fell 2.2% year-on-year, and construction activity has contracted for two years. Whether the industrial model can absorb these cyclical pressures—or whether structural shifts are underway—shapes Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes's trajectory.