La Part-Dieu is the central business district and beating heart of Lyon Metropolis. It is also a major European nerve centre inside an urban area of more than 2.2 million inhabitants, and the second largest tertiary district in France, after La Défense in Greater Paris, with over 1 150 000 m² of office and service space, along with 45,000 service sector jobs, 2500 companies, affordable rents and a 97% occupancy rate.