Lyon People Top 500

Opening the App and the First Login

The app installs quickly. You tap the icon. The splash screen appears. Lyon People branding. Top 500 logo. You tap "Login." The app asks for your identifiers. You enter them. The app verifies your membership. You are in. The home screen loads. A directory of 500 personalities. A calendar of events. A chat icon. The design is clean. Minimalist. The colors are elegant. The 2026 update brought a new color scheme. The app feels exclusive. Premium. That is the point. It is not for everyone. It is for the Top 500.

The directory is the centerpiece. It lists 500 influential people in Lyon. Business leaders. Politicians. Artists. Sports figures. Each profile has a name, photo, and contact information. You can search. You can filter. You can save favorites. The directory is updated annually. The 2026 edition includes new faces. The app is a digital companion to the paper guide. The guide is a luxury item. The app is a practical tool. Together, they form a premium mini-network. That is the value proposition.

The Monday Events and the Chat Feature

The events calendar is updated every Monday. It shows social events in Lyon. Networking dinners. Art exhibitions. Business conferences. Charity galas. You can RSVP through the app. You can see who else is attending. You can connect with them. The chat feature allows direct communication. You can message other members. You can share updates. You can coordinate meetings. The chat is private. Secure. Only members can access it. That is a key differentiator. It is not a public forum. It is a closed community.

The chat is not always active. Some users report it is underutilized. The app is more of a directory than a social network. But the potential is there. If members engage, the chat could become a powerful networking tool. The app also allows two push notifications per year. That is a deliberate choice. The app does not spam users. It respects their attention. The notifications are for important announcements only. That is a refreshing change from most apps. It shows the developer understands the audience. Busy professionals do not want constant interruptions.

The Paper Guide and the Digital Integration

The app is part of a larger ecosystem. The paper guide is a premium product. It is a coffee table book. It features 500 portraits. It is distributed to members. The app mirrors the guide. It provides the same information in digital form. But the app adds functionality. You can search. You can filter. You can connect. You can get updates. The paper guide is static. The app is dynamic. Together, they offer a complete experience. The app is not a replacement. It is a complement. That is a smart strategy. It gives members a reason to use both.

The guide has been published annually since 2018. The 2026 edition is the seventh. It includes 70 new portraits. The app is updated accordingly. The latest version is 2.21. The changelog mentions a new color for 2026. That is a minor change. But it shows the app is maintained. The developer is Digital Cooker. They are a French agency. They specialize in custom apps. They have worked with airports and other clients. The app is well-built. It is stable. It does what it is supposed to do. It is not flashy. But it is functional.

The Exclusivity and the Membership Cost

The app is exclusive. You need to be a member to use it. Membership is not cheap. Packages cost €1000 and €3500. That includes the paper guide. It includes access to events. It includes the app. The high cost is a barrier. But it also ensures quality. Only serious networkers join. The app is not for casual users. It is for decision-makers. That is its strength. The community is curated. The app facilitates connections. But the connections are only as good as the members. The app cannot create value. It can only enable it.

Some critics call the guide "bling-bling." They say it is elitist. That is a valid criticism. The app is not for everyone. It is for a select few. That is by design. The app does not pretend to be inclusive. It is a tool for the elite. That is its identity. It is honest about that. The app does what it promises. It provides a directory. It provides events. It provides chat. It does not overpromise. It does not underdeliver. It is a niche product. It serves its niche well.