FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS. From December 8 to 11, 2022, the city of Lyon is adorned with a thousand and one colors on the occasion of its traditional Festival of Lights. Discover the timetables, the program and the most beautiful installations in pictures.
[Mis à jour le 8 décembre 2022 à 19h11] Until Sunday December 11, Lyon celebrates its traditional Festival of Lights. A highly anticipated event that brings together 2 million people each year. The Festival of Lights is, as such, one of the largest gatherings in Europe. This year 2022, 30 luminous and magical works signed by the big names of the international contemporary art scene will illuminate the city.
From the emblematic monuments, squares and parks, but also from the quays of the capital of Gaul, intimate, grandiose and all surprising works unveiled in the open over four days, starting this Thursday, December 8. We take you to discover the main activities that will brighten up the city of Lyon:
Extending from the 3rd to the 8th arrondissement of the city of Lyon, thehe Fête des Lumières offers this year 2022 to discover many emblematic artists of international contemporary creation in the field of light. Coming from France, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands, Switzerland or even the Congo, they offer monumental projections, immersive installations or luminous objects with an always sensitive and often poetic about our world and its weaknesses.
Visitors are particularly invited to take part in the Festival of Lights with a luminous ball organized at Les Subsistances, old hits to be sung in unison Place des Terreaux or even a gourmet break on Place Bellecour or in Blandan Park. We must not ignore a space explorer who lands on the hills of Fourvière and a magical work that plunges us into the History of Art on the Place des Terreaux!
The 2022 edition of the Festival of Lights will take place from Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 December 2022 inclusive. The Festival of Lights traditionally lasts four days.
The Fête des Lumières takes place from Thursday 8 to Saturday 10 from 8 p.m. to midnight, then on Sunday 11 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Be careful at Blandan Park, the schedules differ from December 8 to 11: from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Lyon is only 2 hours from Paris by TGV. Choose this means of transport to get to the Festival of Lights! Simple and fast, you will avoid having to deal with traffic jams on the outskirts of the city. If you absolutely want to come by car, give up the idea of driving in the city center. Car parks are installed on the outskirts of Lyon.
To get to the Festival of Lights in Lyon, it is advisable to park in the 23 relay car parks located outside the security perimeter, and open until 1 a.m., since parking will be prohibited from noon on the following streets: rue Edouard Herriot, rue Paul Chenavard, rue de Brest, rue Gasparin, rue Emile Zola, rue des Archers, rue Childebert (from Place des Jacobins to rue de la République), rue Jean de Tournes (from Place des Jacobins to rue de la République), rue Jean Fabre and rue President Carnot. Lyon city center is closed to vehicle traffic on December 8, 9 and 10 from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. and on December 11 from 4 p.m. to midnight. The city center of Lyon is accessible on foot. Privilege the walk to discover the spectacular animations.
LThe metro runs until 2 a.m. the 4 nights, then the night network (“Full Moon” lines) takes over at the usual times from Thursday to Saturday according to their usual routes. We cannot advise you too much to get a ticket TCL celebrates, specially designed for the occasion by the Transports en Commun Lyonnais network. For 3.30 euros per ticket per evening, you can circulate freely from 4 p.m. until the end of the service. In addition, on Thursday, December 8, 2022, TCLs are free from 4 p.m. until the end of the service.
Established in 1989, the Festival of Lights has a European scale and brings together more than three million visitors to Lyon. Ask the people of Lyon, most feel overwhelmed by the scale of their Fête des Lumières which has its origins in the 17th century. In 1643, Lyon affected by the plague places itself under the protection of the Virgin Mary and pays homage to her every September 8th. In 1852, the representation of the Virgin Mary of the chapel located on the Fourvière is installed and the date of its celebration moved to December 8, day of the Immaculate Conception. On the day of the inauguration, a storm hits Lyon, jeopardizing the planned celebrations. Finally, the rain stops and the Lyonnais, delighted, place candles in their windows. It is this tradition that will last for centuries. Even today, as you walk through the city, you will see that candles illuminate the facades of Lyon. In 1989, the municipality, sponsored by EDF, added temporary light displays to this traditional celebration. The Festival of Lights as we know it is launched…