FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS. From December 5 to 8, 2024, the city of Lyon will be adorned with a thousand and one colors for its traditional Festival of Lights. All the practical information and key places not to be missed.
[Mis à jour le 7 novembre 2024 à 14h39] The Lyon Festival of Lights is back this year 2024 from Thursday December 5 to Sunday December 8, offering light and magical installations in the open air, distributed in the streets and squares of the city of Lyon, but also in its monuments or on the banks of the Saône. Over 4 days, the Festival of Lights will reveal to millions of visitors a total of 32 intimate, grandiose, offbeat and all surprising works on 28 sites in the city. New neighborhoods are on the program, with a work presented on the Gros Cailloux esplanade at Croix-Rousse in the 4th arrondissement and another at the Cité Jardin de Gerland in the 7th arrondissement where 2,000 luminous flowers made by residents will illuminate the area.
To mark the 25th anniversary of its contemporary version, the Festival of Lights edition has chosen to once again show the public “six anniversary works which combine creation and heritage”, according to Mayor Grégory Doucet, namely the giant snowball around the statue of Louis 4 place des Jacobins and Lanlakee at horizon24. We take you to discover the main events that will brighten up the city of Lyon:
What are the dates of the Festival of Lights 2024 in Lyon?
The 2024 edition of the Festival of Lights will take place from Thursday 5 to Sunday 8 December 2024. The Festival of Lights traditionally lasts four days.
What are the times for the Festival of Lights 2024 in Lyon?
The Festival of Lights takes place from Thursday December 5 to Saturday December 7, 2024 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., then Sunday December 8, 2024 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
What transport should I take to the Lyon Festival of Lights?
Lyon is just 2 hours from Paris by TGV. Choose this means of transport to get to the Festival of Lights! Simple and quick, 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 since parking will be prohibited from 12 p.m. to midnight on the main streets of the event. Parking lots are installed around Lyon.
To get to the Lyon Festival of Lights, it is advisable to park in the 23 park-and-ride facilities located outside the security perimeter, and open until 1 a.m. or 3 a.m. for certain park and ride locations connecting to the metro lines every Friday and Saturday. Lyon city center is accessible on foot. Opt for walking to discover the spectacular entertainment.
We cannot recommend enough to get a TCL en Fête ticket, specially designed for the occasion by the Transports en Commun Lyonnais network. For 3.60 euros per ticket per evening, you can move freely from 4 p.m. until the end of the service. In addition, on Sunday December 8, 2024, TCLs are free from 4 p.m. and until the end of the service.
What is the origin of the Lyon Festival of Lights?
Established in 1989, the Festival of Lights has a European scope and brings together more than three million visitors to Lyon. Ask the Lyonnais, most feel overwhelmed by the scale of their Festival of Lights, which has its origins in the 17th century. In 1643, Lyon, affected by the plague, placed itself under the protection of the Virgin Mary and paid homage to her every September 8. In 1852, the representation of the Virgin Mary in the chapel located on the Fourvière was installed and the date of its celebration moved to December 8, the 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 delighted Lyonnais place candles in their windows. It is this tradition that will continue for centuries. Even today, as you walk through the city, you will notice that candles illuminate the facades of Lyon. In 1989, the municipality, under the sponsorship of EDF, added ephemeral light displays to this traditional celebration. The Festival of Lights as we know it is launched…