Soissons In Lights: A Free Illuminated Tour

Throughout the beautiful season, the city of Soissons in Aisne is adorned with lights to better highlight its architectural heritage and history. Soissons en Lumières is a free event that has become a national benchmark in video mapping.

An essential festive event

In just two editions, Soissons in Lights has become an essential festive event in this city of the Aisne.

Attracting nearly 150,000 spectators in its first year and 158,000 spectators in 2023, the event is enjoying growing success with the public.

That's why the 3rd edition, which will be available from May 1, 2024, has been extended by a month. Visitors from France and beyond will have until September 28, 2024, to admire the illuminated monuments at the heart of the city.

A city steeped in history

The city of Soissons, nicknamed the "City of the Vase," was one of the first capitals of France before Paris. It became the capital of the Kingdom of the Franks in 486 AD, following Clovis's victory over the army of the Roman general Syagrius. This commune in the Aisne department has been classified as a city of art and history since 1988.

By offering the annual illuminated tour Soissons in Lights, the city aims to highlight its history, which is closely intertwined with the great history of France. This immersive experience blends video mapping, music, and storytelling to bring the city's past to life through five monuments and five characters.

Five Iconic Monuments to Discover

From May 1st to September 28th, 2024, visitors are invited to see with fresh eyes 5 iconic sites of the city of Soissons:
• the Town Hall.
• Saint-Léger Abbey.
• the City of Music and Dance.
• the Arquebuse Pavilion.
• Saint-Pierre Square.

If you too wish to admire these monuments in their illuminated splendor, note that the Soissons in Lights tour does not take place every day of the week. This sound and light show runs from dusk until midnight, every Friday and Saturday evening, and Thursday evenings during school holidays.

This event, which is the largest cultural and heritage animation of the city, is completely free. All you need to do is wander through the heart of the city to see the history of Soissons materialize before your eyes.

This illuminated route is a free stroll. You can walk from monument to monument in any order you choose, without affecting your understanding of the narrative.

Moreover, you are not even required to listen to the story via the mobile app to enjoy the spectacle… This lighting is a wonder accessible to all, young and old alike.

A reference in the field of video mapping.

Thanks to the "Soissons en Lumières" event, this city in the Aisne department attracts visitors from all over France and abroad. The city of the Vase, which called upon the immersive event specialist Moment Factory, has even established itself as a national reference in the field of video mapping.

For the record, mapping is a technique that highlights the architectural lines of monuments with video projections that loop. Lighting techniques and video projection serve the architecture and are accompanied by other special sound effects.

In Soissons, the monuments along the route are showcased with projections lasting 17 minutes each. Each projection tells a story inspired by the building itself and, more broadly, the history of the city.

If this presentation has made you want to visit the city of Soissons, note another event not to miss this summer: the passage of the Olympic flame through the city on July 17, 2024!