The Lyon Festival Of Lights: A Tradition Since 1852
Lyon's Festival of Lights is a popular event that takes place throughout the city on the evening of December 8. On this occasion, the city of Lyon is illuminated for several days while festivities are organized in the various districts.
The origins of the festival
The history of the Fête des lumières de Lyon is intimately linked to Lyon's religious history.
Since the Middle Ages, the city of Lyon has venerated the Virgin Mary, but it was more precisely in 1643, during a plague epidemic, that the city of Lyon placed itself under the protection of the Virgin.
The notables, the aldermen of Lyon and the provost of the merchants then vowed to pay homage to the Virgin every year, if the plague stopped.
Since then, a solemn procession goes every year to the Basilica of Our Lady of Fourvière from the Cathedral of St. John, on September 8, the day the city was consecrated to the Virgin.
In 1852, a statue of the Virgin Mary erected on the chapel of the Fourvière hill was to be inaugurated on September 8, but a flood of the Saône prevented the ceremony from taking place.
The inauguration was postponed to the date of December 8, the feast of the Immaculate Conception.
It was on this occasion that the people of Lyon, in a spontaneous gesture, lit up their windows for the First time on the evening of December 8: the Festival of Lights was born!
A tradition perpetuated
Since 1852, the festival has been held every year.
On December 8, the people of Lyon are accustomed to placing luminous lights in their windows and going out to celebrate in the streets of the city.
The tradition is that each Lyonnais family keeps with their Christmas decorations an assortment of glass lumignons in which they will light short, fluted candles.
Since 1989, the municipality also organizes on the occasion of the Lyon Festival of Lights animations Spread over several days.
A highly anticipated event
The activities organized in the city have made the Lyon Festival of Lights a tourist event that attracts several million visitors each year.
This popular festival is now accompanied by an event with a growing international influence.
It offers amazed visitors stage designs and light shows born from the imagination of renowned national and international designers.
The Fête des Lumières was awarded the trophy for the best general public event 2006.
2011 Edition
Lyon's Festival of Lights will deploy illuminations throughout the city from December 8 to 11, 2011.
This year, nearly 3 million French and foreign visitors are expected for this great popular festival. They will be able to stroll through the city to discover more than 70 grandiose, poetic or unusual proposals.
To learn more, we invite you to visit the official website below.
2023 Edition
This year, the Festival of Lights in Lyon takes place from December 7 to 10, 2023.
The city will be adorned with lights from Thursday to Saturday from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., and on Sunday, December 10, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
About thirty works, installations, or monumental mappings can be discovered in the different districts of Lyon and highlight emblematic places of the city such as Place Bellecour, the Grand Hôtel-Dieu, Fourvière Hill, Parc de la Tête d'Or, or Saint-Jean Cathedral.
Do not hesitate to come and enjoy the show: this magical festival is entirely free!
