Every December, visitors from all over France and beyond flock to Lyon for its renowned Festival of Lights. The event has grown considerably over the years. And while it can sometimes be criticised as being too commercial, the shows staged throughout these few days are well worth the trip!
How did the Festival of Lights begin?
The story goes back to 1852, when a statue of the Virgin Mary was due to be unveiled on 8 September, but torrential rain forced the authorities to postpone the event until 8 December. Unfortunately, the fickle weather threatened the ceremony again that evening. But the people of Lyon had other ideas. Eager to share a moment of popular communion, they placed countless candles on their windowsills, lighting up the city… and he tradition of 8 December was born!
Today, Lyon’s fervent enthusiasm has been transformed into a grand shared dream, drawing 1.8 million visitors every year, including 100,000 foreigners, over 4 nights of festivities. From Vieux Lyon to the Parc de la Tête d’Or, the city of Lyon offers a unique, poetry-filled experience.
Festival of Lights Lyon 2024 date
This free and hugely popular event would not be possible without the artists who have made the city a global benchmark for lighting design. In 2024, Lyon’s Festival of Lights will run from 5 to 8 December.
Show times of the Lyon Festival of Lights
These are the show times: from Thursday 5 to Saturday 7 December from 7pm to 11pm, and Sunday 8 December from 6pm to 10pm.
Festival of Lights Lyon 2024 program
To mark the 25th anniversary of the event, the focus will be on the emotions, both collective and individual, of the people of Lyon. For young and old, Lyon residents and visitors alike, the city is offering a generous celebration, combining sparkling works of art and dreamlike journeys, inviting the creation of stories imbued with poetry and gentleness. Anchored in the heart of the city and open to the world, the Festival of Lights strives to offer high-quality artistic works, with the guiding principle of being open to all audiences.
This ambitious edition is part of a renewed dynamic, respectful of the environment with eco-designed works, participative works that invite the general public to become players in the event, and the encouragement of soft mobility and the use of new lighting technologies. It will also be marked by the popular commitment of the Lumignons du Cœur, a generous initiative in support of charities, allowing everyone to take part in this Lyonnais tradition.
Inclusive and participatory, the Festival of Lights is designed to be accessible to everyone, and will be open to the city’s different districts and beyond, with the aim of making Lyon an innovative, sustainable, festive and unifying Capital of Light.
Once again this year, Lyon is pulling out all the stops to enchant us. The full programme of around thirty installations, to be discovered on the Presqu’île and in other districts, will be unveiled in a few weeks’ time. Keep an eye on this article, we’ll be updating it as soon as the 2024 calendar is published!
Opening times of Lyon’s Festival of Lights
Most of the installations will be on display from Thursday 5 to Saturday 7 December from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., and on Sunday 8 December from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. It’s best to check beforehand on the website fetedeslumieres.lyon.fr.
Practical information about the Lyon Festival of Lights
Here’s some practical information to get the most out of your visit and admire the work of these renowned visual artists, who are pulling off an amazing technical feat, not just in terms of lighting, but also sound and design.
1. Plan you trip in advance
Book your plane ticket to Lyon as soon as possible, preferably three months in advance. Accommodation in the city centre can be tricky to find from autumn onwards, unless you’re thinking of staying in a luxury establishment, so don’t wait too long to pick your rental or hotel.
2. Where to stay during the Lyon Festival of Lights
Forget the car, as parking will be very difficult, and besides, Lyon’s city centre will be closed to traffic in the evening during the Festival of Lights. You’ll also avoid the traffic congestion that starts to build up in the late afternoon. That’s why, as mentioned above, it’s best to book well in advance! I recommend the Hôtel de Verdun 1882, conveniently close to Perrache station, or the luxurious InterContinental Hôtel Dieu, in a historic building along the banks of the Rhône.
3. Getting around
Once you’ve reached Lyon from the airport, either by taxi or with the Rhônexpress tram shuttle (which ends in the Part-Dieu district), it’s advisable to get around on foot. Public transport (mainly the metro) does work, but the trains are often packed and it’s not very enjoyable. However, it is worth noting that public transport is free on the evening of 8 December from 4pm until the service ends. In addition, TCL offers special “destination Festival of Lights” fares, so you can travel as much as you like at a special rate (at the end of the day only), for one to three days.
4. Where to park during the Lyon Festival of Lights
City centre car parks will be closed during this period, but you can leave your car in a park-and-ride facility and then take the bus or metro. These park-and-ride sites are located at Gorge de Loup, Gare de Vaise, Mermoz Pinel, Cuire, Oullins, Vaulx-en-Velin and Gerland.
5. Keep an eye on your kids
Due to the crowds, especially in the Presqu’île (Lyon’s city centre), it’s not advisable to bring your toddlers with you in a pushchair. Anyone can be swept up in a crowd, and it can be dangerous even if you hold their hands.
If they’re very young, you can use a backpack, or opt to visit in the early evening, as soon as it gets dark, around 6pm, when there are fewer people around.
6. Prepare your itinerary
There are many installations throughout the city of Lyon, in different neighbourhoods. Depending on how long you’re staying, I’d suggest avoiding the busy main attractions on Friday 8th and Saturday 9th. You’ll be more at ease and assured of a successful visit. There can be long waits to get to the shows, so be patient, don’t rush your neighbours, you won’t get there any quicker… Who knows, you might even meet some nice people!
7. Visit sites that are usually closed
Another tip: the Lyon Festival of Lights can be the perfect chance to visit churches that are usually closed at these times, but which are open for the occasion. Some of them are beautifully illuminated, with special displays. These include the Cathédrale Saint-Jean Baptiste, the Basilique Saint-Bonaventure and the church of Saint-Georges.
8. Wear warm clothes
Winters in Lyon can be pretty cold! For this expedition through the capital of the Gauls, which can take 3 or 4 hours, bring warm clothes and a down jacket, as well as a hat, gloves and scarf. You might not be very stylish, but you’ll be comfortable. Avoid carrying a handbag (you don’t want to tempt pickpockets in a crowd), and opt for a waist pack, for example.
9. Eat on the go
Like hotels, restaurants are overwhelmed at this time of year, and prices go up, for a quality that unfortunately is not always up to scratch. Go for a sandwich, which you can make yourself with the best Lyon charcuterie: rosette, dry sausage, pork-head pâté, etc. I recommend Sibilia, one of the best delicatessens in Lyon (in Croix-Rousse, Saxe, Monplaisir or Halles Paul Bocuse).
Each year, the Festival of Lights welcomes visitors from all over the world who come to admire large-scale works of art as well as more intimate ones… So will you be joining us in this exciting shared experience, which showcases the best of our heritage?
You can also enjoy a stroll along the banks of the Saône or explore Lyon’s street art during your stay in the capital of the Gauls.
Festival of Lights 2024 – what you need to know
- 5-8 December 2024
- Check out the full program at https://www.fetedeslumieres.lyon.fr/en and all the useful information on the website VisiterLyon.
Main points of the Festival of Lights:
Presqu’île :
- Hôtel de Ville
- Place des Terreaux
- Théâtre des Célestins
- Place Bellecour
- Place des Jacobins
- Rue de la République
- Berges de la Saône : vue sur le Palais de Justice et la basilique de Fourvière
Vieux Lyon :
- Cathédrale Saint-Jean
Parc de la Tête d’Or
Berges du Rhône
Et voilà, we’ve told you everything you need to know about the Festival of Lights and how to make the most of these magical days in Lyon. Now it’s your turn to enjoy it!
