After a last edition cancelled due to the health crisis, the Festival of Lights will indeed take place this year, presented as “inclusive and intergenerational” according to the mayor of Lyon Grégory Doucet.
A bit of history
In 1852 , the inauguration of the statue of the Holy Virgin of the old chapel of Fourvière , which was to take place on September 8, was postponed to December 8 due to weather conditions. However, when the date arrived, the weather was still not good , threatening to cancel the event once again.
Then, the sky clears , and, spontaneously, the people of Lyon will place candles in their windows , illuminating the city and the chapel of Fourvière . Since then, the festival has been held every year and on the evening of December 8, the people of Lyon light and place their candles on the edge of their windows and go to admire the light displays in the city .
The program highlighted
This year again, the emblematic places of the event have been invested again. At the Place des Terreaux , let's dive into the " Rabbit of the Moon " , a tale recounting the meeting between the feathered serpent god Quetzalcóalt and a little rabbit . Then, head to Place Bellecour , where, at nightfall we can attend La Vague , a spectacle of hundreds of scales rising and undulating to the sound of a flute.
On the other side of the Saône, the rose window of the Saint-Jean cathedral is transformed into a pupil for the hypnotic show "Iris" , demonstrating how the eye shapes our reality. Let's cross the Saône again, then the Rhône, towards the Parc de la Tête d'Or and its pretty luminous fish on the banks. Then entering the heart of the park in a magical and dreamlike universe where phosphorescent plants, swarms, fireflies and moths rub shoulders. A little further, in the usually calm lake , Hydra emerges, a giant sea serpent , but also sumptuous ricochet waves .
New sites have also been introduced for this new edition, such as the Quai Roman Rolland or the Parc Blandan, and many other surprises that you still have to discover...
A festival for everyone
As we told you in the introduction, this year, intergenerational and inclusive are the watchwords. So, no one has been forgotten. Children , firstly, will be able to fully enjoy the event thanks to the Parc Blandan space being entirely dedicated to them with 10 sound, light and fun installations, hopscotch, trampoline, games etc.
But this new edition also thinks of " disabled audiences " such as the elderly for whom augmented reality animations will be planned in 200 nursing homes. A light gallery will also be installed at the Saint-Joseph-Saint-Luc hospital .
The candles of the heart
As every year, the people of Lyon are invited to show generosity through the Lumignons du Coeur operation by purchasing one or more lumignons at a unit price of 2 euros . The funds will be donated this year to the Groupement des Associations et Élected Étudiants de Lyon Indépendants et Solidaires , which helps students in financial difficulty and who are isolated.
The candles are on sale at the Information Points, at the Tourist Office and some shops on the Presqu'île , but you can also participate virtually on the website https://e-lumignonsducoeur.fr/ . Don't forget to drop off your candle at Place des Jacobins to participate in the giant light fresco !
Are you happy about the return of the Festival of Lights and will you participate? 💡