Enchanting

Let there be lights!

16/11/2009

The Light Festival in Lyon is unique. More beautiful than elsewhere. Enchanting, fervent, luxurious, magic and even sacred. While other cities, in its trail, are illuminated during the Christmas period (and that's fine), it remains the first one, the most appropriate and the most sumptuous. Because its roots are authentic. It has existed since 1852.

On Dirait que - Photo Muriel Chaulet

Lyon and its Light Festival which welcomes up to four million visitors in early December has become a reference. Countries such as Chile, Japan or even Mauritius, who wish to illuminate their monuments, refer to their expertise.

 

Thus each year, one expects even more from Lyon. Knowing that more does not mean an extravagant outlay of energy. For these five days, the electricity bill shows a supplement of 3 500 € only. Let artists take their place!

 

All well known artists want to be there. For them, the light festival is a consecration. Start up of the festivities this year from Saturday, with the Big Wheel on Place Bellecour which will present, on its fifty five square meters of circumference, a choice of the treasures of the Museum of Art, the "Louvre" of Lyon.

 

Experimentations Etudiantes - Photo Muriel Chaulet

A new trail towards the Basilique de Fourvière, with a show on the square in front of the church just like the Mysteries of the Middle Ages and four paintings on the facade accompanied by a twenty three bell concert.

 

The passage of time and the weather will animate the facades of the Place des Terreaux. Covering alternately the walls with ice, submerging them with water which then melting it under the influence of heat; the universe of Fellini with Dolce Vita on Place des Jacobins and two hundred and fifty sheets of light on the Hôtel-Dieu. The success of the wanderings on the Banks of the Rhône, last year, assures the renewal of the experience this year.

 

This is only a very small preview of the seventy grand shows which will be distributed all over the city. Knowing that, on December 8th, at night, no one would know how to do without the small candle lights which every inhabitant in Lyon sets out on their windows and balconies as they have done for more than one hundred and fifty years. Thanks to them, the Light Festival can express all its fervour.

Practical

Light Festival 2009, in Lyon (Rhône)
From 5 till 8 December 2009
Tel.: 00 33 (0)4 72 10 30 30
fetedeslumieres@mairie-lyon.fr  
lumieres.lyon.fr

 

Lyon Tourist Office, Lyon 2nd district (Rhône)
Place Bellecour
Tel.: 00 33 (0)4 72 77 69 69
Open every day from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m.
lyon-france.com

 

Traffic
By car

Lyon Presqu'île will be closed to traffic for 4 nights from 5 pm. SYTRAL car parks will be available at the entrances to the city.

By subway/bus/ tramway 
On December 5th, public transportation will be free and open all night long.
Other evenings, from 4 pm till the end of service with the ticket " TCL en fête" at 2,20 €. 

By TER
One ticket bought, one return ticket offered. Tariff valid from all the stations of Rhône-Alpes including Mâcon and Geneva, in direction of Lyon.
Information on Allo TER 0 891 67 68 00 ( 0,22e / min ) or
ter-sncf.com
 
By TGV(HST) 100 % Prem's (special offer) for the Light Festival!
From 4 till 8 December, with additionnal TGV(HST) direction Lyon.
Special offer for any travel in one of the TGV(HST) 100 % Prem's especially chartered! For the 4 days of the Light Festival, the SNCF proposes 5 TGV(HST) 100 % Prem's from Paris and 3 from Lyon. 
voyages-sncf.com

 

New !
This year, round trip tickets at special prices on Saturday, December 5th thanks to the special TGV(HST) 100 % Prem's, departure at 11 pm from Lyon to Paris.

 

That night, guest rooms will be taken over by visitors.
Appartement Observatoire Saint Jean
, in Lyon 5th district (Rhône)
gite-de-charme-lyon.com

 

La Loge Saint Jean, in Lyon 5thdistrict (Rhône)
12 rue Juiverie
Tel.: 00 33 (0)6  50 58 90 16
loge-saintjean.fr

 

La Tour, in Lyon 5thdistrict (Rhône)
Rue Juiverie
Tel.: 00 33 (0)6 62 50 84 38
latour-lyon.com

 

Le Petit Tramassac, in Lyon 5thdistrict (Rhône)
2, Petite rue Tramassac
Tel.: 00 33 (0)6 64 28 71 34
lepetittramassac.fr

 

Lyon Renaissance, in Lyon 5thdistrict (Rhône)
Place du Petit Collège
Tel.: 00 33 (0)6 67 75 18 37.
lyon-renaissance.com

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