What is Lyon Festival of Lights?
The festival began with a gesture of thanks. In 1852 a statue of the Virgin Mary was to be unveiled on the hill of Fourvière on 8 December. Bad weather postponed the ceremony, but when the sky cleared in the evening the people of Lyon put candles in their windows. Lighting lumignons, small candles in coloured glass, on the evening of 8 December has been a family tradition ever since.
Since 1999 the city has also turned that night into a festival of light art over four evenings, with artists from many countries creating works for its monuments, parks and streets.
When is Lyon Festival of Lights? Dates for 2026 and 2027
2026
- 5–8 December 2026Fête des Lumières, the four festival nights
- Tuesday 8 December 20268 December, the night of the candles
2027
- Wednesday 8 December 20278 December, the night of the candles
The festival always includes 8 December, and the city announces its four nights each year. The 2027 nights have not been announced yet. In 2021, when 8 December was also a Wednesday, the festival ran from Wednesday 8 to Saturday 11 December, so wait for the official dates before booking.
How people celebrate
- Placing lumignons on the windowsills on the evening of 8 December.
- Walking from one light installation to the next across the Presqu'île, Vieux Lyon and the parks, and watching the projections on the cathedral of Saint-Jean and the Place des Terreaux.
- Looking up at the basilica of Fourvière, lit above the city.
Good to know
- Go on a weeknight if you can: weekends are the busiest, and the city sets one-way walking routes in the most crowded areas.
- Dress warmly and plan to walk a lot: the works are spread across the city centre, and walking is the best way between them.
- Even away from the official programme, look up at the windows on 8 December: many families still light their own candles.