Paris has its Eiffel Tower, Marseille its Velodrome, Lyon its Fête des Lumières. Just like its gastronomy, this annual event is Lyon’s veritable preserve, the envy of the world. Whether you’re a die-hard groupie who’s always at the front of the queue, a detractor looking to escape the world and Lyon for a weekend, or just plain curious, you can’t miss it. So you might as well do it in style.
What’s new at the Fête des Lumières 2025
We’ve told you, 2025 will be the year of originality, and so much the better. In all, there will be no fewer than 20 events in the four corners of the City of Light: Cathédrale Saint-Jean, Quais de Saône, Place des Jacobins, Place de la Bourse or Place des Terreaux, Parc de la Tête d’Or… now go and buy yourself a good pair of shoes for strolling the city.
For those nostalgic for the Stranger Thingsseries , the “Upside Down” invites itself to Place Sathonay and Lyon becomes Hawkins for the weekend, for a little trip into the universe of the cult series…
Drones are definitely on a roll in Lyon. This year, they’ll be in the spotlight at the Parc de la Tête d’Or, with no fewer than 500 flying objects illuminating the sky to form shapes in the air… Watch out for the stiff neck!
You’re more down-to-earth, but you’re not averse to a little poetic travel? Head to the Quais de Saône for Les Malles Persanes, which tells the story of a boat loaded with magical and mysterious trunks.
You’re starting to get hungry with all that on offer! Don’t worry, we’ve got just what you need. On Place des Terreaux, a slightly surprising tribute to gastronomy awaits visitors, with an Andy Warhol-style projection soberly entitled ” Monday is Ravioli! ” that promises to get the sauce going.
How could we fail to follow up this hodgepodge of novelties with an animation in honor of skateboarding! At Place Louis-Pradel (HDV for those in the know), several events will trace the 40-year evolution of this emblem of underground culture on wheels.
Finally, if you’d like to experience the Fête des Lumières as close to tradition as possible, take part in the torchlight procession from the Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste to the Basilique de Fourvière. To make sure you don’t miss a thing, take a look at the interactive map, available directly from here, to locate all the events.
Place à la solidarité avec les Lumignons du cœur
Every year since 2005, during the Fête des Lumières, the Lumignons du Cœur operation has been inviting visitors to make a gesture of solidarity. By purchasing a lumignon for €2, all proceeds are donated to a charity. This year, it’s SINGA Lyon, an association that helps refugees to forge strong links with society and the various reception structures.
And what about transport?
Despite the cold, the events are taking place outdoors in a 100% pedestrian zone. Needless to say, if you’re planning to tour the events on two wheels or in your car, you’re bound to run into a few access problems. So it’s on foot and by public transport that you’ll be able to wander around Lyon during the 4 days of festivities.
An exceptional event calls for exceptional measures. Public transport will be reinforced for the duration of the festivities, and some of it will be free of charge. The TCL network (buses, metros, streetcars, funiculars, shuttles, Pleine Lune lines) offers unlimited travel with the “TCL en fête” offer from 4pm for €3.70. There are also long-term tickets (24h, 48h, 72h) and the Family ticket. Last but not least, the TCL network will be free of charge on Sunday December 8 from 4pm until the end of service on zones 1 and 2 of the network.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYBPdQWlheQ