Fête des Lumières Festival 2026 France – Dates & Details

The Fête des Lumières 2026 takes place from Saturday 5 to Tuesday 8 December 2026, in Lyon, France. It runs for four evenings, including the traditional date of 8 December, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Because it is one of the most popular winter events in France, it is best to arrive early in the evening and to plan your route in advance.

The Fête des Lumières began in 1852, when the people of Lyon placed candles in their windows to thank the Virgin Mary after the inauguration of her statue on Fourvière Hill. The tradition goes back even further, to 1643, when the city asked the Virgin Mary to protect it from plague. In the 1980s, Lyon transformed this December 8th tradition into a modern Festival of Lights, and today it is one of the world’s leading light-art festivals, attracting around a million visitors to Place des Terreaux alone during the four days.

The 2026 programme features 27 works, from artists of 14 different nationalities, including 10 teams from Lyon itself. There are more than 25 works to discover across the city, plus a few surprises. The programme includes large-scale projections, interactive installations, light sculptures, and immersive experiences, all free to enjoy in the streets and squares of Lyon.

Place des Terreaux is the epicentre of the festival and a must-see for most visitors. Other key locations include Place Bellecour, Place des Jacobins, Place de la Bourse, the Temple du Change, the banks of the Saône, Vieux Lyon, Fourvière Hill, and Parc Sergent-Blandan for the Boum de Lumières. Because the installations are spread across the city centre, the best approach is to follow a walking route from square to square, using the metro stations at Bellecour, Cordeliers and Vieux Lyon.

Yes, the Fête des Lumières is free, with all installations open to the public in the streets and squares of Lyon. The city centre is very busy, and some footbridges are closed in the evening for safety, so walking and public transport are the best ways to get around. For Place des Terreaux, the easiest metro station is Cordeliers on Line A, while for Vieux Lyon, visitors are advised to use Bellecour station instead of the often crowded Vieux Lyon station, a 9-minute walk via Pont Bonaparte.