schedules, travel, parking… what you need to know to enjoy the illuminations

This 2024 edition of the Festival of Lights is an event: the 25th anniversary. It will be marked by the return of emblematic works. An overview of what you need to know to prepare for your visit in the best conditions.

The 2024 Festival of Lights will take place over four evenings, from Thursday December 5 to Sunday December 8. Like every year, the illuminations will be visible as soon as night falls:

• Thursday 5, Friday 6 and Saturday 7 December: 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• Sunday 8 December: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

For this 2024 edition, 32 works are present on 28 sites spread over seven districts.

Handi-reception device

THE detailed information on the system put in place by the City of Lyon, in sign language, in the video below. All information on the routes, registrations, reserved parking, disabled reception areas is available online.

Pay attention to specific times

Tête d’Or Park : open all four evenings, entrance doors closing at 10 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, at 9 p.m. Sunday. The general entrance is located at Porte Tête d’Or. The entrance to the Porte des enfants du Rhône is reserved for people with disabilities. During the Festival of Lights, the Parc de la Tête d'Or is completely evacuated 2 hours before the start of the evening. The exit for the general public is via the Porte de la Roseraie.

Sergeant Blandan Park : open the four evenings of the Festival from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., entrance doors closing at 9 p.m. The general entrance is located opposite number 37 rue du Repos.

Saint John Cathedral : animation visible on Sunday December 8, 2024from 7pm at 10 p.m. (due to the Procession towards the Basilica of Fourvière). From December 5 to 7, the entertainment is visible until 11 p.m.

Tobacco Factory : from Thursday December 5 to Saturday December 7 (closed Sunday December 8), 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., no screenings on Sunday.

Auditorium : from Thursday December 5 to Saturday December 7 from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday December 8 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. then until January 5 during ONL hours.

Célestins Theater : work to see inside: Thursday to Saturday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Garden City (Gerland): Friday December 6 and Saturday December 7 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

Henri Malartre Automobile Museum :from December 4, 2024 to January 5, 2025 from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. / from Wednesday to Sunday (except 12/25 and 01/01) / late night until 8 p.m. every Friday and Saturday and Sunday, December 8.

Rue de la République : the illuminations continue until January 4.

Basilica of Fourvière : from December 5 to 7 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. (closed Sunday 8); resumed from December 26 to 31 from 6:45 p.m. to 9:45 p.m.

Pedestrian perimeter

The vast majority of the Festival of Lights takes place in the city center. To enjoy the stroll and the activities, the priority is given to pedestrian access. The pedestrian perimeter is set up every evening from 5 p.m. (4 p.m. on Sunday). Around forty pedestrian entrances are distributed approximately every 100 meters.

Soft modes are recommended to reach the entrance to the perimeter of the Festival of Lights, but at inside this perimeter covered by the party, the circulation of cars, motorcycles, scooters, bicycles and scooters will be prohibited. Bicycles and scooters are also not allowed in the Tête d'Or and Sergent Blandan parks.

THEanimals are prohibited in parks within this perimeter. In the pedestrian area of ​​the city center, dogs are allowed with the exception of category 1 and 2 dogs.

Travel bags or suitcases are not allowed in the parks and inside the security perimeter.

Four footbridges will be closed December 5, 6 and 7 from 5 p.m. to midnight and December 8 from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.: the Palais de Justice footbridge, the Man of the Rock footbridge, the Saint-Vincent footbridge and the Saint-Georges footbridge.

Traveling by public transport

The TCL reinforces the frequencies of the metro, tram and certain bus lines. Special rates will be put in place as part of the Festival of Lights:

> Free TCL network on December 8 from 4 p.m.,
> TCL “en Fête” ticket for unlimited travel from 4 p.m. on December 5, 6 and 7.

Driving around Lyon during the Festival of Lights

On the pedestrian perimeter of the Festival of Lights, and on Boulevard des Belges (6ᵉ), traffic is prohibited on December 5, 6 and 7 from 5 p.m. to midnight and on December 8 from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. It is strongly recommended to park on the outskirts of Lyon, to use the 23 TCL park and ride centers then take public transport to the city center. The city center is pedestrianized during daylight hours, and vehicles parked within the perimeter cannot exit until late evening. For people with disabilities, PRM parking lots are reserved near the main sites.

Parking

Many streets will beprohibited from parkingfrom 12 p.m. to midnight every day of the Festival of Lights (rue Herriot, rue Chenavard, rue de Brest, rue Gasparin, rue Zola, rue des Archers, rue Childebert, rue J. de Tournes, rue Fabre, rue Président Carnot.

• 10 car parks open during the Festival: Indigo Tolozan, Cordeliers (vehicle exit via Place des Cordeliers towards Quai Jean Moulin) Confluence, Morand, Croix-Rousse, Fosse aux ours, Berthelot, Gros Caillou. The Rozier and Saint-Just car parks are reserved for subscribers.
• 7 car parks closed during the Festival: Entrances and exits included (December 5, 6 and 7 from 6 p.m. to midnight, December 8 from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.): Indigo Bellecour, Célestins, Grolée, Terreaux, Tupin Central Park, Saint-Jean, Saint-Antoine.
• Access closed, but exit possible during the festival: Antonin Poncet, Bourse (reserved for subscribers), République (exits possible only and pedestrian entrances/exits to Place République condemned), Hôtel de Ville (exits possible only and pedestrian entrances/exits to Place Pradel condemned), Saint-Georges (exits possible only to contraflow of traffic via rue Saint-Georges).

Eat

Ephemeral catering locations are set up across the city. A food court is available at Place Bellecour. It is open at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 4 p.m. on Sunday. A catering area is also available atParc Blandan (7th) and Place Gabriel Péri (3rd) during Festival hours.