It’s a birthday worth celebrating! From Thursday December 5 to Sunday December 8, the 25th edition of the Festival of Lights promises colorful entertainment, with the return of emblematic light works from recent years. From Bellecour to Saint-Jean via Terreaux or Fourvière, several million visitors are expected for this unmissable event.
Remember that a large area is reserved for pedestrians on the Presqu'île, on the quays of the Saône, the slopes of Croix-Rousse, Vieux Lyon and Fourvière from 6 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (5 p.m. on Sunday ). Inside this perimeter, cars, scooters, bicycles, motorcycles and scooters are strictly prohibited from circulating.
But before getting there, here are our tips and tricks for getting to the Presqu'île, while avoiding black spots as much as possible.
By public transport
This is the best way to access the Presqu'île in the evening. Like every year during the Festival of Lights, Sytral sets up a special system to facilitate the transport of visitors. The four metro lines will be reinforced and will run until 2 a.m. from December 5 (Thursday to Friday night) to December 7 (Saturday to Sunday night). The T1, T3, T4 and T6 trams will run until 1 a.m. just like the funicular.
If you choose to take the bus, that's also a good idea. However, be careful because certain lines serving the Presqu'île will be diverted or limited from 4 p.m. (3 p.m. on Sunday December 8). Line C4 will extend its route in order to drop off travelers as close as possible to the entrance to the Tête d'Or park. The Pleine Lune bus lines will run nights from Thursday to Friday, Friday to Saturday and Saturday to Sunday according to their usual routes.
Please note that the TCL network will be free on Sunday December 8 from 4 p.m. until the end of the service. From December 5 to 7, travelers will be able to fully enjoy the festival by using:
– the TCL en Fête ticket (€3.60): unlimited journeys from 4 p.m.
– the ticket 24h (6,70€), 48h (12,90€) or 72h (17,50€)
– the family ticket (€6.70): for a group of 2 to 5 people with or without relatives including at least 1 child aged 4 to 17
A piece of advice, whether you take the bus, metro or tram: anticipate your arrival as much as possible by getting to the Presqu'ile as early as possible. This will save you from queues and crowded trains.
On foot
What's better than the traditional method of getting around? If you live in Lyon or even in the part of Villeurbanne closest to Lyon, the most reliable way to get to the Presqu'île or the Tête d'Or park is still to come on foot.
And it's not the cold that will stop you: with a big coat and a hat, walking is the guarantee of a stable and trouble-free journey time. And the opportunity to admire the beautiful illuminated streets of the districts outside the Presqu'île.
Once arrived on site, pedestrians will be able, as in previous years, to access the Presqu'île thanks to around forty access points, located approximately every 100 meters.
Please note, four footbridges will however be closed to pedestrians during the four evenings: the Man de la Roche, Palais de Justice, Saint-Vincent and Paul-Couturier footbridges (also called the Saint-Georges footbridge).
By car
This is not the best way to come to Lyon during these four days but those who have no alternative to the car will have to be careful, because a large number of sectors will be closed to traffic.
The Presqu'île as well as Boulevard des Belges will be closed to vehicle traffic from 5 p.m. to midnight on December 5, 6, 7 and from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on December 8.
You will first have to deal with traffic jams, which will be inevitable during this busy period. Then you will have to find a parking space. And there it gets complicated. As parking in the center of Lyon is limited, the town hall invites visitors to park their vehicle on the outskirts and take public transport. If you absolutely want to come into town with your vehicle, don't expect to park in the streets of the Presqu'île: parking is prohibited there from noon to midnight during the four evenings of the festival. If you opt for underground public car parks, many will be closed from 6 p.m. to midnight (5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sundays). Entries and exits will be impossible during this time. The Indigo Bellecour, LPA Célestins, LPA Grolée, LPA Terreaux, Tupin Central Park, LPA Saint-Jean and LPA Saint-Antoine car parks are affected. Exiting car parks included in the illumination perimeter will be possible approximately 1 hour 30 minutes after the end of the illuminations.
Five other car parks will have their access closed during the four festive evenings but the exit of vehicles will however be possible. This is the case for the LPA Antonin-Poncet, LPA Bourse, LPA République, LPA Hôtel de ville and LPA Saint-Georges car parks.
For those who mix car and public transport, the 23 park-and-ride facilities reserved for TCL network users will remain open until 3 a.m.
By bike
The bravest can get on a bike to approach the party. One caveat though, don't hang your biclou anywhere. Users of bicycles parked on public roads in the exclusively pedestrian area of the Presqu'île take the risk of having their bicycles taken to the pound.
