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8 DECEMBER: THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

For 4 days, the city of Lyon hosts a unique world events as the city becomes dressed in lights.

The city streets are brought to light as shop owners and businesses decorate their windows, major tourist sites and monuments become “alive” and illuminated and residents align their windowsills with candles.

These illuminations accompanied with music and shows give the city an almost surreal atmosphere.

This remarkable and every so popular event holds an honorary place in Lyon’s events calendar.

Les Rencontres de la Lumière is the opportunity for urban light specialists from all around the world to come together.

In the form of round table discussions or international conferences these professionals devise new plans and ideas for urban lighting architecture in order to bring to breath new life into the city’s nocturnal landscape.

More information on the website of the Festival of Lights

THE ORIGINS OF THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

This 8th December tradition all began more than 150 years ago.

In 1852, restoration works were taking place at the Fourvière bell tower.

On the proposed date of installation the sculptor Fabisch had failed to complete the golden statue of the Virgin Mary, due to be installed on top of the bell top tower.

As a result, the religious authorities decided to postpone the unveiling ceremony to the 8th December, the celebration of the Immaculate Conception.

On the day of the inauguration, the statue’s unveiling was welcomed by bell chimes and military salutes.

Through the heavy rain Lyon’s archbishop blessed the installation of the new statue, however due to the bad weather the planned illuminations were cancelled.

As night fell, the weather grew calm…

Spontaneously the residents of Lyon aligned their windowsills with thousands of candles.

At Fourvière, this clear display of enthusiasm washed away all hesitations and concerns and before long the bell tower and the statue lit up the night’s sky.

Ever since that day, this tradition is still kept and respected by Lyon’s residents.

Don’t confuse the 8th December celebration with ‘Vœu des Echevins’ In 1643, the Echevins prayed to the Virgin Mary, asking for protection against a plague that was threatening the city.

The Echevins made a vow that every year they would go on a pilgrimage to Fourvière and renew Lyon’s consecration to the Virgin Mary.

LIGHT PLAN

In 1989, the city of Lyon launched the ‘Light Plan’, artistic and aesthetic illuminations of more than 200 buildings and public places like l’Hôtel de Ville (town hall), Hôtel Dieu (hospital), universities, bridges, Parc de Gerland, etc.

These illuminations have changed the city’s image, creating a real tourist attraction.

The city’s light plan combines tradition and innovation, making the city a world reference in this field.

Today, Lyon is in the middle of renewing its Light Plan.

Objectives: promote and encourage further creation and new inventions, integrate new technical possibilities, to make better use of the lights concerning social and urban development and all this to be done in the respect of the environment.

The new light plan is centred on human beings and their activities, focusing on rivers, hills and the city’s major silhouettes.

LUCI ASSOCIATION

The LUCI association is a network of ‘Villes Lumière,’ and Lyon has been its president since its 2001 creation.

It is the regroupment of 30 cities from around the world that all have a common objective of bringing together the maximum about of urban lighting professionals and specialists and promote light illuminations as a valuable tool in regards to urban city planning.

L’ÉCOLE LYONNAISE DE LA LUMIÈRE

(LYON’S LIGHTING SCHOOL)

The Mat’électrique, a set of “savoir-faire” concerning lighting and electricity.

Created for the Université Lyon III and in partnership with Lycée Bellevue, there is now a degree in ‘Conception et Management en éclairage’ (lighting conception and management)