Learn the French light vocabulary and expressions and embark on a virtual journey and discover Lyon’s city very own Lights Festival.
Bonjour! My name is HĂ©lĂšne and Iâm your French immersion teacher in Lyon.
Paris may be the city of lights, but Lyon has an amazing light festival which weâll discuss below in this free French story with English translation.

And now, letâs practice your French and talk about my beautiful hometown of Lyon.
1 â What is Lyonâs Festival of Lights?
Ah, vous nâĂȘtes pas dâici pour poser cette question !
La FĂȘte des LumiĂšres, câest un grand rendez-vous annuel que petits et grands Lyonnais ne veulent pas manquer.
On aime faire la fĂȘte Ă Lyon, on aime sortir dans les rues de notre ville, Ă©tĂ© comme hiver, Ă toute occasion !
Use the floating blue icon in the bottom right to hide/reveal the English translations below.
Ah, you are not from around here to be asking this question!
The Festival of Lights, a big annual event that all the Lyonnais, children as well as adults, do not want to miss.
We like to party in Lyon, we like to go out in the streets of our city, in summer as in winter, for any occasion!
La FĂȘte des LumiĂšres, câest un moment de lâannĂ©e vraiment magique oĂč Lyon enfile ses plus beaux bijoux de lumiĂšre pour en mettre plein les yeux aux visiteurs !
Aujourdâhui, les jeux de lumiĂšre y sont Ă lâhonneur grĂące Ă des installations lumineuses partout dans les rues du centre-ville, avec parfois des projections en sons et lumiĂšres sur les façades de nos cĂ©lĂšbres monuments.
The Festival of Lights is a truly magical moment of the year when Lyon dresses up with all its most beautiful jewels of light, to impress the visitors!
Today, the light effects are front and center thanks to light installations all over the city center streets, sometimes with sound and light projections on the facades of our famous monuments.
Mais la FĂȘte des LumiĂšres, câest aussi et surtout le traditionnel 8 dĂ©cembre. Ce jour-lĂ , lorsque la nuit commence Ă tomber, les habitants dĂ©posent Ă leurs fenĂȘtres tout plein de petits lumignons, câest-Ă -dire des bougies, sur les rebords extĂ©rieurs de leurs fenĂȘtres. Ambiance fĂ©erique garantie !
But the Festival of Lights, is also and especially on the traditional day of December 8th. That day, when the night begins to fall, the inhabitants place in their windows plenty of lumignons, that is to say candles, on the outer edges of their windows. Fairy-like atmosphere guaranteed!

Merci Ă mon ami Maxime Jegat pour les photos !

2 â When Does Lyonâs Festival of Lights Take place?
A lâorigine, cette tradition avait lieu le jour du 8 dĂ©cembre. Aujourdâhui, comme on aime faire durer le plaisir et que le succĂšs touristique de cet Ă©vĂ©nement est important, la fĂȘte sâĂ©tale sur 4 jours.
Originally, this tradition took place on the 8th of December. Today, as we like to make the pleasure last longer and because of the touristic success of this event, the celebration lasts for 4 days.t
Autrefois, la fĂȘte se dĂ©roulait traditionnellement le soir du 8 dĂ©cembre, fĂȘte de lâImmaculĂ©e Conception. Partout dans la ville, Ă la tombĂ©e de la nuit, les Lyonnais allumaient des bougies Ă leurs fenĂȘtres et balcons pour remercier Marie, leur protectrice.
In the old days, the festival was traditionally held on the evening of December 8, the Immaculate Conception day. Throughout the city, at nightfall, the inhabitants of Lyon lit candles at their windows and balconies to thank Marie, their protector.
Cette tradition religieuse Ă lâorigine sâest transformĂ©e peu Ă peu. La FĂȘte des LumiĂšres est devenue une grande fĂȘte paĂŻenne, trĂšs populaire, mĂȘme sâil subsiste ce jour-lĂ des rites religieux vouĂ©s au culte de Marie, notamment des processions.
This, originally religious, tradition, has changed little by little. The Festival of Lights has become a great pagan festival, very popular, even if there are still religious rites dedicated to the cult of Mary, especially processions.
3 â Where Does Lyonâs Festival of Lights Take place?
Depuis lâannĂ©e 1999, la fĂȘte sâest dĂ©veloppĂ©e pour durer plus longtemps en proposant chaque soir de nombreux spectacles de lumiĂšres dans les rues de Lyon.
Since 1999, the festival has evolved to last longer by offering many light shows in the streets of Lyon every night.
Autrefois prĂ©sentes dans tous les quartiers de Lyon, les installations lumineuses sont maintenant prĂ©sentes uniquement dans un pĂ©rimĂštre bien dĂ©limitĂ© et sĂ©curisĂ© du centre-ville de Lyon. La zone est complĂštement piĂ©tonne et mĂȘme interdite aux vĂ©los et aux trottinettes.
Formerly in all districts of Lyon, light installations are now present only in a well-defined and secure perimeter of the city center of Lyon. The area is completely pedestrian and even forbidden to bicycles and scooters.
4 â Why The Lightsâ Festival in Lyon ?
Si un jour vous venez sĂ©journer dans lâancienne capitale des Gaules, vous constaterez que la ville de Lyon voue un culte trĂšs particulier Ă Marie et que pour de nombreux Lyonnais encore la ville est depuis longtemps placĂ©e sous sa protection.
Que lâon soit croyant ou non, il faut admettre que lâhistoire de Lyon est liĂ©e au culte de la Vierge Marie comme la nomment les Catholiques.
If one day you come to stay in the old capital of the Gauls, you will find that the city of Lyon has a very special dedication to the Virgin Mary and that for many inhabitants of Lyon the city is still under her protection.
Whether one is a believer or not, one can not deny that the history of Lyon is linked to the worship of the Virgin Mary, as the Catholics call her.
Ainsi, tout dĂ©bute au Moyen-Ăge. Câest au cours du Moyen-Ăge en effet que la ville de Lyon se place sous la protection de la Vierge en lui dĂ©diant une Ă©glise Ă lâemplacement actuel de la basilique Notre-Dame de FourviĂšre. A cette Ă©poque, la ville de Lyon doit faire face Ă plusieurs Ă©pidĂ©mies, notamment de peste. Miraculeusement, la ville est Ă©pargnĂ©e.
Thus, everything begins in the Middle Ages. It is during, indeed, the Middle Ages that the city of Lyon is placed under the protection of the Virgin Mary by dedicating to her a church in the current site of the basilica Notre-Dame de FourviĂšre. At the time, the city of Lyon had to deal with several epidemics, notably the plague. Miraculously, the city is spared.
5 â Maryâs Statue in Lyon
Au 19e siĂšcle, une statue de la Vierge Marie est rĂ©alisĂ©e par un sculpteur lyonnais pour ĂȘtre dĂ©posĂ©e au sommet de la colline de FourviĂšre, lâune des deux cĂ©lĂšbres collines de Lyon.
In the 19th century, a statue of the Virgin Mary is made by a sculptor from Lyon to be erected at the top of the hill of FourviĂšre, one of the two famous hills of Lyon.
Lâinauguration de la statue initialement prĂ©vue le 8 septembre 1852 est repoussĂ©e au 8 dĂ©cembre 1852, en raison dâune forte montĂ©e des eaux de la riviĂšre SaĂŽne qui coule au pied de la colline.
The inauguration of the statue originally planned for September 8, 1852 was postponed until December 8, 1852, due to an important flood of the SaĂŽne River â that flows at the foot of the hill
Le 8 dĂ©cembre 1852, le mauvais temps ne permet toujours pas de pouvoir inaugurer la statue. La cĂ©rĂ©monie est prĂšs dâĂȘtre annulĂ©e, lorsque finalement le ciel se dĂ©gage.
On December 8, 1852, the bad weather still does not allow to be able to inaugurate the statue. The ceremony is about to be canceled, when finally the sky clears up.
Alors, en signe de remerciement et de joie, les Lyonnais dĂ©posent de façon spontanĂ©e des petites bougies Ă leurs fenĂȘtres. Depuis, tous les 8 dĂ©cembre, Ă la tombĂ©e de la nuit, les Lyonnais illuminent fenĂȘtres et balcons, donnant un air de fĂȘte Ă leur quartier.
Then, as a sign of thanks and happiness, the inhabitants of Lyon spontaneously put small candles at their windows. Since then, every December 8, at nightfall, the Lyonnais illuminate windows and balconies, giving a festive air to their neighborhood
Envie de vivre la magie de la FĂȘte des LumiĂšres ? Enfilez vos chaussures, gants et bonnets, laissez-vous tenter par un vin chaud et venez dĂ©couvrir la ville sous ses plus beaux atours pendant une immersion de français chez moi en dĂ©cembre !
Je me ferai un plaisir de vous guider.
Want to live the magic of the Festival of Lights? Put on your shoes, gloves and hats, let yourself be tempted by a mulled wine and discover the city at its finest during a French immersion at my home in December!
I will be happy to guide you.
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