'Fête des Lumières' Light Festival in Lyon - Orchid Board

camille1585 · #1 12-08-2007, 03:59 PM

Hi, I thought that I would share with you one of my favorite days of the year. December 8th is a very special day in Lyon, France. Everyone puts candles in colorful cups on their window sills, and the entire city is lit up and there as super beautiful light animations and performers out in the streets.Nowadays for commercial reasons the animations last 4 days, but the candles are only the 8th! I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I do!!!

This tradition dates back to dec 8th 1852, when the city was inaugurating the statue of the virgin mary on the cathedral. There had been very heavy rain for many days before dec 8th, and the inhabitants of Lyon prayed for the rain to stop so they could inaugurate their statue. Miraculously, the rain stopped only hours before planned time,and to show their thanks to Mary everyone put candles in their windows.

cb977 · #2 12-08-2007, 04:05 PM

WOW!!!

Thank you for sharing this with us! That is a gorgeous display!!!

tuvoc · #3 12-08-2007, 04:33 PM

Just awesome, Camille. Thanks.

Kim

Jo Ann · #4 12-08-2007, 06:41 PM

I would love to see that Cathedral….

camille1585 · #5 12-08-2007, 07:08 PM

Hi Jo Ann. Our cathedral is small by french standards! I think it's one of the most richly decorated though. If you're interested, here's a picture of the inside, and well as the breathtaking view. On really clear days we can see the Alps in the distance. Note our one very lonely not so tall skyscraper, aptly dubbed as 'the crayon'

Lagoon · #6 12-08-2007, 08:07 PM

It all looks very grand, WOW!

dmc · #7 12-11-2007, 07:22 PM

WOW. Great pixs. Thanks. Diane

cupcake · #8 12-12-2007, 12:32 PM

Wonderful!

Tindomul · #9 12-12-2007, 04:42 PM

In Colombia we have a day of the Virgin around December 12-16 to initiate Christmas. Everyone puts candles outside their house to light the street. Other than the firehazard, its very pretty. Like your pictures, which brought on these memories of my infancy, I am now nostalgic for country of birth and grandmother who has passed on. Glad to see that similar practices exist around the world.

camille1585 · #10 12-12-2007, 05:21 PM

It's nice to know that traditions like this exist elsewhere in the world. It's so special and has a magical quality to it. I'm just sad that it has become so commercial. Before we could quietly walk through the streets and admire the lights. Now there are 4 million tourists that come to Lyon in the space of 4 days, and there's just too many people. I got stuck in the mob in a busy intersection 2 years ago and I thought I was going to get sqeezed to death. Anyone that fell was pretty much a goner.
I agree about the fire hazard! There are so many people that just aren't careful about where they put their candles. We play it safe and line them up outside on our balcony and outer window sills. I don't think that 80+ candles inside is such a good idea!!