A city is beautiful at night... Especially when the end-of-year celebrations are coming up. Here is a look at the Christmas illuminations planned in 10 French cities, with a mix of fairy tale and sobriety.
Lyon
Every year in December, Lyon competes with Paris for the title of city of light. Born from a tradition inviting the people of Lyon to light up their windows with a luminous candle since 8 December 1852, the Fête des lumières has also been an artistic performance since 1999. For four days and nights, the most talented lighting designers, video and graphic artists and visual artists of the moment come together to adorn the city with original, surprising but always luminous installations. See you from 5 to 8 December for the 2024 edition.
Annecy Lake
Overlooking Lake Annecy in the Alps, the Château de Menthon-Saint-Bernard is being transformed into Santa's castle for the festive season, plunging young and old into a magical world. The Christmas tree lighting and decorations should make children's eyes sparkle. Other Christmas activities at the Château de Menthon-Saint-Bernard include Santa's workshop, where you can create baubles, letters to Santa, wreaths, candle holders and trivets. There will also be an ice rink, guided tours of the castle with readings of Christmas tales, musical entertainment, shows for young audiences and a Christmas craft market. Children aged 8 to 12 can also take part in a treasure hunt in teams of 3 to 5 children. You can also visit the castle with a guide.
Santa's castle in Menthon-Saint-Bernard, near Annecy From 15 November 2024 to 4 January 2025
Nancy
Renowned as one of the most beautiful squares in Europe, Nancy's Place Stanislas, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983, is a must-see for Christmas lights. Every evening, from 22 November to 5 January, the monumental façades of the Hôtel de Ville will feature video mapping depicting the legend of Saint-Nicolas, patron saint of Lorraine. It's a show that's sure to sparkle in the eyes of young and old alike.
During the Saint-Nicolas festivities, the city of Nancy also offers parades with colourful floats, gourmet and craft markets and entertainment for children.
Celebrating the Saint Nicholas' Day celebrations in Nancy From 22 November 2024 to 5 January 2025
Angers
What will the Christmas lights look like in Angers city centre? To find out, we'll have to wait until early December, when Father Christmas arrives in a horse-drawn carriage in the Jardin du Mail, to whom the mayor will hand over the keys to the city. That's when we'll know what lights will be on for locals and visitors alike to admire during the festive season. The colourful projections on the façade of Saint-Maurice cathedral, a masterpiece of Anjou's Gothic style, are eagerly awaited. Santa's house and village, elf workshops, a Christmas market, designer markets and mini-farms run by young farmers - there's everything you need to look forward to Christmas Eve with the whole family in good spirits.
Rennes
A pioneer in video mapping, Brittany's capital was one of the first cities to illuminate the façades of its most beautiful monuments. Christmas illuminations are planned in the streets and squares of the city. In Place Saint-Germain, you'll find wooden Christmas lights and elves. A light and music parade is also being organised on 30 November to kick off the festivities. And there's plenty to keep you entertained throughout the city while you wait for Christmas.
Epernay
The capital of Champagne puts on its "Habits de Lumière" as every year from December 8th to 10th with, as a highlight, a sound and light show projected on the façade of the Town Hall immersing the spectators in the History of Epernay followed by a firework display. 3 days and evenings of festivities between theatrical troupes, light installations, performances but also sparkling tastings in the Champagne Houses whose shops are transformed into ephemeral bars. Bubbles to be consumed in moderation!
Dressed in Lights in Epernay, in Champagne From 13 to 15 December 2024
Toulouse
The Place du Capitole and its Christmas market with 100 chalets will be the starting point for any stroll to discover the illuminations of the pink city. Then head for Place Wilson to admire the sparkling Goudouli fountain and the gigantic illuminated fir tree on the Allées Jean Jaurès, made from no less than 400 trees! The Rue d'Alsace-Lorraine, a very busy shopping street, will also benefit from a special lighting scheme. So don't forget to look up to the sky between two shopping trips.
Christmas in Toulouse From 28th November 2024 to 29th December 2024
Amiens
A masterpiece of Gothic art, Notre-Dame Cathedral in Amiens, in the Hauts-de-France region of France, the largest cathedral in France, is decked out in lights for the festive season. Every evening from 29 November to 29 December, a 50-minute sound and light show will illuminate the façade of the building. To keep you waiting, head for the courtyard of the town hall on 23 November, where a luminous and poetic parade through the town will kick off the festivities with the inauguration of France's biggest Christmas market, complete with craft stalls.
*Illumination of the Notre-Dame d'Amiens cathedral, from 29 November to 29 December 2024 *
Biarritz
From the Rocher de la Vierge to the Casino, via the Port-Vieux and the Town Hall, the main monuments and places that can be reached in Biarritz, in the Basque Country, will be illuminated during the festive season. From 17 December onwards, sound and light shows will be projected onto the façades of these monuments, adding to the magic of the Christmas period.
Biarritz en Lumière from 21 December 2024 to 5 January 2025
Montpellier
From the Musée Fabre and the Arc de Triomphe to the Opéra Comédien, the Préfecture, Saint-Pierre Cathedral and the Promenade du Peyrou, a dozen of Montpellier's most famous monuments and landmarks will be illuminated for a festive weekend, Cœur de Ville en lumières, to kick off the Christmas illuminations. 16 artistic sound and light projections are on show. A great opportunity to highlight the historic heritage of the Ecusson district.
Coeur de Ville en lumières 14 and 16 November 2024
Christmas Lights in the City from November 26, 2024 to January 7, 2025
By Pascale Filliâtre
Journalist-traveller. I often voyage to the end of the world to explore what France offers... just next door. filliatre.pascale@orange.fr
