Une des manifestations les plus célèbres de la période de Noël en France, c'est la Fête des lumières à Lyon, mais en réalité elle n'a aucun rapport avec Noël, à part la proximité de sa date, le 8 décembre.
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| © LKL |
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| © LKL |
Dorénavant, les Lyonnais mettent des bougies ou des lumignons à leurs fenêtres et puis vont en ville pour profiter de l'illumination et partager de bons moments avec leurs amis et concitoyens.
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| © LKL |
Avec les Plans Lumières de 1989 et 2004, Lyon est devenu une référence mondiale dans le domaine de l'éclairage urbain, et la ville met en valeur ce savoir-faire pendant la Fête des lumières actuelle.
Et encore : Lyon - Rhône-Alpes - Noël en France
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English translation Please scroll down for the side-by-side translation.
Lyon's Light Festival
One of the most famous events during the French Christmas season is the Light Festival in Lyons, but in fact it has no link to Christmas other than the close date, 8 December.
In 1850, Lyon's religious leaders announced a contest for a statue that would be placed at the top of Fourvière hill. The unveiling ceremony for the winning sculptor's work two years later was set for 8 September (anniversary of the virgin Mary's birth), but when the Saône river overflowed and flooded the site, the date of the ceremony was changed to 8 December (date of the Immaculate Conception).
To celebrate the new statue, some Lyonnais citizens planned to illuminate their houses and apartments with candles, but bad weather on the day forced a second rescheduling, to 12 December. Nevertheless, the entire city spontaneously decided to light candles the 8th, and then went down into the streets to gaze at the city, lit from one end to the other. With the celebration of this widespread, friendly gesture, which also moved the religious authorities to illuminate Fourvière's chapel, the Light Festival was born.
Since then, the people of Lyons have put candles or small lights in their windows and then gone into town to enjoy the illumination and have a good time with friends and fellow citizens.
With the Lighting Plans of 1989 and 2004, Lyons became a world-renowned reference in the domain of urban lighting, and the city shows off this expertise during the contemporary contemporary Light Festival.
Read more: Lyons - Rhône-Alps - Christmas in France
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Side-by-side translation
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Fête des lumières à Lyon Une des manifestations les plus célèbres de la période de Noël en France, c'est la Fête des lumières à Lyon, mais en réalité elle n'a aucun rapport avec Noël, à part la proximité de sa date, le 8 décembre. En 1850, les chefs religieux lyonnais ont annoncé un concours pour une statue qui serait mise au sommet de la colline de Fourvière. L'inauguration de l'œuvre du sculpteur gagnant deux ans plus tard devait être le 8 septembre (anniversaire de la naissance de la Vierge Marie), mais quand la Saône a débordé et inondé le chantier, la cérémonie a été décalée (mot du jour) au 8 décembre (date de l'Immaculée Conception). Pour fêter la nouvelle statue, quelques Lyonnais avaient l'intention d'illuminer leurs maisons et appartements avec des bougies, mais le mauvais temps ce jour-là a obligé une deuxième remise de date, au 12 décembre. Néanmoins, toute la ville a impulsivement allumé des bougies le 8, et puis les gens sont descendus dans la rue pour regarder la ville illuminée d'un bout à l'autre. Avec la célébration de ce geste répandu et convivial, qui a aussi poussé les chefs religieux à allumer la chapelle de Fourvière, la Fête des lumières est née. Dorénavant, les Lyonnais mettent des bougies ou des lumignons à leurs fenêtres et puis vont en ville pour profiter de l'illumination et partager de bons moments avec leurs amis et concitoyens. Avec les Plans Lumières de 1989 et 2004, Lyon est devenu une référence mondiale dans le domaine de l'éclairage urbain, et la ville met en valeur ce savoir-faire pendant la Fête des lumières actuelle. Et encore : Lyon - Rhône-Alpes - Noël en France |
Lyon's Light Festival One of the most famous events during the French Christmas season is the Light Festival in Lyons, but in fact it has no link to Christmas other than the close date, 8 December. In 1850, Lyon's religious leaders announced a contest for a statue that would be placed at the top of Fourvière hill. The unveiling ceremony for the winning sculptor's work two years later was set for 8 September (anniversary of the virgin Mary's birth), but when the Saône river overflowed and flooded the site, the date of the ceremony was changed to 8 December (date of the Immaculate Conception). To celebrate the new statue, some Lyonnais citizens planned to illuminate their houses and apartments with candles, but bad weather on the day forced a second rescheduling, to 12 December. Nevertheless, the entire city spontaneously decided to light candles the 8th, and then went down into the streets to gaze at the city, lit from one end to the other. With the celebration of this widespread, friendly gesture, which also moved the religious authorities to illuminate Fourvière's chapel, the Light Festival was born. Since then, the people of Lyons have put candles or small lights in their windows and then gone into town to enjoy the illumination and have a good time with friends and fellow citizens. With the Lighting Plans of 1989 and 2004, Lyons became a world-renowned reference in the domain of urban lighting, and the city shows off this expertise during the contemporary Light Festival. Read more: Lyons - Rhône-Alps - Christmas in France |
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Comments
1850.
Des bougies allumées dans les fenêtres.
Quitter la maison pour regarder.
Risque d’incendie.
Lyon brûle??
I am orginally from Lyon and my understanding was that “la Fete des lumieres” (candles lighting on the windows) had been taking place for centuries and the purpose of this celebration was to thank the Virgin Mary for saving Lyon from the plague several centuries ago (sorry I do not remember the exact century). It is also celebrated in the whole region. You will find candle lighting on December 8 as far as one hour away from Lyon.
Laura,
I am sorry. I did not mean that your article had the wrong facts. I just wanted to share what I would call “folklore”, the story of the origins of this event that most “Lyonnais” believe in and are taught at a very young age. Facts are not always the whole story-that’s why immersion is so important and cannot replace books and websites.
Chris
Je pose cette question pour apprendre et comprendre, pas débattre.
Le troisième paragraphe, denier phrase: la Fête des lumières est née. Pourquoi pas etait née?
En passant, ces entrées où vous parler de la culture française et aussi introduire vocabulaire nouveau sont parmi les meilleurs aspects de ce guide pour la langue française.
(Aussi, si possible, corrigez mes fautes, s’il vous plait.)
Merci d’avance.
Merci pour vos bonnes leçons, pour vos belles réminiscences, et pour partager vos aventures avec nous.
Thanks for your articles and messages.
The light festival of Lyon reminds me of one of our own (India’s) festival called ‘the festival of Lights’ or ‘Deepawali’.
On this day, we celebrate the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya (India) from Lanka(now Sri Lanka) where he killed the demon king Ravana, and rescued his wife Seeta. Candles & mud pots with oil are lit and lanterns are hung on windows or balconies and the festival is celebrated with bursting of a lot of firecrackers which is all lovely to watch.
Fantastic article about Lyon and hope you can continue with many more writings considering this historic city. Did the whole article in both French and English and was very helpful and informative.
lovely story
belle histoire
I also wondered about the fire danger !
je pense aussi au sujet d’incendries
Je d’ Australie, Victoria et nous avons les gross incendries mais en ‘ete
beautiful article, laura. i spend 10 days in lyon in the spring but always wanted to get back to see these lights. i did get to see alain bashung, however, my rock hero. bisous d’astoria en oregon xoxoxoxoxo
Dear Laura
I have been following your work since the very start, and I thank you for helping me learn French on my own. I remember when you had some audio files and I do understand that they are no longer on your site. As I printed out the side by side translation of Lyon’s Light Festival for my study this morning – oh! how I wished I could listen to you read/speak these lines! I can’t tell you how helpful it would be to be able to hear them spoken in French -correctly. Thanks. Georgianna
Ha ha moi aussi je suis de Lyon et enfant, j’avais demandé à mon père qui était pompier, s’il y avait plus d’incendies pour le 8 décembre et il m’avait répondu que non. Il faut dire que les lumignons sont placés à l’extérieur des fenêtres, pour qu’ils soient vus des passants. C’est très beau, malheureusement à cette époque il fait froid pour se promener.
Alors que je lisais cette leçon de ce jour il me semblait d’avoir entendu parler de ce Festival avant. Naturellement, il ya une raison très attrayant pour célébrer mais je me demandais si cette pratique de laisser les bougies allumées dans les fenêtres est une idée très sûr? Ensuite, quand j’ai regardé les commentaires, j’ai été étonné de voir le commentaire j’avais faites précédemment à cet égard, plus tôt en Janvier 2010.
Eh bien, au moins Laura dois avouer que je suis coherent et mes impressions sont constants. Lauriate.
Laura: I, as one of your most loyal, fervent and admiring students, would be the last one to deny that you deserve every possible break you can manage from the devotion you attend to your dutiful and diligent work. It is only one of the many fine qualities your students are consciously aware of and appreciate about you. As far as repeating lessons, I find it a great idea because it causes review and insures comprehension of lessons taken. (also, through the “comments” facility, it lets you know we are awake in class). Enjoy your respite Laura.
Lauriate.
Not to be picky, but December 8th is the feast of the Immaculate Conception, not the Virgin Mary’s birthday. The Nativity (birthday) of the Virgin Mary is SEPTEMBER 8th (9 months after her conception). May as well point out here the the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception does NOT refer to the conception or birth of Jesus, but to the idea that Mary herself was, from the moment of conception, free of any taint of original sin and therefore would be the fitting vessel for God’s son’s gestation.
So this year’s Festival of Lights coincides with the 8th day of Hanoucah, when Jews will be lighting 8 candles… Let the light shine on!
Chère laura,
La page demandée n’a pas été trouvée, cette page n’est pas accessible. (de la réponde à Chris)……..
Chris, vous avez raison!
you wrote something like this:
“stories of the origins of events are tought at a very young age. It is therefore more truthful than “FACTS” are not always the whole story- that’s why immersion is so important and can not replace books and websites”
I totally agree with you, I am French also, born in Paris…..
Laura, no reflection on you, you are a very good French teacher but there are some things that only a native born and raised in France will know and remember. Books and websites will not tell you……..
you are an American and no matter how much French you have studied, it can not take the place of someone who is born and raised in that country……
Adieu,
Jacqueline
Jacqueline: I am a bit surprised because I would not expect a “born and raised in that country……” to sign-off your comment using the term, “Adieu”.
Is that fitting in this case?
Lauriate.
Lauriate, rappelons Dreyfus!
I found the article and comments interesting but since we do not know the actual date of Jesus’ birth I am amazed that the date of Mary’s birth and the immaculate conception seem to be known