Accessibility at the Fête des Lumières

A festival for all, with no exceptions!

Festival of Lights

Last updated date : 27/11/2023

To make sure the Festival of Lights can be shared by all, without exception, people with accessibility challenges, whether permanent or temporary, will be welcomed and guided through various actions throughout the event, which will shine all the more brightly! Including practical tips and ideas, each person will find the info they need right here to make this festival an unforgettable one.

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Getting around Lyon during the 2023 Fête des Lumières

While most car parks will be full over the four days, there’s no stress for holders of the Carte Mobilité Inclusion (CMI). This pass provides access to disabled parking between 2 and 3 Rue Charles Biennier, Lyon 69002, right in the beating heart of the festival! Near Tête d'Or Park, there is a car park reserved for people with disabilities between 9 and 16 Boulevard des Belges. A drop-off area and a TCL public transport stop will be provided near the security barriers.

In terms of public transport, the frequency of metro, tramway and some bus lines will be increased. Consult the TCL public transport network’s page dedicated to accessibility. The interactive map is also a very handy tool to find your way around Lyon.
Make the most of the ‘TCL en fête’ special offer for the festival: €3.50 for unlimited journeys from 4 pm to the end of service; free transport on the evening of the 8th of December.

A special welcome for people with disabilities

People with disabilities will be welcomed over the four days of the festival next to the Tourist Office on Place Bellecour, in the Presqu'île district. There, you will find a dedicated reception area with a team of volunteers wearing green vests, offering several services: French sign language assistance, the Com'NOUS communication app, and wheelchairs on loan.

At Tête d'Or Park, a second team dedicated to people with disabilities will be present at Porte des Enfants du Rhône (the south-west entrance near the river), next to Place Général Leclerc.
The team will be on hand to provide information, French sign language assistance, help with following the itinerary, equipment loans and more.

Adapted programme

The itinerary from Bellecour begins at the Tourist Office and takes you to Place Antonin Poncet. There, you will find an immersive installation with a 360-degree screen: ‘In-Line v360’. The next stop is Fondation Bullukian, where tribute is paid to Visual Vernacular with the ‘V.V.V video show’, offering an insight into “deaf culture”. The itinerary continues on Place Bellecour with the installation ‘Evanescent’, a fully immersive experience featuring giant coloured bubbles. On Quai Saint-Antoine (left bank of the Saône) a viewpoint area reserved for people with disabilities is provided to enjoy the show ‘Ceux du fleuve’, highlighting the beauty of Fourvière hill! Vibrating vests are available for people with hearing impairments, while headphones with an audio-description are on loan for people with visual impairments. The itinerary ends with the discovery of several works in the city centre, including ‘Soleil nuit’ on Place des Célestins, ‘L'écrin des Jacobins’ on Place des Jacobins, and ‘Sign’ on Place de la République.

The Tête d'Or Park itinerary is 1.4 km long and takes around 1½ hrs. The works to be discovered include: ‘Rose Family’ by Philippe Katherine; ‘Aura’ on Quai de Serbie; ‘All the trees’, near the lake, which reveals the beauty of the trees with a laser projector; ‘Geysers’ with its water bubbles, aquatic lights and piano notes; and ‘La fontaine enchantée’.
This is a free itinerary with no reservation required, but we recommend arriving at least 1 hour before the closure of the park’s gates.

At Tête d'Or Park, a team dedicated to people with disabilities will be present at Porte des Enfants du Rhône (the south-west entrance near the river), next to Place Général Leclerc. The team will be on hand to provide information, French sign language assistance, help with following the itinerary, equipment loans and more.

Adapted works for the 2023 festival

At Fondation Bullukian, a welcome and assistance will be provided for people with hearing impairments to discover the work ‘Video Visual Vernacular’.

The illumination of Fourvière hill (not the work ‘Ceux du fleuve’) will be adapted with an audio-description (headphones available on loan at the lighting control booth on Quai des Célestins, behind the theatre; signage provided). Vibrating vests and a viewpoint area reserved for people with disabilities will help festival-goers fully enjoy the show.

Paths adapted for people with disabilities will be provided at:

Tête d'Or Park to access the Lumignons du Cœur charity initiative
Place Antonin Poncet for In-Line v360

All information is available on the page Services for festival-goers with a disability

We wish you a happy Festival of Lights!

Where to have a food break with accessible facilities?

Make your way to Place Bellecour to get some refreshments!
6 containers, 3 caravans and a delivery tricycle offer a range of savoury and sweet options (such as soup, quenelle dumplings and mulled wine). The menus in the catering area are available in an Easy Read version. A rest area (with sofas and coffee tables) is also provided.

Where are accessible toilets located?

Accessible toilets are located on Place Bellecour, behind the Tourist Office.