Every year, for four days surrounding December 8, every building in France’s second largest city, Lyon, is illuminated during the magical Fêtes des Lumières as locals parade through the night, lantern in hand. Public buildings light up in intricate designs in an array of colors by well-known artists and architects and private homes, the city is transformed into an illuminated urban spectacle.
The tradition dates from 1852, when a statue of the Virgin was unveiled on the hillside during a storm.
