Lyon Lights Up

There comes a time after having been away from home for a while where you start thinking that you're seeing people you know from back home.

I've seen European versions of cousins, close friends and people I know from Melbourne uni. It's quite fun, really. I can only smile and tell myself that it's impossible. This was until miss Lauren walked off a train from Paris and into my arms on Wednesday night. This was, of course planned, only it was so nice to see her!

On Thursday we went around Lyon. All over the city. Thursday was a special day. The 8th of December is a religious holiday here in Lyon (more on that later). It meant that people were out on the streets and the churches were even more beautiful than usual.

We went to La Croix Rousse (my favourite neighbourhood in Lyon), Vieux Lyon, to the basilica at Fourvière, the town hall, Bellecour, the main street... we walked a long way!

This is what we saw

 A juggling monk and a heart from paint spray cans. I'm proud of my little city.

The same picture I took in August looking down over Vieux Lyon, only this time it's wintery and the balloons are up in Bellecour for la Fête des Lumières

Fourvière

The sunset near my place, candles for December 8 in the basilica and a shrine to Mary in the St Jean CathedralSo where was I? Oh, yes. The 8th of December. According to the most reliable academic source, which of course everyone knows is wikipedia, the history behind the Lyonnaise tradition of December 8th is as follows: The origins of the festival date to 1643 when Lyon was struck by plague. The municipal councillors (échevins) promised to pay tribute to Mary if the town was spared. Ever since, a solemn procession makes its way to the Basilica of Fourvière on this day to light candles and give offerings in the name of Mary. The event thus commemorates the day Lyon was consecrated to the Virgin Mary. In 1852, it became a popular festical when a statue of the Virgin Mary was erected next to the Basilica, overlooking the city. Now a focal point of the festival, the statue was created by the renowned sculptor, Fabsisch and was sponsored by several notable Lyonnais Catholics. The inauguration of the statue was due to take place on September 8, 1852. That day, however there was serious flooding of the Saône River and this prevented the statue from being ready. The archbisop then decided to move the date to December 8. On the morning of the 8th, however a big storm stuck Lyon. The master of ceremonies decided to cancel everything and move the date to the following Sunday. In the end the skies cleared and the people of Lyon, who had been waiting for the event lit up their windows, went down into the streets and lit flares to illuminate the new statue and the chapel of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, later superseded by the Basilica. This tradition has been repeated ever since.So every year here in Lyon, the tradition of leaving candles on window cils still continues. And the crazy thing is that EVERYONE does it. And I mean everyone. Here's a picture of ours.

More recently, artists and engineers have flocked to the city to put together impressive light displays. People flood into the city (which makes it hard to move)! and there are holograms, sparklers, candles and impressive and spectacular shows which take place on famous Lyonnais buildings. This year the theatre looked like a pin ball machine, then it went underwater. The cathedral flashed different colours and sang opera... and at Place des Terreaux (where the town hall is, museum of fine arts and a famous fountain), the fountain came to life, horses ran onto the walls of the buildings, the buildings melted, were haunted by an opera singer and eventually fell down. Have a look at what we saw -

This is a video of part of the display projected onto the Museum of Fine Arts.

We stumbled across a pretty cool band -

View of the real city of lights (The festival in the film 'Tangled' was totally based on Lyon)

 We walked along the banks of the Rhône river

And went back to my cute little kitchen.

 The next day we went to Lyon's gourmet food market, owned by the world's greatest chef (no exaggeration), Paul Bocuse.

Saw a deer....at the park of course (yes, we did sing doe a deer...)

And then I dropped Lauren at the station... and made the walk of shame home as I had yet to have started revising for my upcoming exams and essays due this week... and wondered when my next Fête des Lumières would be.....better get back to it, guys. Until then!