Coaches to Lyon for the Fête des Lumières
The 2026 Fête des Lumières takes over central Lyon for four evenings, Saturday 5 to Tuesday 8 December. Hours run late: 19:00 to 23:00, and 18:00 to 22:00 on the Sunday. Groups head home after the lights go off.
No single venue
The light installations fill streets, squares and monuments across the centre. The group walks between them. The coach sets down, waits elsewhere and collects at the end of the evening.
A late finish shapes the drive home. EU rules limit daily driving to 9 hours and call for a 45-minute pause once the driver has done 4.5 hours. A group from far away may be better with a night in Lyon than a same-night return.
Entering the Presqu'île
The Presqu'île has a limited traffic zone (ZTL). Tourist coaches are treated as public transport there. Entry is open in the morning, 06:00 to 13:00; for the rest of the day and night, the driver calls through the intercom on the bollard to get in. An evening programme falls under that second rule.
Lyon's low-emission zone applies around the clock. It shuts out heavy vehicles with Crit'Air 3, 4, 5 or no sticker at all, and Grand Lyon groups coaches with heavy vehicles. The rules are current and could change; check the coach's sticker before travel.
Dates and venue
- 5-8 December 2026 (Saturday to Tuesday); 19:00-23:00, except Sunday 18:00-22:00
- Streets, squares and monuments across central Lyon
Where coaches stop
Lyon's coach stops and parking cost nothing, but none can be reserved. On Place Bellecour the coach places have been on the east side, at no. 19, since June 2025. Other stops are at 86 quai Perrache and 35 quai Rambaud, and Vieux Lyon has stops on quai Romain Rolland and quai Fulchiron.
Agree a second pickup point with the driver. On festival nights the nearest stop may already be taken.
Access needs and flights
For disabled visitors, the festival sets aside reduced-mobility parking and marks out adapted routes. If a member of the group uses a wheelchair, say so at booking so the vehicle suits them. From Place Bellecour to Lyon-Saint Exupéry is about 30 km.
Organisers ask
What time should the coach collect us?
After the lights go off: 23:00 on most nights and 22:00 on the Sunday. Add the time it takes to walk back to the pickup point through the crowds.
Can a coach parking space be reserved?
No. Lyon's coach places work on a first-come basis. The driver finds a place under the city's coach plan and comes back at the agreed time.
Are the 2026 dates official?
Yes: the dates and hours come from the Ville de Lyon's official festival site.