The Fête des Lumières (Festival of Lights) is an important event, not only because of the amazing light displays, but also because of the history and geography of the city of Lyon. The city is built between two big hills called Fourvière (pronounced “foor-vee-air”) and Croix-Rousse (pronounced “cwah rooss”). These hills make the festival special because they create a beautiful background for the light displays, and give people the perfect place to look out over the whole glowing city.
Lyon is also shaped by two big rivers with rhyming names: the Saône (pronounced “soan”) and the Rhône (pronounced “roan”). The festival’s main events take place in an area of the city called Presqu’île (pronounced “press-keel”), which means “almost island” in French. This part of Lyon is right between the two rivers, and is the perfect place for people to walk around, explore, and enjoy all of the lights!
