From 5 to 8 December 2026, before the illuminations
Festival of Lights 2026: visit Le Petit Musée du Vin in Lyon
Before the evening illuminations, take a warm, sensory journey through wine culture in historic vaulted cellars, in the heart of the Guillotière district.
A memorable stop before the lights
Every December, the Festival of Lights brings visitors to Lyon to see the city after dark. But what do you do before the installations light up? About ten minutes on foot from Bellecour, Le Petit Musée du Vin offers a warm introduction to wine culture.
Four themed spaces cover wine history, terroir, winemaking and the senses. The experience takes about an hour and includes 8 wines, with a member of the team present throughout the tasting and 3 wines, chosen by the museum, talked through with you. No previous knowledge needed: curiosity is enough.
Opening hours over the four days
| Date | Le Petit Musée du Vin | Illuminations |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday 5 December | 11:00 am – 9:00 pm last entry 7:30 pm | 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm |
| Sunday 6 December | 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm last entry 5:30 pm | 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm |
| Monday 7 December | 11:00 am – 7:00 pm last entry 5:30 pm Special opening | 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm |
| Tuesday 8 December | 11:00 am – 7:00 pm last entry 5:30 pm Special opening | 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm |
Visits run in timed slots: only the places shown in the booking system can be booked.
Illumination hours: official Festival of Lights website, except where an artwork has its own schedule. Visit the official website
How to plan your day
Start at Place Bellecour, cross the Rhône to Guillotière and enjoy your museum visit. Then reach the Rhône banks right next to the museum, walk north to Pont Wilson, cross into the Presqu’île and carry on to Place des Jacobins and Place des Terreaux. Continue to Saint-Paul and Saint-Jean before heading back to Bellecour.
This is a daytime walk, not the official route of the artworks. In the evening, security checks and footbridge closures change how people move around the centre: check the official information before you set off.
About 5 km and 1 h 10 min of walking without stops, measured with a pedestrian routing engine (OpenStreetMap data). Add about an hour for the museum visit, plus breaks and lunch.
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Place Bellecour
The starting point: a central landmark that is easy to reach, from where you cross the Rhône over Pont de la Guillotière.
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Le Petit Musée du Vin, 3 rue Passet Our place
In vaulted cellars in Guillotière, four spaces on the vine, terroir, winemaking and aromas, followed by an accompanied tasting of 8 wines. Allow about an hour; booking recommended.
Special opening on Monday 7 and Tuesday 8 December 2026, 11:00 am – 7:00 pm (last entry 5:30 pm).
The cellars are reached by a spiral staircase only: the museum is not accessible to visitors with reduced mobility or wheelchair users.
Museum hours during the festival -
Rhône banks, Guillotière side
Leaving the museum, reach the river right nearby, level with Place Raspail and Pont de la Guillotière. Do not head south: follow the promenade a short way north.
The way down to the promenade is by ramps or steps. To stay at street level, walk along Quai Victor-Augagneur just above.
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Pont Wilson
Climb back to bridge level by an open pedestrian access, then cross the Rhône into the Presqu’île.
Pick the access that suits you on the spot, steps or ramp: the lower quays can be closed, for example when the river is high.
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Place des Jacobins
An elegant square around its fountain, in the heart of the Presqu’île. Look up at the facades before heading north.
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Place des Terreaux
Town Hall, the Bartholdi fountain and the front of the Musée des Beaux-Arts. If the museum is open when you pass, its inner courtyard is worth a stop.
Shortcut: you can end the loop here, metro A or C, Hôtel de Ville stop.
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Saint-Paul
Cross the Saône on a footbridge open to pedestrians and enter Vieux Lyon through its northern quarter of old facades.
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Saint-Jean
Renaissance streets and Saint-Jean cathedral. Stick to public streets: not every traboule is open to visitors.
Another shortcut: metro D from Vieux Lyon, one stop to Bellecour.
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Back to Place Bellecour
Cross the Saône again, for example at Pont Bonaparte, then walk back to Bellecour.
In the evening, security checks and footbridge closures change with the illumination hours: check the official information on the day.
Good to know
The museum is at 3 rue Passet, 69007 Lyon, metro D or tram T1, Guillotière stop. Admission is €32 (reduced rate €25 with proof of eligibility) and includes the 8 wines. Accompanied children join in with grape juice instead of wine: no alcohol is ever served to minors.
To reach the illuminations afterwards, walk or use public transport.