Every year the city of Lyon hosts several days of luminous festivities during its Fte des Lumires, culminating on December 8. On that day, tradition dictates that all residents of Lyon place candles outside their windows, resulting in a lovely glow throughout the city. The city itself also goes to great lengths to light up the night, putting on magnificent light shows and spectacles all over town. Many of Lyon's beautiful historic buildings are lit up in imaginative and beautiful ways during the celebration, most notably the Basilica Notre Dame de Fourvire.
Jazz lovers have their choice of yearly events in the Rhne-Alps. Starting in mid-March and running through the end of the month, the Grenoble Jazz Festival (French only) has become a well established tradition over the last 36 years. The 2009 festival will take place March 10-28. From late June to mid-July, Jazz Vienne (French only) gathers international jazz groups for a series of concerts at the Roman amphitheater in Vienne. In 2008, festival goers can take in performances by the likes of Etta James, Diana Krall, and Buddy Guy (among many others), as well as musical tributes to James Brown and Frank Zappa.
For more information contact All About Jazz.
