Two-day itinerary around Lyon during the Festival of Lights 2026, tracing the fortified castles of the Church of Lyon and Archbishop Renaud de Forez
Festival of Lights 2026: Two days around Lyon on the trail of the archbishops' fortresses
From 5 to 8 December 2026, Lyon shines bright. By day, follow in the footsteps of Renaud de Forez, the archbishop who fortified the Saône, Azergues and Rhône rivers: Anse, Châtillon, Oingt, Ternand, Francheville and Condrieu.
Editorial journal · Carte des Châteaux ·
Week-end des 5 et 6 décembre
By night, Lyon belongs to the spotlights: from Saturday 5 to Tuesday 8 December 2026, the Festival of Lights will showcase 27 artworks on the city’s squares, free of charge. But by day, December’s low winter light offers another way to read the landscape. In the Middle Ages, the Archbishop of Lyon was more than a shepherd: he ruled the city and a veritable small state, which needed defending against the Counts of Forez to the south-west and the Lords of Beaujeu to the north. Between 1193 and 1226, one of them, Renaud de Forez, scattered the region with towers and ramparts. This two-day route links six of these sentinels, from the keep of Anse on the Saône to the Garon Tower overlooking the Rhône at Condrieu, with each evening free for the illuminations.
The Château des Tours, in Anse
Why the stone is golden
Oingt, Ternand and Châtillon are built from local limestone rich in iron oxide, which gives them their name, the Golden Stones. In December, when the sun stays low all day, the façades turn ochre from mid-afternoon onwards: the best time to photograph Oingt’s tower from the bottom of the village.
Organising the weekend
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The route on the map
The Church of Lyon’s fortresses in two days
From north to south: Anse, Châtillon-d’Azergues, Oingt and Ternand on day one; Francheville and Condrieu on day two, with Lyon as the base.
Markers follow the suggested visiting order. Select a castle to open its page.
Sources
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Day by day
The itinerary
Day 1: the northern frontier, from the Saône to the Azergues
Morning in Anse (Château des Tours), then up the Azergues valley via Châtillon, Oingt and Ternand. Return to Lyon in the late afternoon, passing by the Quai Pierre-Scize, and an evening at the Festival of Lights.
Day 2: western Lyon and the Rhône
Morning at the Vieux Château de Francheville, then the Garon Tower in Condrieu, above the Rhône. Return to Lyon for a second evening of illuminations.