Renaissance Festival - Les Pennons

More than 40 years after its inception, the Renaissance Festival has become a must-attend event on the spring calendar for the people of Lyon: two days of entertainment in the heart of Vieux-Lyon, in the Saint-Jean district, which are expected to attract nearly 20,000 visitors once again.

Organised by the City of Lyon’s Festival Committee, with the active support of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region and the backing of Lyon City Council, it now attracts more than 20,000 people every year – both locals and tourists – to the streets of Vieux Lyon. In 2026, the Renaissance Festival will celebrate the 425th anniversary of the 1601 Treaty of Peace in Lyon. To mark the occasion, the festival will bring this period to life through sets, costumes and entertainment, immersing the public in the atmosphere of the era.

As the epicentre of this major popular festival, Place Saint-Jean will, as always, be at the heart of the event. Opposite the cathedral, the Renaissance market, with its thirty or so craftspeople, will offer creations evoking the skills of the 16th century. Jewellery, leather, wood and pewter items, games, engravings… but also a real trebuchet (Editor’s note: catapult), which will be set up in the courtyard of the Palais Saint-Jean.

As every year, the Renaissance Festival will kick off with a grand parade. Setting off from Place Bellecour at 11am, it will link the Presqu’île to Vieux-Lyon via the Pont Bonaparte. Some 250 participants in costume, led by the senior dignitaries of the Pennonages, will mark the start of the festivities. Another unmissable event: the Bal des Pennons, which will bring Old Lyon to life from 5.30 pm.

A journey back in time accessible to everyone, especially children. Whether you’re a casual visitor, a curious onlooker or a history buff, you can discover life in the historical encampments, watch performances by warriors and mercenaries, see the troubadours parade, and also take part in a treasure hunt, join in the balls by trying your hand at Renaissance dances, or attend workshops to learn archery…