Pierres en Lumières

Pierres en Lumières: Eure's heritage in a new light

Pierres en Lumières is a festival unique in France dedicated to showcasing Norman heritage through light. Co-organized by the Department of Eure and the Heritage Foundation, this event invites the public to discover Eure's heritage in an unprecedented light, both literally and figuratively, over three nights in May.

A festival born in Normandy, extended to the whole region

Pierres en Lumières was born in Orne in 2009, on the initiative of the Heritage Foundation and the Department of Orne. Building on its success, the festival gradually expanded to Calvados and Manche, before being joined in 2016 by Eure and Seine-Maritime. Since then, all five Norman departments have participated in this nocturnal celebration of heritage, making Pierres en Lumières a major regional event.

Dozens of illuminated sites in Eure

In Eure, nearly a hundred heritage sites spread across more than 70 municipalities are illuminated during each edition. Castles, manor houses, churches, washhouses, mills, bandstands, motte-castles, and public buildings don their most beautiful luminous attire thanks to professional lighting, candles, lanterns, and torches. Each site benefits from unique lighting, creating a magical and poetic atmosphere.

Free events for all audiences

The lighting of the monuments is accompanied by various free events: open-air concerts, nocturnal guided tours, live shows, exhibitions, historical conferences, tastings of Norman local products, rallies, and treasure hunts for families. These events bring heritage to life and create moments of conviviality and sharing between residents and visitors.

An exemplary public-private partnership

The originality of Pierres en Lumières lies in its public-private partnership model. The event brings together public (municipalities, inter-municipalities), associative, and private initiatives (heritage owners). Each participant — local authority, association, individual — can propose the illumination of their heritage site and organize events. This collective mobilization demonstrates the commitment of the people of Eure to their heritage.

A major event in Eure's cultural calendar

Pierres en Lumières has become one of the highlights of the cultural calendar in Eure. The event attracts thousands of visitors each year, contributing to the department's tourism appeal and raising public awareness of heritage preservation. In its 15 years of existence, the festival has grown from 36 events at its inception to over 116 events in the 2025 edition across Normandy.