Toulouse. Lantern Festival: tips for the inhabitants of Occitania to enjoy the magic
Through David Saint Sernin
Published on
D day for the Lantern Festival. It’s this Wednesday, at 6 p.m. at the Ritouret park in Blagnac, near Toulouse, that opens the new edition of the Festival des Lanternes, with the well-established fame which took place in Gaillac (Tarn) in recent years. A festival that will attract audiences from all over the city of Paris.
The event will last two months. It will end on 1uh February 2022. Here is how to prepare your place whether you are an inhabitant of the Toulouse conurbation or whether you come from the departments of Occitanie:
What to see at the Festival?
On a surface of eight hectares (twice as large as in previous years at Gaillac) these are 45 paintings made up of 2,500 lanterns which are presented to the public. It takes two hours for the entire visit. You will also be able to see the performances of Sichuan opera artists every evening, who can change faces up to 30 times per performance. A craft market will also present objects directly from Sichuan: jewelry, sculptures, paintings, etc.
How to reach the park without hassle?
The Ritouret park is located in Blagnac, not far from Toulouse-Blagnac airport. In fact, it will be possible to access by car near the site, but, like other years in Gaillac, you will have to stop your vehicle a few hundred meters from the park.
To be very clear, direct access to the site by car is almost impossible.
For residents of the Toulouse metropolitan area, close to public transport, the best option is to take the T1 tram line which drops off its passengers in the immediate vicinity of the Ritouret park, with three stops to choose from: Pasteur, Odyssud or Place du Relais. These three stations are at equal distances from the entrance to the festival, which are located next to the Guillaumet college.
Always for local visitors, the cyclists Possibility to park at the entrance of the site, with a free parking and guard, located avenue des Tilleuls, which offers the same mechanical assistance in the event of a breakdown.
For those who will come by car from all over the region, cars, motorcycles and scooters can park at Toulouse-Blagnac airport.
The P5 car park will therefore be dedicated to welcoming festival-goers, who will then be able to use free shuttles to get to the festival site.
Cost for parking: 5.50 euros for parking possible from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m., entry possible until 10:30 p.m.
[FESTIVAL DES LANTERNES]
D-7 before opening – Practical Info:Dec 1 to 1 feb. : 6 p.m. – 11 p.m.
🔺 Filtered area in Blagnac: 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.
🎫 Tickets: € 16 to € 19 + reduced rates
🅿️ P5 airport MANDATORY: evening package € 5.50Reservation : https://t.co/E5Yz8TTziZ pic.twitter.com/kud8a4X6LC
– Toulouse Airport (@aeroport_tls) November 24, 2021
What is the price of tickets?
Several formulas are proposed for this Festival of lanterns version Blagnacaise. For example, you can book an undated ticket that is valid for the duration of the festival. The general rate is at 19 euros.
Job seekers, RSA beneficiaries, students, young people between 11 and 17 years old, people with reduced mobility (and their accompanying person) and groups of 20 to 49 people will pay 15 euros. It is free for those under eleven and the inhabitants of Blagnac will pay only 13 euros. Groups over 50 people will pay 14 euros per person.
You can also book your ticket for a specific date and, for this formula, the prices are a little lower: 16 euros full price and 13 euros reduced price.
Good plans for eating
For those who arrive in Blagnac at the end of the afternoon, everything is planned to avoid hypoglycemia on the spot.
A small snack will, in fact, take place in the Ritouret park with seating places. A gourmet village will be set up on the Place des Marronniers, near the Odyssud-Ritouret station and the entrance to the festival, with several restaurants that will offer take-away or eat-in on site.
Little more, the restaurateurs of the Gourmet Village are committed to respecting zero waste. An application dedicated to the Lantern Festival should see the light of day: it will allow festival-goers to geolocate all of the restaurants near the festival.
Do you need a health pass?
Yes, you will need a health pass to access the Lantern Festival site. And a gauge has been put in place to limit the number of people on the site each evening.
Lantern Festival
From December 1, 2021 to February 1, 2022, non-stop, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Ritouret Park – Blagnac
General admission: 4, avenue du Parc – Blagnac.
Entrance to tour operators and guests: Chemin de Bélisaire – Blagnac.
Duration of the walk: about 2 hours
Animals are not allowed.
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