Mons en Lumières 2024

At the start of 2024, the cultural capital of Wallonia is creating the biggest winter event in the south of the country: "Mons en Lumières", the very first festival of lights in Wallonia.

For 8 evenings, from 25 to 28 January and 1 to 4 February, the historic and medieval centre of Mons will be sublimated by art and light thanks to a 3km route dotted with 26 installations. For this first edition, and to celebrate the 100th anniversary of surrealism, the route is based on surrealism and poetry. The festival will also feature a guest star: British artist Robert Montgomery. Wonder and memories guaranteed!

Strong points

There will be a PRM car park in Rue Chisaire at the start of the route (40-50 spaces).
There will also be public parking spaces for PRMs in the town of Mons along the route.
Volunteers (50 per day) will be on hand to provide information and help throughout the festival.
Volunteers will be clearly identifiable thanks to their red K-Way, their cap and their fluorescent yellow "accessibility volunteer" chasuble.
Volunteers are trained to welcome PRMs.
Maps showing the 26 facilities are available at the information points.
The 5 information points (white containers) are located all along the route and are shown on the maps.
The route is entirely free of charge and no registration is necessary.
The route is completely closed to traffic during the hours of the illuminated displays.
There are public benches along the route: see PRM map.
You can start and finish the route wherever you like.
The PRM manager can be contacted before and during the festival by e-mail and by telephone (landline diverted to a mobile phone).
An escort request form is available (please state your needs and time slot).

Points of attention

The event can be reached by various means of public transport. Some routes from bus stops are longer and more difficult. All access information is available on the event website.
The event is taking place in Mons city centre: the site is open and it is possible to enter and leave freely.
The event is taking place in the public space, so it is dependent on the ground surfaces (irregular), and the relief of the site (many slopes).
The event is likely to attract a lot of people: if you're worried about crowds, you might want to come on a Thursday evening to avoid the weekend crowds.

Strong points

A car park will be reserved for PRMs in Rue Chisaire at the start of the route (40-50 spaces).
There will also be public parking spaces for PRMs in the town of Mons along the route.
Volunteers (50 per day) will be on hand to provide information and help throughout the festival.
Volunteers will be clearly identifiable thanks to their red K-Way, their cap and their fluorescent yellow "accessibility volunteer" chasuble.
Volunteers are trained to welcome PRMs.
The 5 information points (white containers) are located all along the route and are shown on the maps:
You can start and finish the route wherever you like.
Distance to cover for the entire route: 3km.
Lift and ramp for access to the Belfry.
The PRM manager can be contacted before and during the festival by e-mail and by telephone (landline diverted to a mobile phone).
An escort request form is available (please state your needs and time slot).
Outdoor walkways will be made easier by the installation of tread plates in certain places.
Adapted toilets are available in various places (shown on the PRM plans)
Motorised chairs can be recharged at all information points.

Points of attention

The event is taking place in the public space, so it is dependent on the ground surfaces and relief of the site: cobbles, slopes of 6 to 12% in places (listed on the PRM plans), kerbstones.
The desks at the information points and the bars and foodtrucks will be too high, but volunteers will be able to help you.
The adapted WCs will not be fully equipped: for example, there will be only one grab bar instead of two, there will be a curb near the WCs near the old abattoirs, etc.
There will be several cable trays to power the lighting installations.

Strong points

A car park will be reserved for PRMs in Rue Chisaire at the start of the route (40-50 spaces).
There will also be public parking spaces for PRMs in the town of Mons along the route.
Volunteers (50 per day) will be on hand to provide information and help throughout the festival.
Volunteers will be clearly identifiable thanks to their red K-Way, their cap and their fluorescent yellow "accessibility volunteer" chasuble.
Volunteers are trained to welcome PRMs.
The 5 information points (white containers) are located all along the route and are shown on the maps:
You can start and finish the route wherever you like.
Distance to cover for the entire route: 3km. Distances between facilities: see PRM map.
Lift and ramp for access to the Belfry.
The PRM manager can be contacted before and during the festival by e-mail and by telephone (landline diverted to a mobile phone).
An escort request form is available (please state your needs and time slot).
Outdoor walkways will be made easier by the installation of tread plates in certain places.
Adapted toilets are available in various places (shown on the PRM plans)
Motorised chairs can be recharged at all information points.
There are public benches along the route: see PRM map.
A wheelchair is available (please book in advance).

Points of attention

The event is taking place in the public space, so it is dependent on the ground surfaces and relief of the site: cobbles, slopes of 6 to 12% in places (listed on the PRM plans), kerbstones.
The desks at the information points and the bars and foodtrucks will be too high, but volunteers will be able to help you.
The adapted WCs will not be fully equipped: for example, there will be only one grab bar instead of two, there will be a curb near the WCs near the old abattoirs, etc.
There will be several cable trays to power the lighting installations.

Strong points

Volunteers (50 a day) are on hand to provide information and help throughout the festival.
Volunteers have been trained to welcome PRMs.
There will be 5 information points (white containers) all along the route.
You can recharge your mobile phone at the various info points.
Assistance dogs are welcome and you can ask for water at the bar near the old abattoir.
It is possible to follow natural guide lines (facades, kerbs). The natural guide lines may be interrupted depending on the different spaces.
A description of the works can be downloaded from the event website.
The route will be completely closed to traffic during the hours of the illuminated displays.
Volunteers will be responsible for keeping the toilets clean every day.

Points of attention

All the installations are visual (projections, works to observe but not to touch, etc.).
The description of the installations is not provided in Braille.
The staircases are not secured with paving stones.
It will be very difficult for a blind person to find their way around the tour on their own.
There are likely to be obstacles along the facades (shopkeepers' tables, for example).
There may be tree branches at eye level, so take care as they cannot be detected with a walking stick.

Strong points

Volunteers (50 a day) will be on hand to provide information and help throughout the festival.
Public lighting will be freeze-framed all along the route to help you find your way from one installation to another.
Any obstacles will be highlighted with contrasts (borders, steps, bollards, etc.).
Volunteers are trained and made aware of the needs of PRMs.
There will be 5 information points (white containers) along the route.
You can recharge your mobile phone at the various information points.
Assistance dogs are welcome and you can ask for water at the bar near the old abattoir.
It is possible to follow natural guide lines (facades, kerbs). The natural guide lines may be interrupted depending on the different spaces.
A description of the works can be downloaded from the event website.
The route will be completely closed to traffic during the hours of the illuminated displays.
Volunteers will be responsible for keeping the toilets clean every day.

Points of attention

All the installations are visual (projections, works to observe but not to touch, etc.).
The event takes place in the dark.
The description of each installation is written on a totem pole: the crowd will probably not allow you to get close to these totem poles.
The stairs are not secured with pedometer tiles.
There are likely to be obstacles along the façades (shopkeepers' tables, for example).
There may be tree branches at eye level, so take care as they cannot be detected with a walking stick.

Strong points

Signage with pictograms is provided for easy orientation on the site.
The event is essentially visual. There will be audio accompaniment at certain installations, but sound is not necessary for understanding.
Public lighting will be freeze-framed along the route to help you find your way from one installation to another.
There will be 4G throughout the route.

Points of attention

As the event takes place in the dark, there may be shadowy areas or even total darkness, making it difficult to communicate in sign language or lip-read.
There are no volunteers or staff who speak sign language.
The facilities are described in writing only (on the totems and downloadable from the website): there is no sign language interpretation and no content in FALC.

Strong points

Signage with pictograms is provided for easy orientation on the site.
The event is essentially visual. There will be audio accompaniment at certain installations, but sound is not necessary for understanding.
Public lighting will be freeze-framed along the route to help you find your way from one installation to another.
There will be 4G throughout the route.

Points of attention

As the event takes place in the dark, there may be shadowy areas or even total darkness, making it difficult to communicate in sign language or lip-read.
There are no volunteers or staff who speak sign language.
The facilities are described in writing only (on the totems and downloadable from the website): there is no sign language interpretation and no content in FALC.
There are no induction loops at the info points.

Strong points

Signage with pictograms is provided to help you find your way around the site: just follow the arrows and the crowd!
Volunteers trained to welcome PRMs are on hand to help you.
The 5 information points (white containers) are located all along the route.
The event is essentially visual. There will be audio accompaniment at certain installations.
A written description of the installations on the totems is not necessary to enjoy the event.
Public lighting will be freezing along the route to help you find your way from one installation to another.
The route is entirely free and no registration is necessary.
The route is completely closed to traffic during the hours of the illuminations.
You can start and finish the route wherever you like.

Points of attention

Some installations may be accompanied by fog (of varying density).
The transition between the projections and the "return to normal in the dark" may be abrupt, destabilising certain audiences.
Some of the projections (in the Carré des Arts and the Collégiale) contain "flashing" effects that could destabilise certain audiences.
The event is taking place in Mons city centre: the site is open and it is possible to enter and leave freely (i.e. unguarded, unsecured).
The event is likely to attract a lot of people: if you're worried about crowds, you might want to come on a Thursday evening to avoid the weekend crowds.
The facilities are not described in FALC (easy to read and understand).