Paris, the birthplace of modern art, introduced this nocturnal event in 2002, taking a more cultural and immersive approach to previous successful initiatives, such as the Allumées festival in Nantes in 1990, which staged a variety of events in unusual locations, and Lyon's historic Fête des Lumières (19th century), which spectacularly showcased the heritage of France's 3rd-largest city.
What these events have in common is that, once a year, they offer everyone free access to artistic installations and performances in spaces that are already accessible (gardens, bridges, squares) or specially opened for the occasion at night (swimming pools, gymnasiums, etc.). These are private or public sites whose primary vocation is not necessarily cultural, but which, for one night (7pm to 7am), are taken over by different artists: painters, sculptors, musicians, dancers...