Place des Terreaux and Bartholdi Fountain

Place des Terreaux lies on the Presqu'île in Lyon's 1st arrondissement, in France's Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, and combines the Hôtel de Ville, the Musée des Beaux-Arts and the Church of Saint-Pierre around a pedestrian square. Its centrepiece is the Bartholdi Fountain, created by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, the sculptor of the Statue of Liberty, with four horses drawing a chariot, and the water jets rise from the paving in front of the grand facade of the town hall. The frame offered is a symmetrical one: the fountain in the foreground, the pale stone of the Hôtel de Ville behind and the museum's facade to the side. Blue hour and night are the strongest times, as the fountain and facades are lit and the sky holds deep colour; a tripod and a 16-35mm lens allow long exposures that silk the water. Early morning gives empty frames before the cafes set out terraces and the square fills with people. Midday sun is hard on the stone and spray, and overcast skies suit the details of the sculpture. December brings the Festival of Lights, when projections cover the facades and the square becomes extremely crowded; photographers should arrive early and keep tripods at the margins. There is no entrance fee, and tripods are generally tolerated on the open square if they do not obstruct pedestrians, although large crowds during the festival can make setup impractical. Drone flights over the city centre are heavily restricted in France, so operators need to check airspace maps before any attempt. Hôtel de Ville metro station sits beside the square, and cafes with restrooms surround it. A 16-35mm lens covers the facades and fountain, and a neutral density filter smooths the water in daytime.