Winners of the competition organised by the city of Nice in 2003, Light Cibles, in collaboration with the Bruno Fortier architectural agency, completed last June the lighting project for the Place Massena and the surrounding areas. The square was previously dominated by traffi c, but has now been pedestrianised, and stretches from the Fontaine du Soleil to the Rue Massena. The huge space is framed by a magnifi cent aisle of candelabra, giving off a convivial light that is most appropriate to the new function. This involved considerable restoration work, particularly concerning the reproduction of 44 candelabra dating from the 1950s, with posts (Néri) made of steel, cast-iron ornaments, and 176 lanterns (Comatelec Schreder) equipped with modern lightsources incorporating metallic iodide lamps with ceramic burners. Contrary to normal urban lighting, Light Cibles chose lanterns with a functional downward lighting stream, but which also highlights the surrounding building facades. The lighting is perfectly adapted to a space that covers more than 22,000 square metres, and the alignment of the lamp-posts from the arcades to the fountain accentuates the magical atmosphere of the perspectives. Beneath the arcades, 96 glass lanterns equipped with a metallic iodide source light the arches, creating a convivial ambiance. As well as the meticulous restoration work, particular care was given to facilitate maintenance. Concerning the lighting of the Fontaine du Soleil, an ensemble of powerfully sculpted bronze statues, Louis Clair played on the realism of the models' muscles, enhancing the contrasts to give the impression that " the statues are advancing towards the light " .