Diptyque transformed the Cour d’Honneur of the Palais-Royal in Paris into a public, multisensory installation inspired by the 50-hour burn time of its Classic Candle.
The installation took place on 27 and 28 May 2026 and formed part of the Maison’s international “Light on, time off.” campaign. Open to the public, the experience was designed as a contemplative pause in the centre of Paris, using light, sound and scent to explore the passage of time.
For nearly 50 consecutive hours, Diptyque turned the Palais-Royal courtyard into a slow-moving installation centred on the flame of the Classic Candle. The project drew on the campaign film “Light on, time off.”, which was presented at the site in an accelerated version.
The installation was conceived as a journey guided by the rhythm of the candle flame. Visitors were invited to step away from the noise of the city and pause within an environment where the transformation of wax and flame became the central visual subject.
An original sound composition accompanied the experience, while four Diptyque fragrances — Figuier, Baies, Narguilé and Feu de Bois — were diffused through the space. The scents were used to shape the olfactory journey and to reinforce the installation’s focus on slowness and presence.
Visible by day and night, the installation gradually changed the character of the Cour d’Honneur, turning the historic Paris setting into a temporary contemplative landscape. The release frames the project as a response to a culture of immediacy, using the candle’s burn time as both concept and structure.
The Paris installation represented the campaign’s physical expression in Diptyque’s birthplace. Internationally, “Light on, time off.” has also appeared through immersive and unconventional formats, including a 50-hour continuous broadcast in Seoul, a 36-hour uninterrupted presence in London and illuminated excerpts in Hong Kong.
The campaign also extends to YouTube through a 12-hour long-format video inspired by ambient content, with the flame presented as a meditative visual presence.
