---
title: "Install Éclair on LWS"
description: "Install Éclair on LWS: PHP 8.3, SSL and HTTPS redirect, the htdocs folder, archive extraction and ModSecurity. Prices checked on November 1, 2026."
url: "https://eclair.academy/en/hosting/lws"
lang: "en"
author: "Thierry Gustin"
published: "2026-11-02"
updated: "2026-11-02"
---

# Install Éclair on LWS

> **Key takeaways** — To install Éclair on LWS, choose PHP 8.3 in the LWS Panel's PHP Configuration, check the SSL certificate and, if you like, turn on the automatic HTTPS redirect. Then extract the archive in htdocs, never in a public_html folder, and move the contents of the eclair folder up. ModSecurity is on by default: it's the first suspect for a 403 error in the admin.

You install Éclair on LWS from the LWS Panel in half an hour, including the time your changes take to apply. The file manager extracts the archive and the Let's Encrypt certificate is usually already active. Above all, remember two quirks: the public folder is called `htdocs`, and the ModSecurity firewall, on by default, can block some admin actions.

> **Before you start** — Time: 30 minutes, part of it spent waiting. Plan: an LWS shared hosting plan, such as LWS Perso. LWS's cPanel plans are a separate range: for those, follow the [universal cPanel method](https://eclair.academy/en/hosting/cpanel-plesk-directadmin). Have at hand: your LWS customer area, a domain linked to the hosting and the [eclair-cms-1.8.0.zip](https://github.com/Jacckisback/eclair-cms/raw/main/dist/eclair-cms-1.8.0.zip) archive. The LWS Panel labels quoted here are those of LWS's English help. The requirements are in [Prepare your installation](https://eclair.academy/en/paths/beginner/prepare-installation).

## The plan and control panel at a glance

| Item | At LWS |
| --- | --- |
| Control panel | LWS Panel (`panel.lws.fr`), **Manage** button next to your plan |
| Web server | Apache, with Nginx for static files and Varnish; URL rewriting through `.htaccess` |
| PHP version | 5.6 to 8.5, set per domain |
| Public folder | `htdocs` |
| ZIP extraction | Yes, with the file manager's **Extract** button |
| Outgoing connections | Not documented: test them |
| Price checked on November 1, 2026 | LWS Perso: €1.49 excl. VAT/month (€1.79 incl. VAT) the first year, then €3.99 excl. VAT/month ([LWS pricing](https://www.lws.fr/hebergement_web.php), in French) |

These are euro prices for the French market, from lws.fr. The pricing page states that the discount applies to the first year only. LWS Starter costs €3.49 excl. VAT/month (€4.19 incl. VAT), instead of €5.99. The commitment period couldn't be verified.

## Step 1: choose PHP 8.3

1. In your customer area, click **Manage** next to your plan.
2. In the **Database & PHP** section, open **PHP Configuration**.
3. In the **PHP installation and selection** tab, tick PHP 8.3 among the versions to install, choose it as the default version (main domain only, or all sites), then click **Save**.
4. To set another domain or a subdomain, use the **PHP configuration by site** tab.

The change isn't instant: a support reply in 2022 mentioned 15 to 20 minutes. The **General PHP configuration** tab sets `memory_limit`, `max_execution_time`, OPcache and the time zone.

## Step 2: turn on the HTTPS certificate

The Let's Encrypt certificate is usually activated automatically. To check it or restart it:

1. Under **Manage**, in the **Security** section, open **SSL**.
2. On the **SSL Service** line, choose **Activate**, then click **Validate**.
3. To force HTTPS on the server side, open the **Auto HTTPS redirection** tab, turn it on, then click **Validate**. Allow about an hour.

LWS advises against this redirect for WordPress and PrestaShop. For Éclair, it remains optional: if you run the wizard over `https://`, Éclair checks **Force HTTPS** on its own, then redirects every visit to the official address once that address is verified.

## Step 3: delete the welcome page

After purchase, LWS shows a welcome page until your site is published, without naming the file involved. Open `htdocs` in the file manager: if an `index.html` is there, delete or rename it so that it doesn't take precedence over Éclair.

## Step 4: upload Éclair's files

1. Under **Manage**, in the **Files** section, open **File Manager**, then the `htdocs` folder.
2. Upload `eclair-cms-1.8.0.zip`.
3. Select the archive, click **Extract**, then choose `htdocs` as the destination.
4. Open the `eclair` folder you get, select all of its contents, `.htaccess` included, and move them to `htdocs`.
5. Delete the empty `eclair` folder, the archive and the three `.txt` files that come with it.

With FileZilla, the username and host are listed under **Files**, then **FTP Account(s)**. The password isn't displayed: click **Change** to set one. Shared plans have no SSH access, so connect over FTP, turn on **Server › Force showing hidden files**, then upload the contents of the `eclair` folder to `htdocs`.

![The contents of the eclair folder uploaded to the htdocs folder at LWS](https://eclair.academy/media/2026/11/eclair-academy-upload-en.png)
*At LWS, the public folder is called htdocs*

## Step 5: run the setup wizard

Open `https://your-domain.com`. The wizard's first screen checks PHP, the extensions, write permissions and HTTPS. Look at the “Clean URLs (URL rewriting)” line: “Active” proves the `.htaccess` arrived; “Inactive” usually means it stayed in the `eclair` folder or on your computer. Then click **Let's go** and follow [Install Éclair step by step](https://eclair.academy/en/paths/beginner/install-eclair), within 2 hours.

![Welcome screen of Éclair's wizard with the LWS server checks](https://eclair.academy/media/2026/11/eclair-academy-install-welcome-en.webp)
*The Clean URLs line confirms that the .htaccess is in place*

## Step 6: check after installation

1. On the **Security** page, check “Encrypted connection (HTTPS) enforced” and “Site address verified”. If needed, click **Verify the site address**.
2. The “Folder protection test” must show **Protected** for each file.
3. Save a test page in the editor: a 403 error would come from ModSecurity.
4. If you use the AI assistant, click **Test the connection** in **Settings › AI assistant**: LWS doesn't document its outgoing rules.

## Pitfalls specific to LWS

- **The folder is called `htdocs`**: LWS warns that creating a `public_html` folder can make your site malfunction.
- **ModSecurity on by default**: if it conflicts with your application, LWS says you can turn it off on its **ModSecurity** page by unticking **Activate**, then clicking **Validate**.
- **No SSH access** on shared plans, only a “Web terminal and WP CLI”: extraction happens in the file manager.
- **Delays before changes apply**: 15 to 20 minutes for PHP, about an hour for the HTTPS redirect.
- **LWS Perso's limits**: 384 MB of memory and 90 seconds of execution time for PHP, the tightest among the web hosts reviewed, plus 3 sites and 1 FTP account. If a long request to the AI assistant stops halfway, think of these 90 seconds.
- **Several domains**: the **Multi-Domains** tool, in the **Domain management** section, creates a folder named exactly after each domain you add. Once you use this tool, you create subdomains there too.

## Install Éclair on LWS: what if something goes wrong?

| Problem | Cause | Solution |
| --- | --- | --- |
| LWS's welcome page appears | Old `index.html` in `htdocs` | Delete it, then reload |
| “Clean URLs” inactive | `.htaccess` not moved | Upload it again over FTP, with hidden files shown |
| 403 error when saving content | ModSecurity | Turn it off to test, then report the rule to support |
| PHP still on the old version | Delay before the change applies | Wait 20 minutes, then reload the wizard |
| “Can't reach Claude (Anthropic)…” | Outgoing connection blocked | Contact support, or use the MCP connector |

Éclair's other messages are explained on the [Troubleshooting](https://eclair.academy/en/docs/troubleshooting) page.

## Key points

- LWS's public folder is `htdocs`, never `public_html`.
- You choose PHP 8.3 in **PHP Configuration**, and it applies within 15 to 20 minutes.
- Extract the archive with **Extract**, then move the contents of the `eclair` folder up.
- ModSecurity is the first suspect for a 403 error.

## Going further

- [Prepare your installation](https://eclair.academy/en/paths/beginner/prepare-installation) and [Install Éclair step by step](https://eclair.academy/en/paths/beginner/install-eclair).
- [Essential settings before launch](https://eclair.academy/en/paths/beginner/essential-settings) and [Turn on the built-in AI assistant](https://eclair.academy/en/paths/ai-mcp/ai-assistant).
- [Choosing your hosting](https://eclair.academy/en/hosting): LWS compared with the other web hosts reviewed.
- LWS's official help, in French: [configure PHP](https://aide.lws.fr/base/Hebergement-web-mutualise/Utilisation-de-PHP/Configurer-PHP), [HTTPS redirect](https://aide.lws.fr/base/Hebergement-web-mutualise/Securite/activer-redirection-web-https-SSL-automatique) and [web application firewall](https://aide.lws.fr/base/Hebergement-web-mutualise/Securite/Firewall-applications-web).

## Frequently asked questions

### Which LWS plan should I choose for Éclair?

LWS Perso is enough for one site: €1.49 excl. VAT/month the first year, then €3.99 excl. VAT/month, as of November 1, 2026. It hosts 3 sites.

### How do I reach LWS support?

In French, by phone on 01 77 62 30 03 (+33 1 77 62 30 03 from abroad), Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. French time, and by email, ticket or chat every day. The data centers are in France.

### Does LWS back up my site?

Yes, every day: the last 7 daily backups are kept, then weekly ones. Restoring them yourself is free over a one-month window, for hosting plans of up to 20 GB.

### Can I install Éclair in a subdomain at LWS?

Yes: create it in **Multi-Domains** if you already use that tool, then upload Éclair to the folder linked to it. For the MCP connector, a subdomain works as well as a domain.