FRANCE: French singer Florent Pagny launches the Christmas illuminations on the Champs Elysees

To mark the beginning of the Christmas festivities, singer Florent Pagny launched the 26th anniversary of the illuminations on the world famous avenue des Champs Elysees in Paris on Tuesday night (November 28). For more than a month, Parisians and tourists from all over the world will admire these spectacular lights displayed in the trees along the Champs Elysees from the Arc de Triomphe to the Concorde representing a distance of 5 kilometres. Some 150,000 bulbs of 15 watts, 50 kilometres of fairy lights and 43 kilometres of cables were necessary to illuminate all the trees lined on each side of the famous avenue. The illuminations are financed by shopkeepers, restaurants and night clubs who see in this initiative a way to increase their business by 60 or 70 percent. The fairy lights are also a good reason for consumers to have a nice night-walk along the Champs Elysees and to start thinking about their Christmas shopping. "When I came out of the metro I saw them. It's impressive, it's very beautiful," said Valerie. "It's very beautiful and it reminds me of Orchard Road in Singapore," said Lynn, a visitor from Singapore. Thirty districts of Paris will also participate in this operation called "Paris illuminates Paris". Leaflets aimed at tourists and Parisians will be distributed by shopkeepers so that as many people as possible can visit the lit-up streets of the City of Light.

ITN Source | December 3, 2006

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