Energy sobriety in Paris: fewer Christmas lights on the Champs-Elysées this winter

The energy crisis hits everyone and every sector. So, this winter, Christmas in Paris will be less magical than usual. In a press release published on September 20, 2022, the comité des Champs-Élysées announced they are willing to cut down their energy consumption over the winter. How? By “dramatically” limiting Christmas lights and lights in windows.

“The Champs-Elysées must collectively and in solidarity take part in the efforts required from the French”, the committee explains in the release. Consequences? The schedule of the Christmas lights, street lights and store lights “will be dramatically limited”, the committee announced as they manage the world’s most beautiful avenue.

In concrete words, Christmas lights will stop at 11:45 p.m., namely 2.25 hours earlier than the previous years. The Christmas light period is shorter too since the famous lights will shine from Sunday November 20, 2022, to Monday January 2, 2023, included. They usually sparkle a week longer. But the Committee says the lights will stay on longer on December 24 and 31, 2022.

The sobriety plan established by the Comité des Champs-Elysées does not only involve the famous Christmas lights. The committee also wishes to cut down store lights this winter. All stores set on the Avenue des Champs-Elysées will have to turn off the lights and screens between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., “at least”. “This measure goes into effect immediately and will have to be generalized before October 15”, Committee Chairman Marc-Antoine Jamet states. “Property owners, proprietors and office users on the Champs-Elysées have been encouraged to join the movement”, the committee adds. This measure does not apply to stores working at these hours such as movie theaters, cafés and restaurants.

• To be read
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Thanks to this sobriety plan, Marc-Antoine Jamet hopes to end unnecessary energy consumption and save about 44% of the energy. Yet, “it shall not jeopardize the cultural, touristic, business, economic influence of the Champs-Elysées, nor the aesthetic and playful quality of strolling along the avenue during the Holidays”, the committee specifies.

For the record, more measures have been planned in Paris to save energy. Therefore, the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre shall turn off the lights earlier than usual.

Energy: after the Eiffel Tower, Versailles and the Louvre will turn off the lights
Energy sobriety is a key issue for the end of 2022. To save energy, the Eiffel Tower is to turn off the lights earlier than usual. The Palace of Versailles and the Louvre museum will follow and will go dark from 10 p.m. for the former, and 11 p.m. for the latter. [Read more]