Few things in the world are prettier than the Champs Élysées illuminated at Xmas time. This year, French actress/singer (and son of Serge) Charlotte Gainsbourg will be pressing the ‘ON’ button on Monday 23rd November à 6.30pm, and there’s something new about the lights this year…

Together with Paris mayor Bertrand Delanoë, Charlotte Gainsbourg will be illuminating the Champs Élysées in fuschia (instead of the usual white) this year, with over a million little lights! Along 2km and 400 tress, the energy-saving bulbs will make the most beautiful avenue in the world even more beautiful.

Not only has the energy consumption been drastically reduced in the last few years, because of the new bulbs, but the budget has gone down too from 60,000€ to 8,000€ (no doubt thanks to the kind donations of stores along the avenue).

And don’t forget that starting 20th November there will be a huge Xmas market with 170 chalets along the bottom of the Champs Élysées. They don’t do anything in half measures, do they?

The 2010 Xmas illuminations on the Champs Elysées run from 23rd November until 15th January 2010, from 5pm – 2am.