Villes et Villages Illuminés

Immerse yourself in the magic of Christmas
Imagine your childlike soul awakened as you walk down a street lined with twinkling lights, where a deer glows by the roadside. Further on, another village transports you into a magical world with an illuminated Noah?s Ark, followed by a polar ice floe, glittering bikers, nativity scenes and even a hilltop church glowing with a thousand lights.

All these places and buildings are illuminated by passionate locals and dedicated associations.


A little history...
Back in the 80s, a few friends from Beauchêne had the original idea of lighting up their hillside. It wasn't long before neighboring villages were inspired by this initiative to light up their towns too: the Villes et Villages Illuminés competition was born in 1996.
Today, some 40 towns and villages take part in this friendly competition, where visitors can discover the ingenious work of volunteers.
From the creation of the decorations to the entertainment, this event has established itself as a not-to-be-missed fixture in Normandy. Every year, the month of December is lit up all over the Bocage Ornais and Sud-Calvados, to the delight of young and old alike.

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