Under the rain and the gaze of numerous onlookers, the large tree from the Strasbourg Christmas market was revealed, suspended from two cranes, this Tuesday morning. It now sits in the heart of the Alsatian capital. The king of the forest, symbol of the Christmas Capital operation, took his place in a two-meter deep pit reserved for him at Place Kléber. It now measures 28 meters high, with a wingspan of around ten meters, weighs 7 tonnes and is 70 years old.
Cut last week in the Busson national forest (Meurthe-et-Moselle), stored and lying since on a semi-trailer in an undisclosed location, the conifer does not seem to have suffered from the journey, which lasted eight hours in total . He’s still as trendy and straight as ever. ONF agents took a few branches from other fir trees in order to add them to perfect the appearance of the large fir tree which will be admired by more than 2.5 million visitors, expected from November 24, the launch day of the Strasbourg Christmas market.
One month to decorate it
This Tuesday morning, the tilting operation and placement in the giant’s pit lasted almost two hours. The installation, organized like clockwork, went well, apart from a very small scare when the tree, still hanging, began to turn on itself. Nothing serious. After placing wooden battens to reinforce its position, concrete will be poured into the pit. The time will then come for the decorations, which will last a month. On the lighting side, Romaric Gusto, the general director of the company Sigmatech, which is in charge, announced the installation of seven kilometers of electric garlands, 400 luminous and non-luminous objects. They will be installed from next week until D-day, November 24.
The theme chosen this year is the heart, which will be displayed on the tree and throughout Place Kléber, recalls Deputy Mayor Guillaume Libsig in charge of the Christmas Capital operation. The latter also specifies that it is the same plastic which is used from one year to the next to manufacture the new decorations, prepared in collaboration with a work assistance establishment and service (Esat).
In the meantime, for Strasbourg residents who braved the rain to appreciate the installation of the large tree in the city’s central square, it is a moment “which marks the launch of the festivities”, according to Jean-Louis, 75 years old. He is always first in line to appreciate the installation of the tree. “I’ve been coming for fifteen years,” explains the septuagenarian to whom Guillaume Libsig offered a small piece of the tree for the occasion. “Whether it’s raining, windy or snowing, I’m always here, I wouldn’t miss that moment for anything in the world. » The first page of the Christmas story…