The largest illuminated Christmas nativity scene in France is located in this village in Aude

At a time when lantern festivals are multiplying throughout France and even in Aude, in Pieusse, near Limoux, Alexis Guyot is offering another type of enchanted visit. On his property, the St-André la Tuilerie estate, this lavandin producer has created a luminous nativity scene, a true poetic break.

It's when night falls that the magic happens. As the days fade, the approximately 14,000 solar magnifiers light up thanks to specific sensors. Little by little, visitors wrapped in their scarves and hats on their heads can see the 265 figurines come to life.

An Italian inspiration

“The idea came to me during a trip to Italy, says Alexis Guyot. With my wife we ​​discovered Manarola, one of the oldest villages in the Cinque Terre region, which sets up a lighted nativity scene for the holidays.” If it does not yet rival its Italian cousin, the farmer's crèche is, without doubt, the largest in France of its kind.

In the darkness of the night, these lights are neither dazzling as lanterns can be, but powerful enough to allow you to walk between the figures. Delicate lighting which seems to bring these characters to life, handmade and on a real scale.

Multiple advantages

“Each represents an animal, a craft profession, or a member of the nativity. This allows us to exchange, to explain a whole bunch of things to children such as the seasons, the professions of yesteryear, … but also to maintain a tradition dear to many French people, believers or not.”

For the farmer, these figures spread out on the hillside represent more than an educational and artistic interest. The lights in fact scare away wild boars and deer that invade the property, and the visit also allows the producer to sell his lavandin directly and in bulk.

A significant opportunity, operations having been severely impacted by the hailstorm last May. The harvest was severely impacted, as was the Occitan cross and the luminous labyrinths that Alexis Guyot usually opens to the public at this time of year.

Promote local crafts

Difficulties that inspired the farmer. “I also decided to use this crèche to give visibility to local artisans”underlines Alexis Guyot. Next to certain characters is a panel giving some information on a professional working in Aude or Occitanie. Franck Putelat is in the spotlight near the cook, Poterie Not (Labastide d'Anjou) near the potter, or even the gaec des Garrigues Arquettoises with certain sheep. “Next year we’re going to try to do 500 more characters, in the same vein.”