she returns for the 23rd time to this village near Caen

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It is on the D36 road, south of Caen (Calvados), between Sainte-Honorine-du-Fay and Préaux-Bocage at the place called Jalousie where the Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes chapel from the hamlet of Longchamps.

A giant nativity scene: 30 m2 of decor

From two decadesthe giant nativity scene is skillfully installed in the chapel by passionate about the magic of Christmas. This has three tables. The main one with the nativity scene is in the heart, two other smaller ones are on either side of the transept. These are thus close to 30 square meters of the chapel which are magnificently occupied by this Christmas decoration.

For its 23rd edition, the association Friends of the Chapel of Longchamps has started assembly in November.

It takes us almost a month to complete it. We started this year on November 10. We are 10 people, seven women and three men. The men take care of the structures, the machinery necessary for the mobile and timed animations of the whole. The women take care of the decoration. The crèche has been visible since December 7.

“We have between 4 and 5,000 visitors per year”

The first painting represents this year on the left side, Manchuria with its yurts and horses. The nativity scene is on the central painting which represents the Far North with its many animals. Penguins, seals, walruses and bears surround the Sámi population. The third painting on the right represents a small mountain resort with its chalets, its natural ice rink, its cable car, its ski slopes and the railcar to serve it.

We have between 4 and 5,000 visitors per year. I appreciate this figure in view of the lights I power on a daily basis. I count three people per candle. The crèche will be visible until the end of January.

“The nursery is dismantled after Candlemas. We meet immediately to decide on the paintings that we will create the following Christmas. People who know the association offer us equipment. The first crèche dates back to 2002, we undertook this initiative with the people of the hamlet of Longchamps. The creation of the association allowed us toobtain grants to replace destroyed stained glass windows by the Second World War », remembers Michel Frilley.

The crèche is visible every day until the end of January

“During the year, the chapel is open every daywe have visitors all year round. For some it is a place of meditation, for others a place to visit our heritage,” continues Michel Frilley who also manages the opening and closing of the place on a daily basis.

From our correspondent Jean-Pierre Hardy

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