With more than a million visitors annually, the 20rd The Chartres en Lumière event will illuminate 21 sites… a sumptuous illumination of historic monuments that can be visited free of charge.
Chartres en Lumière is the largest single event in the world offering visual and audio spectacles through light projections on the historic buildings of the city of Chartres. The event began with a reorganization within the municipality, with the main objective of promoting tangible assets of historical value.
Work was thus carried out, the end of which was marked by the illumination of Notre-Dame Cathedral. An event dubbed the "Festival of Light" was a true triumph, proven by the enthusiasm of the visitors. This event led to the official and definitive creation, in 2004, of the renowned "Chartres en lumières" festival, whose objective remains unchanged to this day.
The Chartres en Lumière event is unique in that it offers 21 sites accessible on foot. To make these relaxing moments unique, local partnerships were prioritized, but external partners were not neglected, such as JC Decaux, which handles urban billboards and national media.
A spectacular and interactive scenography spread over nine months
A unique and high-quality program… this is the promise of this event, which will take place from 22 p.m. until early evening, from April 15, 2023 to early January 2024.
Following an abrupt 3-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Festival of Light will make a spectacular comeback, culminating in September 16, 2023, the event's flagship date. In honor of this, an evening featuring a "bioluminescent show" will be organized with extraordinary illuminations on Saint-Pierre Street and Saint-Aignan Church.
For Christmas, as usual, 21 sites will be brightly decorated with significant performing arts, according to the concept. The city is making regular investments, particularly in terms of equipment, to ensure the finest projection quality possible: the pixel format is standardized at 4K.
The scenographic quality is now accompanied by a virtuous character: lamp projectors are gradually being replaced by equipment that is 30 to 60% less energy-intensive, and also saves on operating and maintenance costs. To achieve this, the municipal team has integrated the necessary technical skills into its teams, thus acquiring technical expertise recognized nationally and internationally.
Chartres Cathedral, like a colorful constellation
The cathedral, one of the first historical monuments to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, will have the honor of hosting two alternating scenographies. With special effects honoring the path traversed by this marvelous monument, visitors will be immersed in a journey through time, revealing in particular the spread of Christianity as well as the sciences and know-how contributing to the creation of cathedrals.
For a precise view from all angles of the cathedral under the effect of light, to the north, the monument reveals a radiant scenic art restoring all the spirituality and variation of colors of the sculpture of the original portal.
The façade is dedicated to a special recognition of Jean Moulin, the youngest prefect of Eure-et-Loir from February 1939 to November 1940. The decor illustrates the important events of his life through the use of his written works and his sketches (images, paintings, epistolary stories, historical posters) describing his journey to Chartres.
Romantic scenography at the municipal theater of Chartres
With its Italianate appearance, the Chartres Municipal Theatre proudly sits on the edge of the boulevard, offering an exceptional lighting display on the façade, allowing visitors to discover what lies within. Designed by Marie-Jeanne Gauthé, the artistic decor focuses primarily on the theme of a romantic atmosphere, where a man chases after his beloved who flees him. This is where all the romance takes place.
Ornaments of unique beauty for the Church of Saint-Pierre
The staging of the Saint-Pierre church is quite unique because it highlights the evolution of the light propelled by the sun and then the moon on the exterior faces of the building during a day, from the night in its depths to the first glimmers of dawn... the very essence of a Church.
The development of the architectural specialities of this medieval monument is the fruit of hard work mixed with a determination to make it a " reliquary made of lights, shadows and colored nuances "We are witnessing the resumption of the previous scenography based on the lighting of the stained glass windows from the interior of the church and the animation of the exterior of the building.
A historical tracing of the Montescot Hotel
Recently included among the illuminated historical monuments in the city of Chartres, the lights highlighting the Montescot Hotel describe the many concurrent adventures from its construction in the 17th century to its integration into the new Chartres Town Hall and Agglomeration designed by Jean Michel Wilmotte.
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