France’s Holiday Lights Just Got Their First “Made in France” Garland
For decades, nearly every string of twinkling lights that decorated France’s streets in December came from Asia. Not anymore.
This year, Blachere Illumination, the company behind most of France’s festive glow, has launched the first Christmas light garland made in France.
The new French-made garland will get its official debut from November 18 to 20 at the Salon des Maires et des Collectivités Locales in Paris.
Blachere, based in Apt in the Vaucluse, is betting that towns, cities, and shopping centers will want to bring their Christmas lights closer to home.
The company already dominates the country’s winter landscape, suppling 70% of French municipalities with over 5,000 residents, plus countless malls and landmarks.
Every year, these clients choose from an enormous catalog of glowing decorations – 3D sculptures, arches, and now, locally made garlands.
Created in 1973, the company employs 140 people in France and makes half of its revenue abroad.
A French Garland With a Sustainable Core
The new garland is assembled entirely in Apt and priced at under 40 euros. The big change lies in what it’s made of: bioplastic created from recycled bottles, replacing almost all metal parts.
It’s a milestone for Blachere which has spent years cutting the energy consumption of its illuminations by tenfold and extending their lifespan.
The only part still imported is the LEDs, since no European company currently manufactures them.
The story doesn’t end with production though. Once the garlands are made, they’re packaged by workers from a nearby ESAT, a workshop employing people with disabilities.
It’s a choice that fits Blachere’s model: keep the value chain close, sustainable, and human. This commitment to local collaboration helps sustain the regional economy around Apt, a town that has become the heart of France’s festive lighting industry.
“Made in France” After the Covid Wake-Up Call
“The choice of Made in France came naturally after Covid,” says Johan Hugues, who runs the company with his cousin Romain Allain Launay.
They’ve kept Blachere’s artisanal roots while embracing technology and growth abroad. The company still holds the Entreprise du patrimoine vivant label, reserved for French businesses recognized for exceptional craftsmanship.
Beyond the garland, Blachere plans to develop a full range of French-made lighting products over the coming years, reinforcing its role in national industry and reducing reliance on imports.
Tthe challenge is to keep production in France while staying competitive: “Technology and automation make it possible. We’ll soon have four times more machines and start integrating AI into production.”
These innovations allow the company to offset wage differences with foreign producers while keeping quality and jobs local.