Strasbourg's Christmas preparations up in the air as second giant tree cracks under pressure
The Local France - [email protected]
Published: 7 Nov, 2017 CET.
Updated: Tue 7 Nov 2017 11:32 CET
Strasbourg's Christmas plans are up in the air after not one but two of the giant Christmas trees chosen for its main square were found to be damaged before the tinsel even had time to touch their leaves.
Every winter Strasbourg's giant Christmas tree stands tall over the city's picturesque Place Kleber and the famous Christmas market.
But this year officials are having trouble finding one that won't crack under the pressure.
When the first tree was being cut for the city's main square Place Kleber it seemed the Grinch may have been at work when it was discovered that the trunk was already split.
Moving on to plan B, the city chose another fir tree from the same forest in the Vosges which was set up in the square on October 30th, but that one too seems to be cracking under the pressure.
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Photo: AFP
The mayor of Strasbourg Roland Ries announced on Tuesday that a split of one to five millimeters-wide and 15cm long had been found in the trunk of the tree during a conference on the security measures for the Christmas market.
"Unable to say whether the crack is growing in size or not and whether or not it will be resistant to the wind, we have been forced to take preventative measures," said Ries.
In order to solve the issue and save Christmas, the authorities were forced to move on to plan C.
Taking no chances, the third tree is set to be cut from a different forest in the region, the Bois-de-Champs and will be selected from the conifers next to the car park of the woods to allow for easier access.
The Christmas lights are set to illuminate the city centre on November 24th.
And there's no doubt the city authorities will be hoping for some gold coins in their stockings this year with the replacement of the new fir set to put them back by €50,000.
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Every winter Strasbourg's giant Christmas tree stands tall over the city's picturesque Place Kleber and the famous Christmas market.
But this year officials are having trouble finding one that won't crack under the pressure.
When the first tree was being cut for the city's main square Place Kleber it seemed the Grinch may have been at work when it was discovered that the trunk was already split.
Moving on to plan B, the city chose another fir tree from the same forest in the Vosges which was set up in the square on October 30th, but that one too seems to be cracking under the pressure.
READ ALSO:
Photo: AFP
The mayor of Strasbourg Roland Ries announced on Tuesday that a split of one to five millimeters-wide and 15cm long had been found in the trunk of the tree during a conference on the security measures for the Christmas market.
"Unable to say whether the crack is growing in size or not and whether or not it will be resistant to the wind, we have been forced to take preventative measures," said Ries.
In order to solve the issue and save Christmas, the authorities were forced to move on to plan C.
Taking no chances, the third tree is set to be cut from a different forest in the region, the Bois-de-Champs and will be selected from the conifers next to the car park of the woods to allow for easier access.
The Christmas lights are set to illuminate the city centre on November 24th.
And there's no doubt the city authorities will be hoping for some gold coins in their stockings this year with the replacement of the new fir set to put them back by €50,000.
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