Champs Elysees gets festive in fuchsia with GE Lighting

23rd November 2009 – One of the world’s most famous street in Paris, the Champs Elysees has been illuminated this year again with a stunning display of fuchsia festive lights thanks to GE Lighting, which has been a partner of this annual event since 2002. More than 2 kilometres of the tree-lined street linking the Arc de Triomphe to Concorde have been illuminated using a combination of GE’s Constant Color CMH lamps as well as LED technology. More than 400 trees, including both rows of trees lining the avenue, have been lit up to sparkle in a “glittering forest of fuchsia”. A second line of 120 trees in the inside row are decorated with 30,000 dynamic flashing lights to represent the "light from falling stars".

"GE Lighting is very proud to have been chosen once again to illuminate one of the most prestigious avenues in the world. Using the most energy efficient CMH and LED technologies, we have created a magical festive lighting display to be enjoyed by the many visitors to the city over the Christmas period,” declared Sophie Breton Commercial Director of GE’ Lighting business in France.

"The festivities of this evening illustrate our comitment in France and our willingness to contribute to economic development in the country. These energy saving lamps around us are the symbol of GE Lighting know-how. GE Lighting is a core business in France and plays a major part in GE's energetic efficiency program, and I am most happy to continue to build on these great achivements with you." said Clara Gaymond National Executive of France. GE’s Constant Color CMH Ultra 35W and 70W lamps provide significantly improved lumen maintenance and enhanced quality of light while still retaining market leading long life of 15,000 hours.

Supplying ceramic metallic hallide lamps, which allow a 70 % energy saving, together with efficient LED technology enables GE Lighting to provide energy efficient illumination of the Champs-Elysées in line with the company’s principles of ecomagination. The festive lights were switched by Charlotte Gainsbourg at a ceremony on 23rd November attended by the Mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë. During the Illuminations, the number of pedestrians visiting the famous avenue is expected to rise from an average of 300.000 to 500.000 every day reaching over a million on December 31st. Popular French celebrities including Liza Minelli, Johnny Halliday, Monica Belluci, Vanessa Paradis and Marion Cotillard attended the illumination ceremony.

About GE Lighting
General Electric was born from the invention of the world's first affordable incandescent lamp. A century later, GE Lighting is still bringing light to the world, developing new technologies such as fluorescents and light-emitting diodes, that operate with more efficiency, less cost and less environmental impact than ever before. GE Lighting is part of GE Consumer & Industrial, a $12+ billion global business with 49,000 employees in more than 100 locations. With more than a century of experience inventing cutting-edge products and services, GE Consumer & Industrial strives to make life better, more convenient and more efficient for consumers, as well as commercial and industrial customers.

Contact:
Kinga Kalocsai, PR& Communications Manager EMEA
E-mail: Kinga.Kalocsai@ge.com,
Tel.: +36-1-399-1455

French press release: http://presse.factomedia.fr/GE