Many people enjoy decorating their homes with colourful Christmas lights this time of year, but Patrick Lalande and Mélanie Gagnon of Greece’s Point in Brownsburg-Chatham have taken Christmas lights to a whole new level.
On Saturday, November 30, the seventh annual Lumières Place Belle-Vue began at the couple’s home on Place Belle-Vue. The display features 35,000 electronic LED Christmas lights synchronized to music attached to the house, detached garage, and arranged as various festive objects on the property. As usual, opening night drew a huge crowd with vehicles lined up along the street and nearby Route 344. Fireworks were occasionally set off to add to the spectacle. Tim Hortons donated coffee and hot chocolate, Giant Tiger donated candy canes, and the Berthiaume family donated popcorn. Martin Desforges provided drone footage and photography.
Lalande works in electronics and security systems and said he had always enjoyed light displays, so that is how the annual exhibit began. The images and themes are different each year.
“It’s our way to give a little Christmas spirit,” Lalande said.
Gagnon designs and programs the music and light show. The couple’s daughters Kimberly and Koraly enjoy helping with the display. Everything, including the fireworks, is operated from a large, hand-held remote-control unit.
Surprisingly, Lalande said the big light display does not severely impact his bi-monthly bill from Hydro-Québec.
The display operates nightly from 5 pm until 9:30 pm. Admission is free. Visitors do not have to get out of their vehicles to watch the lights and hear the music. A low-power FM radio transmitter broadcasts the music at 88.3 on the dial with a radius of one kilometre. All visitors need to do is tune into that frequency on their vehicle’s radio while in the area. The entire synchronized program runs for 90 minutes.
Lalande said they are also introducing a QR code on location, and on their Facebook page which will allow visitors to control part of the display.
Lumières Place Belle-Vue continues until Wednesday, January 1, 2025. The address, 5 Place Belle Vue is located just off Route 344 (Route des Outaouais) in Greece’s Point, Brownsburg-Chatham. The Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/lumieresplacebellevue/.
Photos: James Morgan
