Bordeaux' Green Mayor and the scandal of the Christmas Tree

 Last year in the surge of the green wave that swept across France the incumbent mayor, and replacement for Alain Juppé, Nicolas Florian, was ousted by a studious looking lawyer from the Green Party.

There resulted a huge controversy last year when he refused to erect the habitual Christmas tree by the cathedral.

"We don't want a dead tree in the middle of Bordeaux", he said.

Meanwhile the arboriculteur who had grown the tree specially had to scout around for another buyer, and one disgruntled Bordeaux resident put a domestic Christmas tree in its empty place.

I confess that I don't get this at all. The trees are grown for the purpose and recycled into mulch after the festivities. Anyway, there are other solutions. The neighbouring town of Talence has a huge conifer planted next to the church on the central square and every year they decorate that. Why not!

Anyway, this year the mayor ordered a construction from a local artist - a huge conical tower in steel and glass, all lit up, faintly resembling a tree. He says it will last five years, though it will have to be put up and taken down and stored somewhere.

Reactions are mixed. I'll pop on a photo when I can.

I feel that once the green wave has subsided Bordeaux will return to right wing mayors.

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