PRESENTATION
Liege Christmas Village: first and foremost, an authentic Christmas market!
 First of all, the Christmas Village is and will continue to be a Christmas market! An ideal spot to take a stroll in search of gift for the end-of-year festivities, do some shopping for Christmas tree decorations, discover what the craftsperson hard at work is creating... in a nutshell, all the pleasure of "Christmas shopping", in an atmosphere conducive to discovery and enchantment..
The five-week-long event is the perfect opportunity for people having a stroll to visit some of the 200 chalets, each one offering different gift ideas (jewellery, Christmas crib figures, toys, items to place around the foot of the Christmas tree...), Walloon and French crafts, Christmas decorations (Christmas balls, tinsel, paper chains, cribs, greetings cards,...), and all kinds of delicacies to taste (marzipan, cured products, black and white sausages, hot wine, Christmas beers, coffees, pèket, champagnes, oysters, chocolates, gingerbread,...).
The “Village de Noël » integrates
perfectly in the dynamism of Liège,
the city of Chrismas, to become the Latin capital
of Chrismas festivities. In this context, the “Village
de Noël” collaborates with all the
shops located in the center and numerous other
animations: the Chrismas skating rink, the
European circus festival…
 On top of all that: the Village!
The hallmark of Liege Christmas Village is its heart with throbbing streets and pumping alleyways. Liege does have an authentic village, characterised by distinctive neighbourhoods, the happy laughter and the Gallic squabbles of its "citizens (we mean the exhibitors), the church with its crib featuring Liege puppets, the town hall drenched with the local alcoholic beverage pèket and lashings of good humour, and … its Village Council, assigned the task of livening up the Village and creating a series of folkloric activities typical of the city of Liege.
 Building upon its legacy, the Village Council, led by its staunch Liege mayor, Jean-Denys BOUSSART, will undertake several induction ceremonies for the Village's honorary citizens and ambassadors. It is easy to spot a Village Councillor, because of the individual's red hood lined with ermine and studded with one or two stars. The official can be seen clutching a pot of pèket the "Ardent" and a medal representing the symbolic Tchantchès, the bottle of pèket, the steps, the star, the Christmas tree and the motto, proudly illustrated on a gleaming badge: "Tos les djous Noyé!" ("Every day is Christmas!")! The Village Council around the Christmas Village town hall succeeds in creating an authentic village atmosphere, to be recreated right in the middle of the city during the month of December.
Gruyere chalet !
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Making an appearance during the previous six Christmas Villages, Gruyere is returning with a vengeance this year! First of all with a large, authentic Gruyere chalet, adorned with traditional-style decorations, where visitors will have the opportunity to taste the famous cheese fondue in a setting fit for winter sports, right in the middle of the city! Next comes the celebrated Gruyere cheese: from mountain pastures or from down on the plains, this cheese, which enjoys a registered designation of origin in Switzerland, will be available for tasting in a Gruyere chalet, where visitors can also partake of the double crème meringue, the favourite Bulle lake dessert … |
Ardennes-style log house with the flavours of Chimay!
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A spectacular attraction in the Village, next to the traditional Gruyere chalet and its mouth-wateringly delicious celebrated cheese fondues, is the authentic Ardennes-style house providing a tasty selection of Chimay's finest Walloon specialities, kicking off with the renowned beer and the accompanying regional cheeses. The brainchild of the well-known Liege inventor, the artist Gilles Falisse, this original house comprises raised log walls and features an open fire inside: an opportunity to savour the sheer pleasure of hospitality and a gourmet experience in the heart of the village! |
Pèket house
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For the third year in a row, a Pèket house is being erected as a tribute to this delicious beverage, which is also one of the icons of the Christmas Village. Visitors are invited to discover the different versions of this popular drink, synonymous with friendship and fraternity, within a large timber and brick chalet which will revive all pèket devotees! |
"Au pied des pistes" chalet
The "Au pied des pistes" restaurant and terrace can be found at the Dalle St Lambert, facing the Palace of the Prince-Bishops…Visitors will be regaled with pierrades, raclettes, chapeaux tatares, suspended brochettes (further details: www.aupieddespistes.be), all in the midst of the bustling Dalle St Lambert decorated with a forest of illuminated Christmas trees.
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Liege, Christmas city
 The Christmas Village is part of Liege's dynamic Christmas City programme, an initiative seeking to turn Liege into the Latin capital of Christmas festivities. Against this background, the Christmas Village is working in partnership with the city centre traders and is involved in many other Christmas activities: the Christmas ice rink , the European Circus Festival, the Liege "Nocturnales" (evening lights), … Spearheading the "Liege, Christmas City" initiative, the Village is helping to ensure a large number of visitors from Belgium and elsewhere are drawn to Liege and the Liege region, attracted by this dynamic Christmas programme offering a contemporary mix of attractions, yet deeply rooted in the locality and culture of the Liege region.
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