Construction sites postponed, streets dark at night… faced with soaring prices, cities also have to make choices

Tourists have not yet invaded the medieval center. But this Monday evening in June, the small Saint-Louis square in Périgueux (Dordogne) comes alive with friendly discussions. Seated on the restaurant terraces, a few dozen locals take advantage of the ambient calm before the high season. Few of them have noticed the technicians who have been working for 10 p.m. to test the new artistic lighting of the monuments in the city center. From the top of the nacelle, Jean-Claude removes all the bulbs and installs LEDs to reduce the electricity bill. This year, the town hall has been clear: you have to “make it beautiful”, but without breaking the bank.