The Provence Christmas Story a Tale of the Santons
Explore · Margo Lestz · Provencal History & TraditionsYou may know the traditional Biblical Christmas story, but in Provence, there is a bit more to it. The Provence Christmas story is told in a Nativity play called a pastorale. It incorporates the main details of the traditional Nativity but sets it in a nineteenth-century Provençal village.
…Continue reading here to learn about the importance of the shepherd’s song in Provençal Christmas traditions. Margo explains the characters in a typical creche scene, these tiny clay figures are called santons (little saints). In some villages and churches during the holidays, these nativity scenes begin to look like real small towns with figures that include bakers, millers, shepherds and many more.
Legal
All rights reserved. Perfectly Provence articles and other content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translations into other languages) or redistributed without written permission. For usage information, please contact us.
Syndication InformationAffiliate Information
As an Amazon Associate, this website earns from qualifying purchases. Some recipes, posts and pages may have affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, we receive a small commission that does not impact your price. Thank you in advance for supporting our work to maintain Perfectly Provence.
Previous Post
Mandarin and Cardamon Infused Almond CakeRelated Provence Articles
12 Days of Christmas on the French Riviera
December 15, 2015
Contributor blog post by Access Riviera: Ho ho ho! The festive season has crept up on me once again and I’ve been so busy with my kids picking up every cough or virus found on a school playground, and juggling lots of Christmas events that I didn’t get around to compiling my annual Christmas Market …
Happy Holidays from Perfectly Provence
December 23, 2021
Holiday Wishes! It’s time to wish everyone all the best for this joyful season – Happy, Healthy Holidays! However, before we head out on a technology break, it’s time to acknowledge all our terrific contributors. Inspired by Provence Ashley Tinker is a Canadian who readily admits that Provence is an inspiration for her photography. Curious …
Creating Holiday Magic a Provencal Christmas Creche with Adorable Santons
December 11, 2024
St Francis and the Provencal Creche The traditional French nativity scene that represents the story of the birth of Jesus is essentially a Provençal tradition, but it has a long history that began in Italy. In 1223, in Greccio, St. Francis of Assisi is said to have created the first reenactment of the birth of …
The Circuit des Crèches Lucéram Holiday Tradition
December 10, 2020
Nestled in the Alpes-Maritimes above the Cote d’ Azur is the medieval village of Lucéram. One day before Christmas, my friend decided to take me on a tour of the “Circuit des Crèches.” We drove high up the winding roads to the alpine region above the sea. Circuit des Creches While we were driving, Mireille …
No Comment