Fill Up Your Elf’s Sack in the "Paris of the South"

One chilly December night, my husband and I stood among hundreds of visitors gazing up at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Strasbourg. Its impressive spire, the world’s tallest structure from 1647 to 1874, rose some 466 feet above us, illuminated by a soft yellow glow radiating down to the spectators below.

To our right, twinkling wooden chalets carried a panoply of gourmet Christmas treats. Plump salted pretzels overflowed from long wooden pegs, while chewy slabs of gingerbread loaves were stacked neatly next to troughs of chocolate candies.

The scent of spicy sausages, steaming sauerkraut, and vin chaud (hot wine) filled the crisp air, the cinnamon-sweet combination creating an odd, although somehow comforting mix.

It was a winter wonderland worthy of a Brothers Grimm fairytale. In northeastern France, the Strasbourg Christmas market—which takes up almost the entirety of the historic center—is hands-down the most popular holiday destination in France. Wildly fun, with a little Kris Kringle kitsch, and busy as heck, it’s a top bucket-list Christmas destination.

While this northernmost market will lift your spirit to all levels of jolly, there is perhaps another quieter area of France that deserves a closer look. One that puts its heart and soul into local Christmas traditions…

Closely associated with lavender fields and pale pink rosés, the region of Provence is a surprisingly exciting holiday destination. Skip the glitzy shoreline and head to some of her blond-stone villages and elegant, tucked-away towns. The Christmas markets are less crowded, awash in local myth and folklore, and full to the hilt with gourmet foods and local wines.

With the December sun shining, start your holiday festivities with the welcoming locals of southern France—who do indeed keep a glass or two of rosé on hand in the winter months.

Wheat Sprigs, Orange Flower Sweet Breads, and Christmas Eve

The 13 Desserts of Christmas (13 desserts de Noel), is one of the most hallowed holiday traditions in Provence. Found in Christmas markets around the south, the desserts may vary from town to town and village to village—with some tried-and-true favorites on every table.

Why 13, and not 12 or 14? The number is in reference to the Last Supper—12 desserts for the Apostles and one for Jesus. France is largely a Catholic country, and you’re bound to experience varying levels of religious ceremonies during any holiday visit.

After the Christmas Eve meal, families lay out the 13 desserts on three layered, white tablecloths symbolizing the Holy Trinity.

On the plates, you’ll find dried dates, oranges, green melon, white grapes, white and black nougat (which, according to legend, represents good and evil), candied fruits, raisins, almonds, dried figs, walnuts or hazelnuts, and la pompe à l’huile—a local dessert bread made from flour, olive oil, sugar, and orange-blossom syrup. Originally made in Marseille, traditional and hybrid versions of the sweetbread are found in bakeries around the city. Near Notre-Dame de la Garde Cathedral, Pompe Boulangerie makes cinnamon, chocolate, and praline pompes à l’huile year-round.

The folks in Aix-en-Provence will also add the calisson cookie—an almond-shaped confection made from candied melon and crushed almonds, with a sugar glaze. An emblem of the city.

Perhaps the most eye-catching element of the traditional Christmas Eve spread is the three small bowls of sprouted wheat.

Each December 4th, on the day of Sainte-Barbe, Provençal families plant wheat seeds in three small bowls filled with cotton balls soaked in water. Known as la sainte du feu, the saint of fire, Barbe is considered the patron saint of firemen and is a symbol of hope and prosperity. The local saying goes, "Blé bien germé, c’est la prospérité pour tout l’année." Well-sprouted wheat means prosperity all year long.

The tiny green sprouts of wheat stay on the table for three days following Christmas Eve, when they subsequently find homes at the base of the Christmas tree or in front of a Nativity scene—their survival is closely watched through the New Year’s celebrations.

Along with a host of other holiday events, the city of Aix-en-Provence hosts a 13 Desserts of Provence Christmas market from December 14-24. The standard desserts will be present, along with artisanal products and the ever-present calisson.

Santons Bring Provençal Traditions Home

Without question, the biggest—and littlest—star of any Provençal Christmas market is the santon. These small Nativity scene figures—from baby Jesus to sheep herders and cotton-trousered olive pickers—are the pride of the region. Handcrafted by award-winning santonniers, some of whom have attended the finest art schools in France, the santons represent an emotional connection to the land.

Marie Rivals, a marketing manager at the Aix-en-Provence Tourist Office, was born in Provence, and grew up in Aix-en-Provence and the countryside village of Rians.

"Every year," she says, "we take a cardboard box out of the attic to find our santons. It’s a family tradition that speaks to the heart of our roots. These small terracotta figurines, fruits of the ancestral know-how of our craftsmen, remind us of the importance of sharing and transmission from generation to generation."

The annual construction of the Nativity scene, or crèche, is one of the highlights of Christmas. In Marie’s family, she says, "We put on our favorite Christmas song, a soft, melancholic melody that connects us to our grandparents… always present in our hearts."

Families go to a local forest to gather green and white moss, small branches, stones, and pine cones of all shapes and sizes. These decorations help to bring the Provençal Nativity scene to life.

Typical village scenes are played out among the layers of moss and stone. On one corner, a delicately crafted fishmonger waves fistfuls of mackerel in front of a small fish stand, or poissonnerie, while across a pebbled road, a line of washerwomen dip chalky sheets into a painted-on river. The local mayor looks on approvingly.

A miniature French bakery, cheese shop, and wine merchant complete the tableau.

Lavender is also a key element in any Provençal Nativity scene. Mini purple fields are placed above the village on cardboard hills. Ladies of the period carry bushels of lavender above their heads, gliding serenely among small rows of olive trees to the village below.

While family crèches are more demure affairs, the official Nativity scene of any city or village can reach up to 10-feet in length, or more. The Grande Crèche Aixoise, on display at the Aix-en-Provence Tourist Office from November 15th to January 5th, is over 30-feet-long and includes landmarks like the pink salt flats of the Camargue and wind-struck palm trees from the Côte d’Azur.

Aix-en-Provence hosts its own Foire aux Santons (Santons Fair) from November 15th to December 31st. Holiday-goers can admire and purchase a colorful cast of santons and regional Nativity decorations. Admission is free.

Santon artisans also open their workshops for visits. Santons Foque and Santons Richard are both located in Aix-en-Provence and make for great detours after a morning spent at the local Christmas market.

How to Get There

Aix-en-Provence is easily reached by shuttle from the recently remodeled Marseille airport. Connecting flights arrive from Charles de Gaule in Paris and cities around Europe. Alternatively, December visitors can tack on a Provençal Christmas market tour to any Parisian vacation.

The TGV, high-speed, train departs several times a day from the Gare de Lyon train station in Paris and arrives 3 hours later at the Aix train station. Perfect for enjoying an early-afternoon rosé with your calisson cookie.

Where to Start Your Christmas Tour

Christmas markets in Aix-en-Provence bring Provençal traditions, gourmet treats, and artisanal delights to life.|©iStock/jeangill

Aix-en-Provence, and the countryside around the town, is a great start to any Provençal Christmas tour. Known as the "Paris of the South," beguiling Aix is the birthplace of the painter Cézanne and arguably one of the prettiest places in all of France.

Against a backdrop of stately blondstone mansions (hôtels particuliers) and elegant, plane-tree-lined boulevards, the town rolls out the tapis rouge at Christmastime.

Along with the 13 Desserts, the Santon fair, and a truffle market, Aix hosts an international "twin cities" Christmas market. This year, Aix’s twin cities across nine countries will be represented by different artisans, creators, and food vendors.

For the best way to enjoy the festivities, Marie Rivals has some advice:

"Drop your suitcase off at the Aquabella, Negre Coste, or Escaletto hotel in the city center," she says, "Go to the reception of the Aix-en-Provence Tourist Office and choose a themed tour: Christmas markets, Provençal Nativity scenes—there’s something for everyone— and let yourself be carried away by the magic of the city."

She suggests finishing at Place François Villon at the Marché Gourmand des Vignerons—a gourmet market hosted by local wine makers.

"You can fill up your hotte de lutin (elf sack) at the Christmas market," says Marie, "and after, have an aperitif to discover the wines of Provence."

The countryside surrounding Aix is known as the Pays d’Aix, and includes a host of cozy stone villages, rolling wine estates, and the odd goat farm or two. Around 25 minutes from the historic center, outside Saint-Cannat village, winery Bargemone puts on an annual Christmas market among the vines.

Marketgoers will find artisanal jewelry makers, leather goods stands, and French home decorations, alongside vin chaud, truffles, olive oil, honey, Corsican cheeses, and charcuterie… with a seafood stand and wine bar topping off the affair.

The domaine produces organic wines, including the region’s famous rosé varietals, like Bargemone, along with reds and whites grown in the clay-limestone terre of the Pays d’Aix. The tasting room is open during the Christmas market, with a pretty outside terrace giving visitors a clear view of Sainte-Victoire Mountain – an iconic southern landmark featured heavily in Cezanne’s paintings.

Several other wineries host their own Christmas markets, including Domaine Tour Campanets, Chateau de Beaupre, and Chateau de Berne (a bit farther afield near the town of Lorgues).