Preparing Christmas in Provence

Many people know Provence as a region in France that is considered a top vacation destination, not just for the French, but for tourists from all over the world. Boasting incomparable beauty and a charming culture, as well as numerous specific attractions and sights, Provence is certainly deserving of being high on pretty much everybody’s vacation list. And to be sure, during the holiday season the charm and allure of Provence is emphasized even further!

Many people prefer to spend Christmas and the surrounding holiday weeks at home. However, for those who like to get out and visit a destination abroad, Provence is an excellent choice. With that said, here are a few helpful tips for visiting this gorgeous region for the holidays.

The village of Crillon-Le-Brave covered in snow.

Consider A Stay At Aix-En-Provence

Marseille may be the most well known destination within the region of Provence, but Aix-en-Provence is an incredible alternative still within driving distance of the coast. And besides the convenience and beauty of the area as a destination, it’s particularly delightful during the holiday season, when its streets are lit extensively in celebration of the season. It’s simply an incredibly charming location.

Be Aware Of The Calendale

This is a term you’ll likely hear when preparing for a trip to Provence. The Calendale is essentially the name given to the Christmas season, which in Provence is extended even longer than in most other parts of the world. In fact, the Calendale lasts for roughly 2 months. It’s nothing official, but a strong indication of the festivity you’ll encounter throughout Provence.

Prepare Shopping In Advance

There are plenty of wonderful local markets throughout Provence (with a particularly lovely one in Avignon each year), and if you prefer, you can do your Christmas shopping there. However, if you’d rather go for a more relaxed method of Christmas shopping while on vacation, M&S online is always an option. The large scale retailer has websites specifically geared toward several countries throughout Europe, with the French specific site offering convenient delivery of a wide range of products. This can be a great way to get your holiday shopping done quickly and on-the-go, but without sacrificing the quality of your products.

Witness The Festivals

Provence has plenty of lovely holiday festivals, all of which can add some extra cheer to your stay. “Droles de Noels” in Arles is one particularly appealing option. It features droves of visual and performing artists who are essentially running a never-ending street festival in the week leading up to Christmas.

Enjoy The Local Feast

Provence’s traditional Christmas meal is a bit different than you might expect, as noted by the Marseille and Provence tourism info page. Generally speaking, the holiday dinner is very structured and tiered with various courses, some of which symbolize Biblical significance—but none of which are served at the expense of a delicious meal!

Article by Cinthya Craig

Cet article Preparing Christmas in Provence est apparu en premier sur Provence Emotional Escapes Blog.

Visiting Provence in September.

This month we introduce Delana from Delana du Jour,  who wrote this light hearted article about September in Provence, highlighting a less frequented yet sunny and lively period of the year in the South of France.

It is September and we have now entered that special time of the year here in France when everybody has returned from their holidays, and school and work begin again in earnest. It’s such a big change that there is actually a term for it…la rentrée.  If you say to someone “à la rentrée”, what you mean is “see you in September”.  It specifically means the re-entry into the new school term but it has become a generic term for the beginning of almost everything. This is when political rhetoric heats up again, all the new books are released, television shows and their time slots all change, new movies are released, and the stores are packed with parents and children loading up on school supplies.

The rentrée may be the end of summer and the travel season for the French but it’s the perfect time to visit Provence if you aren’t. I’m not a big autumn fan. In fact, I generally hate it. But here in the south there is no other word to describe it than glorious.

In September, the fingers of autumn are gently tugging on the dangling toes of summer. The days are still deliciously warm but the nights have cooled off  to make sleeping a dream. The “cigales” continue their summer song but with a little bit of laziness and the grapes are fat and purple on the vine. The afternoon light of Provence, made famous by so many renowned painters, becomes Beautiful-Light-on-Steroids.

Hiking trails, that are often closed in the summer because of the fire hazard, have reopened and the water of the Mediterranean is warm and caressing. The tables of the food markets are heavy with the most flavourful produce you’ll ever eat and the brocantes and flea markets are still going strong all over the region as are village festivals. Meals continue to be served outside on the terraces of restaurants and brasseries but the evening air is cool and sweet. And best of all, many of the tourists have gone home!

Don’t get me wrong, I love tourists. I was one myself once upon a time. And I depend on them for my business as a local guide. But once the rentrée hits, Provence goes from magic to magic times ten. One can slowly peruse the markets, enjoy the beach without jostling for a tiny square of sand, and bask in the glow of a more sympathetic summer sun.

I know, I’m gushing. But it’s sincere gushing! If you have the option, while planning your Provence vacation, seriously consider September. Bring your bathing suit and your sweater. And a suitcase heavy with anticipation.

You may read more articles from Delana on her blog Delana du Jour or you can visit her online store Provence Rugs.

Cet article See you in September! A guest post by Delana. est apparu en premier sur Provence Emotional Escapes Blog.

5 Good reasons to visit Provence during the Christmas period.

In a previous blog post I introduced the virtues of holidaying in Provence off-season, taking the example of the Jazz scene to show how active the region is all year round. Today we will take a look at the Christmas period in Provence. It is a little known fact to most visitors of sunny Provence that this region has a rich Christmas tradition which makes for a great cultural and culinary experience in the South of France. But Christmas is a special period for everyone so why should you leave your home to spend it abroad?

1 It lasts 2 months.

Christmas in Provence is scheduled around a traditional calendar called “la Calendale” which starts with  “La Sainte Barbe” on December 4th and ends with “La Chandeleur” on February 2nd. Sainte Barbe is also known as Saint Barbara and on her day (every day in the french calendar has a patron saint) people  seed wheat in a saucer with cotton and watch it grow for good fortune. It is also the time  when Christmas decorations start to appear, the Christmas tree, but also Provençal specific traditions and events such as winter wine events.

2 Christmas markets

Christmas markets start to appear in major towns of Provence around the time of Sainte Barbe, each stall selling wheat for charities and growing their own miniature crop. The markets in Aix-en-Provence and Avignon (23rd November until 1st January 2013) are particularly well noted with a wide range of products. From delicacies such as Foie Gras, Ginger-bread, calissons, truffles (both of the mushroom and chocolate type) mulled wine or Christmas decorations like santons, Christmas baubles, etc.

Christmas markets in Provence differ from their more famous Alsatian counterparts  in that they’re usually sunny sober occasions where white and gold replace the traditional germanic/ Anglo-Saxon red and green of decorations. If you are in Provence at the end of the year you will find the permanent Christmas markets to be a great place to try out local produce and discover traditional  arts and crafts that you would not have come across during the summer time.

3 13 desserts and counting

One of the best known traditions of Christmas in Provence is the 13 desserts. As with  all things in Provence’s tradition it is full of religious symbols. On Christmas eve after going to the Midnight Mass and seeing the living Nativity (reenacted by the local parish’s children) families go home to have supper  on a table set up with three tableclothes representing the Trinity and  the three saucers  with the wheat they have sown 20 days before. The supper itself is supposedly lean, which in truth means it is composed of fish and seafood. The main attraction is of course the Thirteen Desserts.

The tradition although recorded as existing in the Middle Ages was only defined in the early 20th century. The Thirteen Desserts is not only a Christmas tradition but a symbol of Provençal culture and was one of the main concerns of the Félibres (a 19th century cultural movement to preserve Provence’s  heritage). You can find the Thirteen Desserts on all Provençal markets and bakeries, the locals will be more than happy to share their knowledge of a heritage they are very proud of. Each dessert has a meaning, for example dates represent Jesus’ oriental origins, you may find the full list here.

4 The Nativity and santons

The traditional Crib (Crèche in French) is not only a religious affair it is also something every community takes great pride in presenting each year. You will find one in every family home. Town halls have their own cribs, usually of quite impressive sizes. Every church has its crib, some boastings santons hundreds of years old. The Cribs in Saint Siffrein (Carpentras), Notre Dame des Doms (Avignon) and   the Avignon town hall are very popular. The tradition of painting terra-cotta figurines and sometimes dressing them in miniature attires is a Provençal tradition that has spread recently to the whole of France. Some villages are famous for their artisans such as Séguret and Aubagne. The tradition goes back to the Revolution of 1789 when churches were closed and santons were a means to have your own miniature Saints and Holy Family at home.

Nowadays the Crèche not only includes the Holy Family, shepherds, angels and wise-men but also all the characters of the traditional Provençal village. Cribs evolve along the Calendale with baby Jesus, the shepherds and the wise-men being added until it is put away until next  Christmas on the “Chandeleur” in Feburary.

5 It is a trip in Provence’s traditions.

As shown in the above list, coming to Provence in winter time means discovering a part of Provence that is overlooked in peak season. Christmas in Provence is a wonderful time to discover the South of France, its traditions, history and delicacies. If you are looking for a different Christmas with quality food, drink and centuries of traditions upheld proudly by the locals, Provence is the destination for you this Christmas.

Have you already enjoyed winter in Provence?
If you have any questions regarding this article , we would love to hear from you.

Dylan

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How can I chase the autumn Blues away?

“Villages once bustling with the crowds of tourists now lie dormant in preparation of the coming winter…” Or are they? Summer may be over in Provence, the cicadas and humming bees may no longer be heard in the sun-baked valleys, but all is not doom and gloom. Moving into October, the countryside donned its beautiful autumn colours, the wine harvests are coming to an end. Summer festivals might be a distant memory but the Jazz and Blues scene here in the Vaucluse is in full swing.

Dark smoky piano bars aren’t exactly what comes to mind when you think of the Luberon, but despite appearances the link is strong between Provence and Jazz. There are actually several Jazz dens spread across the region, and they’re not very dark, or smoky either. I’ll let you in on a secret, there is a website all about Jazz in Provence, a true goldmine of events and concerts for all tastes, from the muddy Delta Blues to the Ragtime bands…

One place worth visiting if looking for a quality concert is Le Sonograf’ in le Thor, which has a fantastic selection of local and international artists all year round. They also sponsor the Avignon Blues Festival which has now been running for 15 years and takes place every year at the beginning of October. It recently saw Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne among others, and the festival attracts regular crowds of Blues enthusiast and curious melomaniacs. I tell my friends I fit in the first category but when I chat with some of the fanatics that attend these events I am humbled into the second category… Another Avignon  scene that offers a blues selection is Les Passagers du Zinc who, incidentally, program Popa Chubby on the 15th of October. Yes, Provence isn’t all about fragrant Thym and singing cicadas… shocking news, I know.

Did you know Oppède-le-Vieux, one of Just Provence’s luxury vacation rental locations, was restored to its great condition in recent years by the humourist and Jazz enthusiast Michel Leeb? He organises Jazz concerts and one-man shows every year in a summer festival that raises funds to help restoration of the village’s most important buildings. This is a fine example of how cultural activities benefit the region for the good of all who enjoy it, travellers and locals alike.

Prior to attending the   Kenny Wayne concert I enjoyed a delicious salad “au chêvre chaud”  at the Offset restaurant who themselves had a show on that night, but until I develop a gift of ubiquity I have to make choices… I’ll be attending the Eddie C. Campbell concert on the 6^th in Montfavet, but worry not Tim will be answering your e-mails during the week-end while I’m grooving…
Did you attend  any memorable concerts or festivals during your stay in Provence? Do you plan on attending any? What kind of events would you be interested in? Please tell us here or simply drop us an emailing at [email protected] or with your next enquiry so we can help you find exactly what you’re looking for.

Dylan

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