A Magical Christmas in Haute-Provence

6th December to 15th January 2009

Several communes in the Bas Verdon have joined up to present a panorama of their Christmas festivities. In the purest Provencal tradition, each commune celebrates Christmas with its own special activities. A trip to a "magical Christmas"

Moustiers Sainte Marie

A crib exhibition in the Galerie Municipale
A life-size open air crib in the village.
A crib in the church from 8th December to 15th January.
Mass and torch-lit procession to inaugurate the village cribs and illuminations, mulled wine, on 8th December at 5 pm
A street-party with the 13 desserts, mulled wine and folk-dances on the Place de l'église on 21st December from 2 to 5 pm
Midnight mass on 24th December at midnight
Pastorale in the church on 11th January at 3 pm

Roumoules

Visit of the crib with its listed santons (figurines) on Monday 22 and Monday 29th December from 2 to 4 pm.

Allemagne-en-Provence

Traditional Crib in the Maison de Produits de Pays from 15th to 25th December
Festive day in the Salle de l'ancienne mairie on 21st December from 10 am to 6 pm :
* Christmas recipes and making nougat
* exhibition of books on Christmas
* traditional Christmas table

Saint Laurent du Verdon

Choral, traditional songs and mulled wine on 6th December from 5.30 to 6.30 pm

Riez

Christmas market with folk group and free concert in the church at 4 pm on 16th December
Sreet-party with the 13 desserts and mulled wine on the morning of 20th December
Opening of the cathedral to admire the crib from 23rd December to 2nd February
Sung Midnight mass in the cathedral on 24th December

Gréoux-les-Bains

Christmas eve at 10.30 pm followed by midnight Christmas mass at midnight on 24th December
Christmas day mass on 25th December at 10.30 am

Esparron

The village becomes a giant Nativity scene : giant figurines on the place de l'église, mini-cribs in the village, wooden figurines in the new village from 13th  December to 4th January
Christmas market, Christmas Tales acted out by the inhabitants of Esparron, fireworks, horse-drawn carriage ride on 13th December in the afternoon