December in Provence has its own particular scent: of wood crackling in the fireplace, of village squares lit up at dusk, of pistou soup on the stove, and of santons being set out, one by one, into the family nativity scene.
At the Mas des Pampres, we open the house for the festive season. This 19th-century farmhouse, with its long family history, takes on its full meaning in this period — when the light softens, the villages empty, and Provence regains the rhythm it used to have. It is a season we love to share, and one that very few visitors know properly.
This page tells you everything you need to know to spend Christmas or New Year in Provence from our home — the local traditions, the markets, the activities, and the conditions for your stay.
December in Provence has its own particular scent: of wood crackling in the fireplace, of village squares lit up at dusk, of pistou soup on the stove, and of santons being set out, one by one, into the family nativity scene.
At the Mas des Pampres, we open the house for the festive season. This 19th-century farmhouse, with its long family history, takes on its full meaning in this period — when the light softens, the villages empty, and Provence regains the rhythm it used to have. It is a season we love to share, and one that very few visitors know properly.
This page tells you everything you need to know to spend Christmas or New Year in Provence from our home — the local traditions, the markets, the activities, and the conditions for your stay.
Why come to Provence at Christmas
Provence in December bears no resemblance to Provence in summer. Daytime temperatures stay mild — around 10 to 14 degrees — the sky remains luminous, and you can often have an apéritif on the terrace under the midday sun. But evenings turn quickly, and that is the hour of the fireplace and warm interiors.
The villages empty of tourists, the restaurants take their time again, the markets keep their authenticity, and you find that quality of stillness which is the real charm of southern winters. For an extended family, for grandparents gathering their children and grandchildren, or for a group of friends wanting a proper break between two demanding years, it is one of the most beautiful seasons we offer.
Our house lends itself particularly well to this season. With its 400 square metres of fully renovated living space, seven bedrooms, log-burning fireplace, central heating and reversible air conditioning in every bedroom, the comfort is exactly what you need to share the festive season with fifteen. Firewood is provided, the blankets are warm, and the long dining table seats everyone around the same meal.
The traditions of a Provençal Christmas
Provence has preserved, more than anywhere else in France, the Catholic and folk traditions of the Christmas season. What has become elsewhere a largely commercial holiday remains here, in the villages and in the families, a true season of Advent — anchored in the liturgical calendar and nourished by an iconography found nowhere else in France: the santons, the nativity scene, the pastorales, the thirteen desserts. Here are the traditions you will encounter during your stay.
The gros souper and the thirteen desserts
The gros souper (“great supper”) is the traditional meat-free meal of Christmas Eve, served before midnight mass. Seven dishes, all meatless — seven for the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin — and three white tablecloths layered on the table, symbolic of the Holy Trinity.
At the end of the meal come the thirteen desserts, in memory of Christ’s last supper with the twelve apostles. Thirteen sweet offerings traditionally left out on the table for three days: the “four beggars” (dried figs, raisins, almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts — symbolising the four mendicant religious orders), olive-oil fougasse, white nougat and black nougat, dried and candied fruits, dates, calissons of Aix-en-Provence, fruit pastes, candied green melon, oreillettes… Every family has its variant, and every pastry shop in Provence sells the components from mid-December onwards.
The santons and the Provençal nativity scene
The word santon comes from the Provençal santoun, meaning “little saint”. But the Provençal nativity scene does not only depict the biblical scene: it recreates an entire southern village, with its inhabitants, trades, and daily scenes. The baker, the laundress, the shepherd, the miller, the ravi (the village simpleton who marvels at everything), the drummer, the knife-grinder, the Camargue fisherman — each bringing their gift to the newborn. It is a kind of folk theatre in miniature, deeply rooted in Provençal culture.
The santon fairs begin from mid-November across the region. The most famous are held in Marseille (the historic Canebière fair), Aix-en-Provence, Aubagne (the capital of santon-making), and Arles. Within an hour of the Mas, you can visit the workshops of the great santonniers — Carbonel, Fouque, Lagnel, Escoffier — and start building your own nativity collection.
You can also see a very beautiful animated nativity scene at the church in Cabannes.
Living nativity scenes and pastorales
In many Provençal villages, living nativity scenes are organised on Christmas Eve evening, before or after midnight mass: villagers in traditional dress recreate the Nativity scene, sometimes with a procession through the narrow streets, songs in Provençal, and a final walk to the church. It is an experience worth living at least once — particularly moving for children.
The pastorales, meanwhile, are folk plays performed in Provençal between Christmas and Candlemas, loosely retelling the journey of the shepherds to the manger. The most famous is the Pastorale Maurel, written in 1844. Several amateur companies in the Vaucluse and Bouches-du-Rhône perform it each winter.
The Provençal calendar of festivities
In Provence, Christmas is not confined to 24-25 December. The cycle of celebrations runs from Saint Barbara’s Day on 4 December — when grains of wheat and lentils are sprouted in three small dishes (tradition says that if all three sprout green, the coming year will be prosperous) — through to Candlemas on 2 February, when the nativity scene is finally dismantled. In between: Saint Nicholas on 6 December in some families, the four weeks of Advent, and Epiphany on 6 January with its galette des rois and Provençal brioche crown.
Christmas markets within reach of the Mas
From the end of November, Provençal towns light up and install their Christmas markets. Here are those we recommend, ordered by distance from the Mas.
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (15 min)
The Christmas market in Saint-Rémy is generally held on the first weekend of December, in the historic centre. Around thirty stalls — craftsmen, santonniers, local producers, winemakers — children’s activities, and traditional songs. Small in scale but high in quality, in keeping with the village itself. The Wednesday morning market also takes on its winter colours: new olive oil, candied olives, citrus fruits from the hinterland, seasonal vegetables.
Avignon (20 min)
The Christmas market in Avignon — on Place de l’Horloge and surrounding streets — is one of the liveliest in the region. It runs throughout December. Around a hundred wooden chalets, a giant Ferris wheel, an ice rink installed each year, exceptional lighting on the Palais des Papes. Combine it with an afternoon visit to the Palace (reduced rates in low season, free for children under 8) and a walk on the Rocher des Doms, the rocky garden overlooking the city and the Rhône.
Arles (30 min)
In Arles, the centrepiece is the International Santon Salon, held each year from late November to mid-January in the Church of Saint-Trophime. An exhibition bringing together the greatest santonniers of Provence, along with a foreign guest of honour presenting their own Nativity traditions. Intelligent and moving. The Saturday morning market on the Boulevard des Lices is also worth a visit in December.
Aix-en-Provence (40 min)
The Christmas market in Aix-en-Provence stretches along the Cours Mirabeau throughout December. Highly festive, brilliantly lit, with a Ferris wheel, chalets running the entire length of the boulevard, and the great santon fair on the Cours Sextius. Aix in December is also the perfect time to visit the Atelier Cézanne or the Cathedral of Saint-Sauveur in the calm that returns to the city.
Gordes and the Luberon villages (35 min)
More discreet but equally charming, the Christmas markets in the perched villages of the Luberon (Gordes, Roussillon, Lourmarin) are usually held on one December weekend. Intimate format, local craftwork, mulled wine, roasted chestnuts. Check the exact dates with each tourist office — programmes vary from year to year.
Cabannes and the neighbouring villages
Right next to the Mas, Cabannes and the surrounding villages (Eyragues, Châteaurenard, Plan-d’Orgon) have their own seasonal events — municipal illuminations, village Christmas markets, sometimes a living nativity scene. These small events have a particular flavour, closer to local life. We will give you, on arrival, the precise list of what is happening during the week of your stay.
Winter activities from the Mas
Provençal winter invites a different rhythm. Daylight is shorter, true, but the light remains beautiful, the paths fall silent, and the museums and exhibitions finally become reachable without the crowds.
Walking the Alpilles and the Luberon
Winter is an ideal season for walking in Provence. The summer heat has given way to cool but pleasant temperatures (5-12 °C on average), the white stones of the Alpilles glow in the slanted light, and the paths belong to you. Several family-friendly loops start within fifteen minutes of the Mas: the village circuit of Eygalières, the path from Glanum up to the Antiques of Saint-Rémy, or the ridges of the Alpilles. For more experienced walkers, the Luberon long-distance path (GR97) offers full-day stages perfectly suited to December weather.
Museums and exhibitions
Winter is the right time to visit the region’s museums without the queues: the Fondation Vincent van Gogh in Arles, the Luma Tower, the Collection Lambert in Avignon, the Granet Museum and the Atelier Cézanne in Aix. The Carrières des Lumières in Les Baux-de-Provence are open year-round, and their winter immersive exhibition is often the most impressive of the season.
Tables of distinction in winter
Provence’s high gastronomy remains accessible in December — often more readily than in July, because the best tables take weekly bookings again. We particularly recommend L’Oustau de Baumanière in Les Baux, La Mirande in Avignon (an exceptional setting for a lunch after visiting the Palais des Papes), La Bastide de Gordes, and Capelongue in Bonnieux. Several offer dedicated festive menus for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve — to be reserved well in advance.
Wine and truffle tastings
December is also the black truffle season in Provence. Truffle markets are held every Friday in Carpentras (the most iconic) and on Saturdays in Richerenches. Several truffle estates organise truffle hunts with their dogs and tastings on site. It is also a good time to visit the wineries of the Côtes-du-Rhône and the Luberon: winemakers have more time at this season, and the welcome is often warmer than in summer.
New Year’s Eve at the Mas des Pampres
New Year’s Eve at the Mas is a moment of its own. Picture this: the long table laid for fifteen, the fireplace lit, candles down the centre, the bar set up for after-dinner drinks. You can welcome a caterer in the semi-professional kitchen, or cook yourself — the equipment easily allows you to prepare a memorable dinner for fifteen without compromise.
For those who prefer a New Year’s Eve dinner out, several Michelin-starred restaurants in the region propose special Saint-Sylvestre menus. Reserve by September-October at the latest for the most sought-after (L’Oustau de Baumanière, La Mirande, La Bastide de Gordes).
On the morning of 1 January, the best is a walk through the garden, or a hike in the Alpilles to greet the first light of the year. Provence wakes slowly, and the whole region is still yours.
Rates and conditions for the festive season
The Mas is available by the week for the festive period. Here are the current rates:
Week of 18 to 25 December (Christmas): €5,900 per week
Week of 25 December to 1 January (New Year): €5,900 per week
Many of our anglophone guests like to combine the Christmas and New Year weeks (a fourteen-night stay covering both), and we are happy to arrange tailored terms for these extended bookings.
Included in the rate: full house equipment (bed linen and towels provided, beds made on arrival, full baby equipment on request), central heating and the log fire (firewood provided), high-speed Wi-Fi, private parking, and our personal address book handed to you on arrival with the seasonal recommendations.
A refundable deposit of €1,000 is taken on arrival. Payment accepted by bank transfer, credit card, and ANCV holiday vouchers (for French residents).
→ Check availability for the festive season
Preparing your festive stay in Provence
A few practical thoughts for preparing your Christmas or New Year stay at the Mas:
Book early. Christmas and New Year weeks are the most sought-after of the winter. To secure your dates, we recommend booking from September onwards. Several of our long-standing guests reserve the festive season from one year to the next.
Plan your restaurants ahead. If you wish to dine out at a Michelin-starred establishment for New Year’s Eve, reserve as early as you can — ideally in September. The best tables are full two to three months ahead.
Pack warm evening clothes. Temperatures fall sharply after sunset, especially on restaurant terraces. A jumper, a coat, a scarf — the classic winter-evening kit.
Ask for our address book. On arrival we hand over our personal book of recommendations — the best festive pastry shops, the santon fairs, the winemakers to visit, the quiet walks. A book enriched over the years, which we prefer to share with you directly.
Activities available. The Mas has a full games room (billiard table, 2.40 m home cinema screen, table football, books, board games) and a fireplace perfect for long winter evenings. You can also bring your own films, but Mas has many DVDs available for a movie night for fifteen people.
A note for our English-speaking guests. Many anglophone families coming to Provence at Christmas tell us afterwards that what surprises them most is how different the Provençal festive period is from a British, American or Canadian Christmas. The traditions here are deeply rooted in a Catholic and rural past — the santons, the thirteen desserts, the Provençal hymns, the living nativity scenes — and most visitors discover an unfamiliar version of Christmas. If that is what you are looking for, you will be at home with us.
Book your Christmas in Provence
The Mas des Pampres welcomes you for your festive holidays in rare conditions: a real family home in the heart of Provence, 20 minutes from Avignon, between the Alpilles and the Luberon. A unique base from which to combine Provençal traditions, Christmas markets, exceptional gastronomy, and walks under that incomparable winter light.
For any enquiry, please feel free to contact us directly:
Mireille & Pierre Taton
Telephone: +33 (0)6 22 30 18 90
Email: contact@masdespampres.fr
→ See availability and rates
To discover every other treasure of Provence accessible from the Mas, read our activities page.
