In Provence, the religious tradition of "Christmas time" says that it should last 40 days, and finish at Candlemas. This very old Provençal culture assembles the families around the nativity scene on December 24, and it is the done thing to attend the midnight mass after the "big supper", which concludes invariably with the thirteen desserts. Avignon, cradle of Provence, duly celebrates Christmas time, and offers lots of entertainment on its lit-up streets. A magnificent Christmas Market is open to you on the Place de l'Horloge ; a visit you can complete with the "Chemin des Crèches", a very pretty stroll through the different animated and illuminated nativity scenes, allowing you to discover the fabulous traditional "santons" figures.
Parades (Santa on his sled, but also clowns and characters from film cartoons), folk dances and christmas carols create the ambiance, and the ice-skating rink on the Place Pie is open to all from December 3 to January 1.
A beautiful occasion to visit the town centre to discover this fairyland of lights, and to taste some of the treats of holiday time.
