This Christmas many hundreds of children will file through the château of Lavardens in the Gers, whose rooms are filled with an extraordinary display of santons and crèches de Noël. In the provençal crèche, the farm animals always share the stable with baby Jesus, symbolic of a village where there is a place for everyone.
The santon takes its name from the provençal word “santoun” meaning “little saint”. Made from plaster mould or resin, then hand painted, santons first appeared in the 12th century, in parts of Provence then under Italian control.
http://www.tourisme-gers.com/
Christmas markets in the Gers
Monferran Savès
26/11/2006
Saint Soulan
3/12/2006
Saint-Clar
Le 3/12/2006
Pujaudran
Du 3/12/2006
Puycasquier
Le 9/12/2006
Les Créneaux
9/12/2006 to 10/12/2006
Auch
15/12/2006 to 20/12/2006
l’Isle-Jourdain
16/12/2006
Fleurance
16/12/2006
Mirande
16/12/2006 to 17/12/2006
Marciac
17/12/2006
Lavardens
17/12/2006
Saramon
23/12/2006
Find out more
www.auch-tourisme.com
www.ot-mirande.com
www.bastidesetvallonsdugers.com
www.mairie-islejourdain.com
www.saramon.net
http://tourismefleurance.free.fr
From our December 2006 e-newsletter
