Musée du Santon Marseille

One of Provence’s most enduring Christmas traditions is its santons (plaster-moulded, kiln-fired nativity figures), first created by Marseillais artisan Jean-Louis Lagnel (1764–1822). This tiny museum displays a collection of 18th- and 19th-century santons (from the Provençal word santoun, meaning ‘little saint’), and runs visits to its workshops. Its boutique sells everything from nail-sized dogs and pigs to a complete mas (Provençal farmhouse).