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).

Transportation

  • metro: Vieux Port

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Marseille attractions

1. Abbaye St-Victor

0.11 MILES

To the west of the Vieux Port lies Abbaye St-Victor, the birthplace of Christianity in Marseille, built on a 3rd century BC necropolis. It's €2 to visit…

2. Vieux Port

0.23 MILES

Ships have docked for millennia at Marseille’s birthplace, the vibrant Vieux Port. The main commercial docks were transferred to the Joliette area in the…

3. Fort St-Nicolas

0.23 MILES

Guarding the southern side of Marseille’s harbour (and threatening its sometimes rebellious citizens, who attempted to destroy it during the Revolution)…

4. Fort St-Jean

0.38 MILES

Intended as much to control the citizens of Marseille as guard them from external threat, Fort St-Jean was built by Louis XIV in 1660 on the site of a…

5. Jardin du Pharo

0.45 MILES

Perched high above the southern side of the Vieux Port are the six immaculately grassed hectares of the Jardin du Pharo, the grounds of the Palais du…

6. Villa Méditerranée

0.46 MILES

This eye-catching white structure next to MuCEM is no ordinary ‘villa’. Designed by architect Stefano Boeri in 2013, the sleek white edifice sports a…

8. Musée Regards de Provence

0.46 MILES

This niche museum is housed in the city’s former sanitary station, operational from 1948 until 1971. It’s essentially a graphic art museum exploring…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "france/provence/marseille/attractions/musee-du-santon/a/poi-sig/399755/359286",
      "destination": "Marseille",
      "continent": "Europe",
      "country": "France",
      "city": "Marseille",
      "position": "superzone"
    }