Coming to Provence at l'Oréliane in the dead of winter - Vaucluse, between tradition and Christmas festivities

Enjoy a stay with us at L'Oréliane, and discover the traditions of Christmas in Provence. Our guesthouse is located in Châteauneuf-de-gadagne, a pretty little hilltop village in the Vaucluse, between the Papal City of Avignon and L'Isle sur la Sorgue. In the heart of Provence, what better place to soak up the Provençal Christmas spirit?

If summer in Provence is famous for the fragrance of its lavender and the song of its cicadas, winter and its festive season also have their attractions! Admittedly, it's a little colder, but ... "Boudie", winter isn't all that harsh in Provence! Just enough to add charm to the overall atmosphere, and to warm up with a guilt-free glass of mulled wine!

In the weeks leading up to Christmas and right through to January, our pretty little Provencal department of Vaucluse is decked out in festive garb and lights! Small villages offer a pastoral atmosphere, and larger towns offer a multitude of things to see and do.

Provençal traditions are still very much alive today, and in the area around Gadagne (Châteauneuf de Gadagne to its friends), there's a rich program of events to enjoy and places to discover, for all ages! Salons, fairs or santon museums, intimate or grandiose Christmas cribs, live nativity scenes, illuminations, strolls and shows, festive and popular gatherings, festive meals..

And let's not forget the artisans' markets and gourmet Christmas markets, not only for strolling around, but also for Christmas shopping (to encourage local purchases, an approach we particularly support here at l'Oréliane).

In fact, during the holiday season, the offer is so vast and varied that it's impossible for us to give you the whole picture here. By way of preview, here are the programs offered by the four largest communes in the Vaucluse. As well as some very local events here in Chateauneuf-de-Gadagne.

Like any self-respecting Provencal, on December 4, for Saint Barbara's Day, we place wheat seeds and lentils on damp absorbent cotton in a dish. Why do we do this? Because "When the wheat comes well, all is well." ! If the seeds germinate, the coming year will be good, and there'll be no shortage of money. At Christmas, we put them on the table to bring us happiness.

Of course, we decorate our Christmas tree, at the top of which we place the nativity star, the one that guided the Three Wise Men to the Christ Child (and when the children are there to decorate it, as tradition dictates, it's the youngest in the family who puts it up).

No Christmas in Provence without a nativity scene! So we're making our little Christmas crib at l'Oréliane. It's a good excuse for a walk in the countryside to collect the moss on which we'll place it, as well as holly to decorate the house and the table. Over the years, our collection of santons has grown... We love to visit santon fairs and shows in search of ever more inventive creations... Perhaps our next decorative element will be a pretty little waterwheel bearing the effigy of the Isle sur la Sorgue wheels, who knows?

Like all Provençal people, Christmas is an important part of our family life. But our children now live far away... So, in order to get together again and enjoy the Provençal tradition we hold so dear, L'Oréliane will close its doors for 10 short days, from December 19 to 29, 2021...


But until then, or after you've celebrated the end of the year with your loved ones, why not treat yourself to a winter break at l'Oréliane? We can assure you that you won't regret it...
Or perhaps you'd prefer to put a stay in the heart of Provence at l'Oréliane under the Christmas tree for your loved ones?
We'd be delighted to show you Provence in Winter! In the meantime, here's a pretty winter sunset over our little corner of paradise.

Christine and Dominique.