A little history
It was in the 12th century that santons first appeared in Marseille. These small sculpted statuettes represented the Nativity and were installed in churches. (santon comes from the word santibelli, a clay figurine: hence the Marseilles expression ” Don’t stand there like a Santibelli!)
The first living crib appeared in Italy in 1223. It was St. Francis of Assisi who established this tradition. The practice soon spread throughout Italy, and it was Franciscan monks who introduced cribs to Provence.
During the French Revolution, nativity scenes in churches were banned, and the people of Marseilles began to create individual nativity scenes in their own homes.
The santon industry was launched, and the first molds appeared in 1798. This large-scale production enabled every inhabitant of Marseille to have his or her own crib.
In the 19th century, the first master santon makers appeared. Santons depict characters from everyday life. Marseille became the Santon capital.
In 1803, the first Santon fair was held on the Cours St Louis in Marseille. Since then, it has moved several times: Allées de Meilhan, Place Général de Gaulle, Vieux-port…
