SANTON FAIR
The Grimaud Santon Fair
October 24 to November 1, 2026, at the salle Arthur Bauchet. A young fair (this is its 7th year) run by a club of nativity builders, on the Gulf of Saint-Tropez.
| At a glance | 2026 edition |
|---|---|
| Dates | Saturday, October 24, to Sunday, November 1, 2026 |
| Edition | 7th |
| Location | Salle Arthur Bauchet, complexe sportif des Blaquières, 834 route des Blaquières, 83310 Grimaud |
| Hours | Monday–Friday 2–6 p.m. · Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.–noon and 2–6 p.m. |
| Admission | Free |
| Organizer | Les Amis de la Crèche and the Escandihado de Grimaud |
| Official website | grimaud-provence.com |
Seven years, with an association behind it
Seven years is nothing next to Marseille’s two centuries, and that’s exactly why it’s worth mentioning. A new santon fair could still get started in 2020, in a village in the Var, thanks to a local club and a Provençal folk group. The tradition isn’t just being preserved. It’s growing again.
The organizers (Les Amis de la Crèche, with the Escandihado de Grimaud folk group) are nativity builders, not merchants. You can tell from what’s on display: the fair gives as much space to scenery and complete scenes as to the figures. If you’re stuck on a building problem, they’re the people to ask.
Read the hours before you go
These are the most complicated hours of the season, so read them carefully:
- Weekdays, Monday to Friday: open afternoons only, 2–6 p.m.
- Weekends, Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m.–noon, then 2–6 p.m. Closed from noon to 2 p.m.
The weekend lunch break is what trips people up. Show up at 12:30 on a Saturday and you’ll find the door closed, and since the Blaquières complex is outside the village, there’s nothing to do while you wait.
Getting there
The salle Arthur Bauchet is part of the Blaquières sports complex, 834 route des Blaquières, below the hilltop village, not in it. Parking is easy, which isn’t true up in the old village. From Saint-Tropez or Sainte-Maxime, plan on about twenty minutes.
The fair goes well with a visit to the medieval village and its castle, five minutes away by car, which helps if not everyone in your group is excited about santons.
The season’s other fairs
Gréoux-les-Bains holds its fair on the same dates, and the Var has sixteen others over the season, from Sanary-sur-Mer in late October to Fréjus through December 20.
The full 2026 santon fair calendar lists the whole season, from September 19 to January 3, and you can sort it by month and by area.
Information checked on September 13, 2026, with the Grimaud tourist office. We can’t guarantee dates or hours: a fair can be moved or canceled, and the organizer’s information is what counts. Confirm before you go.