The Marseille Santon Fair

Two centuries on the same sidewalk

The Marseille fair began in 1803, and that tells you most of what you need to know about its importance. It’s older than most of the workshops that sell there, and it has survived two centuries of moves, wars and changing tastes.

All those years have shaped the tradition more than you might think. A fair that lasts two hundred years helps set the customs: popular santon sizes, the names of the characters and trades, and the habit of building a nativity one santon at a time instead of buying it all at once. Much of what this site calls “the tradition” took shape here, along a few hundred yards of sidewalk, because buyers came back every year and compared.

What you’ll find, and when to go

Santon makers set up in little wooden booths, most of them long-established Provençal workshops. Over seven weeks, the fair changes. In November, people come to shop seriously, talk with the makers and order a missing piece. From mid-December on, the Old Port is packed and it turns into more of a leisurely stroll.

Prices aren’t posted the same way at every booth, and there’s no reason they should be: a santon hand-painted in a ten-person workshop doesn’t cost the same as a mass-produced one. Our page on where to buy santons explains how to tell the difference on the spot, in a few seconds, without offending anyone.

Getting there

The quai du Port runs along the north side of the Old Port, between the Hôtel de Ville (city hall) and the place des Huiles. Take Metro line 1 to the Vieux-Port – Hôtel de Ville stop, which comes out right there. The Vieux-Port and Hôtel de Ville parking garages are closest, but in December they fill up on Saturday afternoons.

The fair is outdoors. The booths are covered but the sidewalk isn’t, and when the mistral (Provence’s strong north wind) blows, the waterfront turns into a wind tunnel. Dress warmly, especially if you plan to stay more than an hour.

The season’s other fairs

Marseille isn’t the only one in the area: Aubagne holds its santon and pottery market on almost the same dates, Arles kicks off the season in late October, and Tarascon, Châteaurenard, Fuveau, Martigues, Fontvieille, Châteauneuf-les-Martigues and La Fare-les-Oliviers each have their own.

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 Union of Santon Makers of Provence. 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.