Les 13 desserts en Provence

Not one, not two, not three… but thirteen. That’s the number of desserts that, according to Provençal tradition, are shared on Christmas Eve. While many families in the Alpilles, Camargue and Luberon regions still follow this tradition, there are very few whose members all know its origins and meaning.

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A Provençal tradition with many origins

Although the literature – particularly religious – is full of references to Provençal desserts, it was not until 1925 that their number was precisely stated. We owe this number to Dr Joseph Fallen, who wrote in the special Christmas issue of the newspaper La Pignato: ‘Here’s a quantity of sweets, gourmandises, the thirteen desserts: you need thirteen, yes thirteen, no more if you like, but not one less’.

And it wasn’t until the early 1930s that the tradition became institutionalised. The Musée du Terroir Marseillais adopted the ‘thirteen desserts’ as the Provençal dessert to round off the Christmas Gros Soupa. Since then, on the evening of the 24th in Provence, there have been thirteen desserts, not one more, not one less.

13 is also the number of guests described in the Bible at the Last Supper, Christ’s last meal with his twelve apostles.

In the final analysis, it doesn’t really matter why or how; a number simply had to be defined to formalise what already existed. And 13 is also the number of the département in which this tradition was born!

The list of thirteen desserts

Thirteen is a lot! Thirteen will never leave anyone hungry. Thirteen means there’s something for everyone. There’s something for everyone’s taste buds, with so many different types and origins of sweet dishes on the list. At Christmas in Provence, you’re in for a treat!

We start this list with the four beggars, traditional dried fruits. All have their own religious significance.

  • Figs correspond to the Franciscan order.
  • Sultanas, for the Dominicans.
  • Almonds for the Carmelites.
  • Walnuts for the Augustinians.

Then there’s fruit again, but fresh fruit!

  • Grapes from the last grape harvest.
  • The Christmas melon.
  • Oranges, a symbol of wealth, or more commonly, mandarins.
  • Dates, in reference to the arrival of Christ from the Orient.
  • An exotic fruit of your choice.

Finally, for those with a sweet tooth, there are sweets and pastries:

  • La pompe à huile or fougasse d’Arles, a Provençal cake flavoured with orange blossom.
  • Local white nougat, preferably with hazelnuts and pistachios.
  • Red nougat with rose and pistachios.
  • Black nougat with honey and almonds.

So much for this famous Provençal tradition. There’s plenty to show off on Christmas Eve, as long as you take the lead and offer your guests not four, not five, not six… but thirteen desserts. We wish you a good appetite and a merry Christmas in Provence.