Pétanque - tradition provençale

With a history and culture stretching back thousands of years, Provençal traditions have been developed and strengthened over the course of civilisations. They are now deeply rooted in the customs of the people of Provence, and have been passed down from generation to generation. A representative overview of 10 famous Provençal traditions.

Contents

La Sainte-Barbe

The Christmas festivities in Provence begin on Saint Barbara’s Day, 4 December, and end on Candlemas Day, 2 February.

For Sainte-Barbe, tradition demands that the Provençals sprout wheat seeds or lentils in three small saucers filled with cotton. If these grow well and the stalks become tall, then it means that the year will be prosperous!

La Sainte Barbe en Provence

Les Treize desserts

On Christmas Eve, you can’t say that the people of Provence are short of desserts! Because there are 13 desserts! 13, in reference to the thirteen guests at the Last Supper, described in the Bible.

There are walnuts or hazelnuts, dried figs, sultanas, almonds, pompe à huile, white, black and red nougat, dates, calissons d’Aix-en-Provence, oranges or clementines, watermelon, exotic fruits such as kiwi, mango…

Les 13 desserts en Provence

Cacho Fio and Gros Soupé

At Christmas, the youngest and eldest members of the family choose a wooden log from a fruit tree, go around the table 3 times, then the grandfather puts it in the fireplace, blessing it with mulled wine and reciting Provençal sayings.

To set the table, there should be 3 white tablecloths, 3 lit white candlesticks and 3 saucers of wheat, in reference to the Christian trinity.

Finally, an extra place setting must be placed at the table in case another person shows up. This is known as the ‘poor man’s place’.

Les gros soupé de Provence

The Nativity scene and Christmas markets

During the month of December, the inhabitants of Provence decorate their homes. Tradition dictates that the cot is the central element of this seasonal ornamentation.

It is made up of a large number of typical santons (Saint-Joseph, Jesus, the Virgin Mary, the donkey, the ox, etc.) as well as villagers representing all the different trades. Traditionally, every Provencal must add a new santon to his or her collection every year. Over the years, the cot has grown to become a true picture of Provençal life. You can find beautiful cots in private homes, as well as at Christmas markets in major towns and cities. It’s also the perfect place to find a huge selection of typical Provençal decorations and nuggets of local arts and crafts.

La creche provençale

Midnight Mass and the Pastorals

Between dinner and dessert, when midnight strikes, the people of Provence are called to go to Mass. This is where the birth of Jesus is celebrated.

It is here that the Pastorale is sometimes performed, a theatrical representation of the Nativity, presented in Provençal. It recounts the procession of shepherds to the stable where Jesus was born. The actors come from local associations and are dressed up for the occasion.

Messe de minuit et les Pastorales

The Epiphany

It takes place on 6 January, the day on which the Three Wise Men make their appearance with the infant Jesus. This is when a delicious brioche with candied fruit is eaten.

Traditionally, the youngest person goes under the table and blindly distributes the portions of cake as they are cut. The bean, found in the portion by the luckiest person, then designates the King or Queen of Epiphany… who wins the right to pay for the next cake.

Epiphanie en Provence

La Chandeleur

Chandeleur takes place on 2 February and marks the end of the Christmas festivities, which began on 4 December. Whether sweet or savoury, the crêpe has pride of place! With ham, Gruyère cheese, egg, sugar, Nutella, chestnut cream… there’s something for everyone.

The origins of Candlemas go back to the Middle Ages. Traditionally, people ate a wheat-based dish to bring back spring more quickly, and prayed for a plentiful wheat harvest. Pancakes were born.

Their round shape and golden colour were also reminiscent of the sun, at a time of year when the days are longest.

When the first crêpe was cooked, a gold coin was held in the left hand. With the right hand, the pancake was flipped and, if it landed correctly, the gold coin was placed in its centre, the pancake was folded over and placed on top of a cupboard until the next Candlemas. The coin was then given to someone in need.

La Chandeleur

Provençal jousting

It’s a spectacular battle on the water. Two teams compete from two boats. The aim of the game is to knock your opponent overboard. How do you do this? Using a wooden spear, protected by a breastplate, and aided by the oar strokes of their team-mates, who propel them towards their opponent, the two combatants face each other standing at the bow of each boat. The first to manage to knock the other off balance wins. Spectacle guaranteed!

Joutes en Provence

Camargue racing

It’s impossible to talk about the popular traditions of Provence without mentioning the bulls and the games dedicated to them. Like its cousin the bullfight, the Camargue race plays an important role in the Provençal calendar of events every summer. More accessible to the general public, it is an interesting spectacle for all the family.

Often practised in the arenas of the towns and villages of the Camargue and even the Gard region, the race involves participants catching prize-winning attributes attached to the horns of an ox. Commonly known as the cocardier or biòu (Provençal for ox), it is sometimes honoured with the title of cocardier bull.

Course Camarguaise en Provence

Pétanque

More trivial than other traditions, pétanque is nonetheless firmly rooted in Provençal culture.

Whether played one-on-one, in doubles or triples, players compete over 13 points to see who wins the game. Whether they shoot or point, the final winner is the one who places the most boules near the wooden jack. Often played as an aperitif, pétanque is sometimes accompanied by another tradition, a liquid one called ‘le petit jaune’.

La pétanque en Provence