Tourist Office events Christmas 2022

Christmas entertainment

Dec. 03, 2022 > Dec. 17, 2022

For the festive season, the Marseille Convention and Visitors Bureau and Marseille Centre, the federation of downtown merchants, are offering a program of events for all, locals and visitors alike. These three weekends are packed with highlights, with conviviality and sharing as the watchwords. The theme of the 13 desserts, the red thread of this festive season, combines tradition, the art of the table, culinary pleasures and the art of living. Rich in symbolism, strong in emotion and sensations, the traditions of Christmas in Provence and Marseille give color and meaning to the festivities.

Published on 9 December 2022

Saturday, December 3

December gets off to a great start with an exceptional Blé de l’Esperance sale at the Tourist Office from 2pm to 5pm, to the rhythm of the Pena del Fuego and its Christmas carols. A time to have fun, turn the Canebière into a mini dancefloor, and work for a good cause by celebrating Sainte-Barbe. In Provence, the custom on December 4 is to plant wheat seeds in three saucers containing moist cotton. These rapidly germinating seeds produce greenery that is a harbinger of spring during the cold days of winter. When the wheat sprouts, if the stalk grows straight and green, the year will be prosperous and auspicious. These cups are then placed on the Christmas table.

Le Blé de l’Espérance is a charity that has been working with the healthcare sector for over 30 years to support children in hospital.

And to find out even more about our beautiful Provencal traditions, sign up for our free Christmas Experience guided tour! Starting at 2:30 pm, our guide will take you to the most beautiful 13 dessert tables in the city center, and tell you all about Provencal Christmas.

Saturday, December 10

Tick tock, tick tock… Christmas is coming, and so are the presents! What if you took advantage of your afternoon shopping and the pedestrian center to enjoy a delicious slice of pumpkin while doing a good deed? That’s the program for December 10 at 3pm in front of the Tourist Office. In partnership with the Chambre de Métiers et de l’Artisanat and the Groupement des artisans boulangers, the Tourist Office will be setting up a giant 15m pump, with sales of slices at €2 each for the “Sourire à la Vie” association, which supports children with cancer.
A great opportunity to discover the delicious pumps from Massilious, Boulangerie Aixoise, Boulangerie Montaigne, Pain et Cantine and Maison Daniel.

Our free guided tour of Christmas traditions will be back for a 2nd tour at 2:30 p.m., still free and still bookable on Marseille Expérience! The perfect opportunity to learn more about the 13 desserts and Provence during your weekend family outing, for example.

And don’t miss the last concert of the Pena del Fuego, at 2pm in front of the Tourist Office, for an exceptional Christmas fanfare.

Saturday, December 17

In a pedestrian-only downtown area, you can take advantage of one last opportunity to discover our guided tour of Provencal Christmas traditions at 2:30pm! And for a cultural break, Pedro Lima, author of “La Grotte Cosquer révélée. The secrets of the sunken prehistoric sanctuary”. This will be an opportunity to discover this beautiful book on our famous Grotte Cosquer.

There’s always a great musical atmosphere, with 30-minute tours of the town center starting at 2pm! Christmas carols, Mariachis, Caribbean tunes or Afro-Caribbean music, people dance in Marseille, and not just the Mia!

La Butinerie will also be offering workshops in table decorations and centerpieces, with registration at contact@labutinerie.com. And there’s always the Christmas Market and the Santon Fair, for a magical moment of discovery of these exceptional artisans.