Provençal Christmas nativity scene in Saint-Maurice church, Caromb

Caromb's Christmas nativity scene occupies a chapel in Saint-Maurice church known as the “burnt chapel”. After the Second World War, the candlelit nativity scene there accidentally caught fire and was completely destroyed. Local families each contributed a new wax santon made by the Carmelite nuns of Avignon. The same convent recently restored these figures, shortly before it stopped making santons.

A large photograph of the statue of the Virgin outside the Chapelle du Paty overlooks the display. The chapel stands on a hill above the Lac du Paty, in the commune of Caromb.

From outside, Saint-Maurice church in Caromb looks solid and austere. Its narrow windows admit little light, yet inside, the nave, around fifty metres long, is surprisingly spacious. Built in the 14th century in the Southern Gothic style, it stood outside the village walls: its massive shape made it easier to defend against armed troops. Its treasures include a magnificent late-medieval triptych in the style of the Avignon School.

Photographs of the Christmas nativity scene in Saint-Maurice church, Caromb (2018): slideshow

Getting to Caromb

GPS coordinates: N 44°06'43'' – E 5°06'30''