Christmas 2026: Castellet-en-Luberon's nativity trail
The nativity trail through the village streets is announced from 15 December 2026 to 15 January 2027, daily, with free access. Residents create original, personal nativity scenes outside their front doors.
These dates apply to the outdoor trail. Visiting dates and times for the church nativity scene photographed below have not yet been confirmed for Christmas 2026.
Source: Vaucluse Provence — La Provence à Vélo, nativity trail.
Information checked on 30 October 2026. The photographs and report below show previous editions.
Castellet is a small village on the northern slopes of the Grand Luberon, just below its summit, the Mourre Nègre. The little Sainte-Croix church houses a lovely nativity scene entirely designed and made by two villagers, Rosy Chauvet and Marie-Christine Mangeot.
The adventure began in 2006, when the church reopened after being closed for repairs since 2001. Previously, villagers had staged a living nativity on Christmas Day with local children. As the children grew up, Rosy and Marie-Christine began making a complete display with large santons. Marie-Christine models clay faces, while Rosy makes costumes from old fabrics collected from villagers and the Secours Populaire charity. Carefully arranged and lit, the result is magnificent. The nativity scene featured on TF1's lunchtime news in 2009.
Visit Castellet's nativity scene, a few kilometres from Apt, and enjoy the villagers' original displays in the streets. Looking for them along the winding cobbled lanes is a delightful way to discover Castellet.
Getting to Castellet in the Luberon: GPS coordinates N 43°50’21’’ – E 5°28’40’’