The nativity scene in Dauphin is set in the recently restored church at the top of this picturesque Provençal village, perched above the valley between the Luberon and the Montagne de Lure.
Some santons date from the 18th century. They are the oldest in the Forcalquier area and among the oldest in Provence.
Dauphin families originally looked after the clothed santons, making their clothes, dressing them and bringing them to the Christmas display. Their clothing is remarkable; the oldest costumes have been carefully preserved in their original condition.
Local resident Mireille Chopin keeps this ancestral village tradition alive, setting up the nativity scene in its sumptuous surroundings each Christmas.
Mireille cares for the santons throughout the year. She has also made around ten figures using the skills and techniques of the oldest examples.
If you do not meet her beside the display, look for her art workshop in the lanes at the foot of the village. Mireille Chopin is a ceramicist who makes pottery in Dauphin itself.
Identify the santons shown on this page:
the shepherd and the young woman with a basket survive in their original 18th-century condition;
the old woman with a bundle of firewood, made by Mireille Chopin in 1996;
Marie the pottery maker, made by Mireille Chopin in 1993;
the rural constable with a cap and drum, made by Mireille Chopin in 1997;
the Provençal drummer, fully restored by Mireille Chopin in 1994;
Papa Jo and his dog, made by Mireille Chopin in 1994.
For information, see the tourist office website.
Discover Dauphin on Horizon Provence.
Getting to Dauphin: GPS coordinates N 43°53’54’’ – E 5°46’58’’
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