Christmas markets: it's all the rage now!

Santa Claus, as everybody knows has the gift of ubiquity, and goes round all the Christmas markets in the Rhône-Alpes countryside. Children can directly murmur their wishes in his ear. The villages of chalets are only present during the Advent period and represent a more authentic decor than that of the usual supermarket; of course, all this adds to the magic and maintains the myth.

Among the most spectacular Christmas markets, the one in Lyon has to be kept in mind, even though it is held in Place Carnot, in front of  Perrache train station, a location which does not have the charm of an old quarter with paved lanes and hidden yards. On the other hand, exhibitors coming from all over France have enough space and customers feel comfortable. It is to be noted that the Christmas Market in Lyon is such a commercial success that it is, by far, the favourite of the craftsmen and shopkeepers, concerned about exhibiting at this period of the year. This means that the 135 chalets put at their disposal, welcome the best of them, since, each year, some 700 candidates are in the running for the selection. Poland, Canada, Russia, Lithuania and, for the first time this year, Italy, will be present alongside the "provinces de France" produce. Lots of activities will be available every day: giant fluffy toys, make-up, story readings etc...

In Grenoble, The atmosphere is greatly inspired by the mountains for this 11th edition of the Christmas Market which will be also open in the evenings until 10 p.m. on December 16th and 23rd   Apart from all the usual products such as, foies gras, chocolates, santons (clays figurines for the creche), jewellery, Christmas trees, shown in chalets, it's the "Monde Féerique du Père Noël"

(Santa Claus Fairy World) which is being staged in Place Victor Hugo with a thousand Santa Clauses, an illustrated 3 D tale with the life-size chalet of the good fellow. On December 23rd from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. you will be able to listen to musicians: the «sonneurs» of the Chartreuse range, and on December 16th from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. you can admire a torchlight procession by the ESF French ski school monitors of Chamrousse, and discover furtive projections of skiing images on the town's façades on December 21st, 22nd and 23rd at 6 p.m.

At Divonne, a little town with an international character (Switzerland is just across the lake from it...), every day, a new window each time devoted to a different country, will be opened during the whole Advent period. After Byelorussia, Senegal, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Italy, you will have an appointment with Honduras on December 15th, Vietnam on December 16th, then Germany and Poland and so forth until France on December 24th.

From December 19th to 24th, a monitor will help 7 to 14 years old children to make a creche on their own. They just have to come every afternoon with paper, cardboard, glue and scissors...