The blue santons

Cultural
Exhibition gallery

Le Village, 84390 Brantes

Berger au pied du Ventoux — ©
Véronique Dornier

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Véronique perpetuates an old Provencal tradition that she has managed to evolve. In her workshop, she creates clay santons painted in shimmering colors, earthenware santons, original nativity scenes and, above all, her famous blue santons.

Véronique Dornier will be at the Santonnales in Vaison-la-Romaine on the last weekend of November and at Brantes dans les Étoiles on December 27, 28, and 29, 2026. For over 20 years, in her studio-shop, Véronique has been crafting and painting more than 75 designs, ranging from the most traditional nativity figures to more personal depictions of old trades. Alongside the nativity scene, displayed on a base made of burl elm, olive wood, and more... You’ll find the famous characters of the Provençal nativity scene, such as the Ravi(e), the old man and woman with a bundle of firewood, the woman with a goat, the shepherd, the knife grinder, the miller on a donkey, the farandole dancers… And traditional trades: the lavender cutters, the rural constable, the winemaker, the gardener, the baker, the fishmonger… Each figure is crafted from clay and, after firing, painted in shades of intense blue or warm colors for the traditional collection, or decorated with oxides for the earthenware collection. For each one, Véronique uses a red clay from Provence—the very smooth and fine Aubagne clay. For her blue santons, she found inspiration in the famous Klein blue, which captivated her one day at an exhibition at Beaubourg. Even rarer—and more unpredictable—are her earthenware santons, which require bisque firing in a kiln at 1,000°. Come meet her in her little shop in the heart of the village of Brantes, which resembles a Provençal nativity scene and is nestled on the northern slope of Mont Ventoux. It’s a lovely stroll along the Toulourenc Valley. More info: lessantonsbleus.fr.