Musée du santon Marcel Carbonel, museum in France
The musée du santon Marcel Carbonel is a museum in Marseille dedicated to displaying handmade clay figurines called santons. The collection contains over 2,400 pieces made from materials such as clay, wood, glass, and porcelain, depicting nativity scenes and village life with fine detail and vibrant colors.
Marcel Carbonel began creating santons in Marseille in 1935 and developed a substantial collection over several decades of work. The museum opened in 1997 to share this collection with the public but closed in 2020.
These small clay figures represent a Provençal tradition deeply rooted in local Christmas celebrations and everyday storytelling. The handpainted santons show scenes of village life and religious moments that remain meaningful to people throughout the region.
The museum is located in the 7th district of Marseille in a quiet area with narrow streets near the old city center. The building sits on rue Neuve Sainte-Catherine, easily found by walking through the historic neighborhoods.
Before becoming a santon maker, Marcel Carbonel worked as a taxi driver and lithographer, trades that shaped his artistic eye. His experience with lithography taught him how to apply colors with precision and care, skills he later brought to hand-painting each figure.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
