I saw this on a trip to our local post office.

Une boîte aux lettres spéciale.

Strangely the priest at l’Église Notre Dame de l’Assomption in Puyricard is called Père Noël.

Maybe they just go to him?

Cath and I regularly do the Times Daily quiz in friendly competition with our London friends who visited us in Lyon.

One of today’s questions was:

^{11 Which Roman emperor was called “the common enemy of mankind” by Edward Gibbon?}

I didn’t know the answer- which is Caracalla.

I only knew of him for the baths that bear his name in Rome.

So I looked him up and learned he was born in Lugdunum – the Roman name for Lyon just like Claudius.

Caracalla passed a law granting the right of citizenship to every free man in the Empire

But Gibbon called him the common enemy of mankind for his cruelty and erratic behaviour.

I flew in from London today and got a look at what I presume is Aix from the air.

I think that’s Mont Sainte-Victoire so that has got to be Aix.

Earlier I wondered if I’d spotted Lyon – I thought I saw two rivers. But on closer inspection it clearly wasn’t.

While out for a walk in Aix I saw this sign in a chocolate shop window.

Cath explained this tradition from Provence to have 13 different dessert things on Christmas Eve.

It is 13 – in recognition of Jesus and his 12 disciples.

They include:

• a sweet bread called pompe a l’huile
• Nougat blanc et nougat noir
• Calissons
• Pâte de coing (quince paste)
• Dates
• Lots of fresh fruit

If you want to know more about this tradition it is explained in more detail here.

Might have to give it a go.

Remember this? Well I can confirm it’s the same system in Aix.

Something strange is going on at one of our local vineyards.

Where have all the vines gone?

They seem to have all been dug up.

I don’t know if this is normal practice every few years in vineyards.

But then I saw this sign.

They are building a barn on the site.

But I don’t know if this means no more vines. I’ll keep you posted.

In Aix there was a fair of Santons – little nativity figurines.

There were all types of figures – from the three kings:

To some owls and turkeys:

And of course some flamingos.

And a whole lot more.

Figurines were about €7-20. From observing some of the customers I think people add to their crib scene every year – un chien here and un chameau there.

As today is the third Thursday in November it means it is Beaujolais nouveau day.

When I worked in a supermarket in Paris in the nineties this was a huge day with palettes and palettes of the stuff being sold in store.

In the Intermarché in Venelles it is a bit more understated. But there was still a small fuss being made.

So I thought it would be rude not to sample a bottle.

Santé.

Our local supermarket is starting to promote its Christmas fare.

These ones caught my eye.

What were the treats behind each window of this traditional advent calendar?

Tasty meat treats – 😋

And then there was the classic game – Trivial Pursuit. But with a French twist.

Santé!

More Coutheron produce on sale at the local supermarket – this time it’s blette – Swiss chard.