December in Sarlat

Sarlat's town crew works hard to kick off this month, hanging white decorative lights across roads and through the squares and placing the festive Christmas tree in front of the 12^th century Saint Sacredos cathedral (this year, a white electric tree unlike prior years with pine trees decked out in white lights).

If this effort weren’t enough, the crew also builds 42 wooden kiosks on the south end of town. They are cottage-like in appearance and reflect the cottage industry handmade crafts and foods for sale in Sarlat’s Advent marché de Noël. This Christmas market opens the beginning of December and runs through to Epiphany to assure that when the Three Wise Men arrive to admire Jesus in his manger, all children will also benefit from the excitement of gifts on January 6. 

Epiphany cakes are also appearing, ones with fun ceramic creatures hidden in their semi-sweet, coffee-perfect cake rings. That there are so many different ceramic characters and that each bakery has their own surprise collection makes it a cake easy to buy and consume several times before, during, and after Epiphany. Luckily, Sarlat’s bakers keep making these cakes throughout January and sometimes into February.

Throughout town, shopkeepers are also decorating their storefronts with green boughs and colored lights. The pine scent and hot mulled wine (vin chaud) permeates the cafes and the Christmas market.

On the intersection of the main paths through the Christmas market—not far from the people roasting and selling hot chestnuts or hot mulled wine (from a secret family recipe)—is the crowded outdoor oyster stand. Master oyster shuckers array plates of 3, 6, 12, and more oysters (huitres) harvested each morning from several nearby shores in Aquitaine and Poitou-Charentes. They offer a glass of champagne to accompany the sweet briny treats. And this is precisely where you will find me. (Unless, that is, I am hiking in the ancient forests of the Dordogne and taking in the crisp winter air, or, back in New Jersey pining away and flying there in my mind’s eye.)

Wishing you all a very festive and joyous holiday season wherever you are and wishing you the same warm gathering of community as that in Sarlat.