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The Santons were created during the French Revolution to replace the crèches of the churches, which were closed during this period. The first characters were biblical as those found in a nativity scene. Then the townspeople were added. They are simple folk, of all ages, taken from all ranks of society. And each one is carrying an offering to the baby Jesus.

Each Santon is formed from clay and then baked. They are hand-painted making each one different from the next. The larger ones have special clothing designed specifically for each character.