Old Port of Marseille hosts Santon Fair from 14 November

A Christmas programme at the Old Port of Marseille (Vieux-Port de Marseille) begins with the Santon Fair on 14 November 2026 in Marseille, France. The event is part of the city’s programme for the festive season and remains at Quai du Port until 3 January 2027.

Santon Fair opens at Quai du Port on 14 November

The 224th Santon Fair opens at the harbour on 14 November 2026, according to the published programme from the City of Marseille. The fair brings Provençal nativity figures and local craft traditions to the quays beside the water.

The event is the first dated element of a wider Christmas programme. The city lists an inauguration ceremony at Saint-Ferréol les Augustins on 15 November 2026, while the fair itself continues at Quai du Port through 3 January 2027. A report by Frequence Sud confirms the 224th edition and places the stands on the harbour.

The published material describes workshops for children, traditional music, dance, costumes and parades during the season. These activities connect the fair with Provençal customs rather than presenting the quays only as a shopping setting.

Marseille harbour history frames the winter programme

The harbour is more than the venue for the fair. Marseille Tourism describes the Old Port as the historic centre of a city founded by Greeks from Phocaea in 600 BC. Fort Saint-Nicholas and Fort Saint-Jean guard its entrance, linking the seasonal event with a harbour shaped by trade and movement.

The site underwent major regeneration in 2013, when its quays were redeveloped and car traffic was reduced. Norman Foster’s Ombrière now marks the waterfront, while the harbour remains bordered by the City Hall, the Opera district, Saint-Victor and the Pharo.

This history gives the 2026 programme a specific setting: the fair occupies Quai du Port, while the Christmas market moves to Quai de la Fraternité from 28 November 2026. The city’s plan also lists the Nexus aerial performance and Christmas lights on 28 November, followed by a drone show and fireworks at Quai du Port on 19 December 2026.

Winter events extend beyond the Santon Fair

The Christmas market runs from 28 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 on Quai de la Fraternité. The same waterfront programme includes a skating rink and sledging slope at the J4 esplanade from 12 December 2026 to 3 January 2027.

These locations are close enough to form a coherent visitor route around Marseille’s harbour, but they remain separate programme sites. The Santon Fair is on Quai du Port, the market is on Quai de la Fraternité and the winter sports facilities are at J4.

Visiting Old Port of Marseille: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The Santon Fair runs from 14 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 at Quai du Port in Marseille.
• The city programme places the Christmas market on Quai de la Fraternité from 28 November 2026 and lists the fair, workshops and seasonal performances as public activities.
• The harbour is in Marseille 1er, at the foot of the Canebière, with the City Hall and the Ombrière among the principal waterfront reference points.
• The Old Port is an open harbour setting with quays, waterfront paths and surrounding historic districts; the fair’s stalls are arranged on the Quai du Port.

Searching for Old Port of Marseille on social platforms

These links open searches for Old Port of Marseille on each platform.

Frequently asked questions about Old Port of Marseille

When does the Santon Fair take place at Old Port of Marseille?

The fair runs from 14 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 at Quai du Port.

What is Old Port of Marseille?

It is Marseille’s historic harbour, associated with the Greek foundation of Massalia in 600 BC and regenerated in 2013.

Where is Old Port of Marseille and how do you get there?

It is in Marseille 1er at the foot of the Canebière, with the City Hall, the Ombrière and the waterfront quays providing reference points.