Christmas Nancy

‘Joyeux Noël de Nancy !’

Each year, more than 25,000 people gather in the Place Stanislas for one of Lorraine’s major events. The Saint-Nicolas celebrations in Nancy are usually held on the first Saturday of December, around the 6th, which is the actual Saint’s day for the Patron Saint of Lorraine.

From 3pm, several artistic associations stroll along the streets of the town centre. Their role is to increase the expectation of Saint-Nicolas’ coming, in a festive and playful atmosphere.

At 8pm the Great Light Show begins with the Place Stanislas as the centre stage. For 30 minutes, young and old alike marvel at the fairy-tale show: live performances, pyrotechnic displays, explosions of lights and colours and special effects tell the legend behind the life of Saint Nicolas.

Most of Nancy’s surrounding suburbs, cities and villages are invited to take part in the parade with a themed float: Essey-lès-Nancy with “Beauty and the Beast”, Jarville-la-Malgrange with “O Christmas Tree”, Laneuveville-devant-Nancy with “History of Lorraine”, or Saulxures-lès-Nancy with “The Three Little Pigs”.

Corporations, companies and associations are also represented, such as the “Patrons Patissiers” with a themed-float based on “Snow White making cakes” or the Catholic Relief Services with “Robin Hood”.

The City of Nancy’s floats are the last to parade: the floats of “Miss Nancy” followed by those of “The Evil butcher”, “Père Fouettard” (the faithful companion of the Saint, armed with his whip) and “Saint-Nicolas” himself.

In Nancy the Christmas season starts with the Saint Nicolas celebrations on the 6th December and continues with its Christmas markets, fireworks and other traditions ...

CHRISTMAS MOMENTS IN NANCY

The next day, on Sunday, the traditional parade takes place with floats. Saint Nicolas’ Day is a major celebration in the cultural life of Nancy, attracting more than 100,000 visitors. From 4pm, 34 floats make their way through the streets of Nancy’s centre, each of them artistically depicting a fairy-tale or a local legend from Lorraine.

In 2009, the parade starts in Cours Léopold and does a 3.6 km circuit to finish in front of the Palais du Gouvernement at Place de la Carrière.

If you are travelling to Nancy by car for the Sunday celebrations, it is recommended to leave your vehicle in the park and ride spaces which are linked to the town centre by free bus shuttles.

Saint Nicolas’ Celebrations

The party must go on ... until Christmas!

Once the Saint Nicolas’ Day celebrations are over, the Christmas season is not done in Nancy. Until the New Year, several activities and events are organised to maintain the magic around the character of Saint Nicolas, the ancestor of the now-famous Santa!

Don’t miss the Place Stanislas at Christmas time with a magnificent tree in its centre, and the Christmas village, temporarily set up in December as a Christmas market.

The tradition in Nancy

Saint Nicolas’ Day is mainly celebrated in north-eastern France, in the regions of Alsace and Lorraine. Other celebrating countries in Europe include Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria. Saint Nicolas’ celebrations are usually on the 6th December, in commemoration of his death.

In Nancy, Saint Nicolas goes throughout the town visiting schools, so every child can receive sweets and lollies from him. The moment is often marked by a class photo and featured by the local newspapers. Nowadays, it is up to Lorraine parents to perpetuate the tradition in their home on the night of the 5th by inviting Saint Nicolas (which will usually be an adult member of the family disguised as the Patron of Lorraine). The ritual will always be the same: the Saint will ask children if they have behaved well he will then distribute treats and presents to the obedient ones... but fortunately for our naughty kids in Lorraine, no one will receive a spanking from the ‘Père Fouettard’ (this for a simple reason: for under French law, our dear Père Fouettard would spend the rest of his days in prison!).

Long gone are the days when children used to leave a glass of eau de vie and a plate of carrots for the Saint and his donkey by the fireplace. The days when Saint Nicolas distributed the presents are also long gone! Today, his American descendant Santa Claus (Père Noël) has stolen this role from him. In most towns of North-East France, Saint Nicolas has now retroceded into a giver of lollies and sweets on the 6th December with Santa Claus then giving presents the night before Christmas.

“Marie-Christine remembers Saint Nicolas Day in Nancy”

When I was a child in Nancy in the early 1960s, I don’t recall that Saint Nicolas actually came into our school. Maybe this happened in villages around Nancy, but as for me and my friends, I encountered him every December at the big party organised by my father’s company. Every child was given the gift he/she had previously chosen, along with an enormous bag full of sweets and lollies.

Saint Nicolas was there wearing ornate clothes and was crowned with an immense mitre. His hand was holding the distinctive golden bishop’s crosier. When he passed by the crowd of children, I remember how much we eagerly followed him with our eyes, in the expectation to receive from him the long awaited present. Saint Nicolas was a tall man who was feared and respected.

Unfortunately, he was accompanied by the terrible “Père Fouettard”, all dressed in black. His clothes were not the only black thing, as his face and hands were also blackened with charcoal. He was holding a whip, which we were told he used on naughty children. To my relief, I never personally saw the Père Fouettard in action but I can tell you that all of us were well behaved in front of him! We tried not to pay too much attention to his sniggering, in order to limit our fear! But Saint Nicolas was there and saw to it that every child received his/her present and bag of sweets.

“Pierre remembers Saint Nicolas Day in Nancy”

I only spent one year in a school in Nancy, and that was in pre-school in the early 1980s. On the 6th December, Saint Nicolas visited the school and entered our classroom where we were told to behave.

As a child, the character of Saint Nicolas was indeed very impressive: a tall thin man, all dressed up in yellow and red silk, which would make the Pope jealous! His crosier and bishop’s mitre always fascinated me. Surely, he was the same guy as the one pictured on my favourite “pains d’épices” (gingerbread), those which are only found at the grocer’s in December.

Of course, le Père Fouettard was there too, but for some reason, my attention was much more focused on the Saint... or maybe the actor impersonating the evil companion of Nicolas was acting very poorly on that day and did not convince me!

Other officials were there too: the director of the school, local politicians, and the press, all dressed up in suit and tie. Needless to say that Saint Nicolas’ outfit was really odd amongst all of the adults! In the 1980s, Saint Nicolas had long got rid of the heavy task of giving presents away to the Père Noël. But I remember being so happy to receive my bag of sweets, lollies... and clementines. I would first eat the citrus fruit to leave the yummiest for the last!

The parade of Saint Nicolas in the streets of Nancy was also magical for me. I remember the fireworks on Place Stanislas. It was the first time I ever saw fireworks and I was terrified by the sound of the colourful explosions. I remember screaming and screaming, so much so that my frustrated parents had to leave the celebrations with me crying in despair. I always remember this scene and smile when I watch the fantastic fireworks in Sydney at New Year.

Fireworks at Place Stanislas. © crédit photo Ville de Nancy

Around 7pm, a spectacular light show happens on the facade of the Palais du Gouvernement for 7 minutes. This concludes the weekend celebrations of Saint Nicolas in Nancy.

The floats of St Nicolas’ Parade . © crédit photo Ville de Nancy

The Parade © crédit photo Ville de Nancy

St Nicolas © crédit photo Ville de Nancy

In Nancy’s streets © crédit photo Ville de Nancy

Place Stanislas at Christmas © crédit photo Ville de Nancy

Fireworks at Place Stanislas

How to get to Nancy?

Nancy is easily reached by car from Paris, Lyon, Belgium and Germany through the network of reliable motorways crossing Lorraine from West to East and North to South.

From Paris, take the N4 which is mostly a dual-carriage-way. Belgium and Germany are not far away either thanks to the A31 and the A4.

If you travel from Australia, take a flight to Paris Charles de Gaulle, Frankfurt or Luxembourg airports and rent a car from there! The closest international airport is actually Luxembourg, some 100 km away from Nancy by motorway.

Visit Nancy in Lorraine!

Tourist information centre of Lorraine:

www.tourisme-lorraine.fr

Tourist board of Nancy: www.ot-nancy.fr

When staying in Nancy, a visit to the neighbouring city of METZ (60 km to the North) should not be missed! Take a train to METZ and visit the Cathedral, the old city-centre and relax in the city’s reputed parks along the Seille River.