Santonniers of Provence Seek UNESCO Status
Did you catch in the news a couple of months back how the French baguette has just been awarded UNESCO status? Chosen as the winner by the French who voted in 2021 from the choices of the distinctive grey zinc roofs of Paris, the tradition of wine festivals, and the baguette - the crusty bread stick won hands down!
Well, another French traditional product has applied for UNESCO status. The Santon makers of Provence have put forward their craft. They have formed an association named 'Savoir-faire des Santonniers de Provence', with the intention of getting the process of creating the hand-painted clay figurines included on the list of intangible cultural heritage. Just like the baguette.
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If you're not sure what santons are, or how they're made, their history or traditional importance, read our full blog post What are Santons of Provence to find out everything.
Related Post: French Baguette Gets Awarded UNESCO Heritage Status
The President of the Metropolis Aix-Marseille-Provence said that being awarded UNESCO status would “pay tribute to the savoir-faire which is the pride of our territory”.
I would love to see this art form awarded international status and I'll be watching the development of this proposed application to see if the Santonniers of Provence get awarded UNESCO status.
