Lourmarin is ready for Fête de Noël. Frosty white fir trees have appeared along our petite rue below a canopy of lights.

Rue du grand pre Lourmarin at Christmas in the Luberon, Vaucluse, Provence, France

Throughout the village, once night has fallen, these fine strings of twinkle line the streets in rows of sparkling ribbons.

Christmas streets in Lourmarin, Luberon, Provence, France

The stores are full of Christmas treasures and stay open later to help the busy shoppers.

Lourmarin street at Christmas at dusk, Luberon, Provence, France

Amongst ancient, stone buildings, along narrow, cobbled streets, somehow everything appears just that bit more entrancing.

912 Arty Gallery, Lourmarin, Luberon, Provence

Enticing seasonal settings

Christmas display in Lourmarin, Luberon, Provence, France

to celebrate the time of year.

Christmas Flowers in 912 Arty Gallery, Lourmarin, Luberon, Provence

Opening the shutters to find the world transformed by a soft, powdery, icing sugar dusting of snow completed the enchantment.

Opeing the xhutters after snowfall in Lourmarin, Luberon, Provence, France

Bundled in up in scarves and mittens I tried to encapsulate my fairy tale village adorned in a winter gown.

December snow in Lourmarin, Luberon, Vaucluse, Provence

Almost expecting  ‘Mr Tumnus’ to be hiding behind the lamp posts

Snowing in Lourmarin, Luberon, Vaucluse, Provence, France

and from the church, the sweet voices of children in the village choir. It felt as if Lourmarin was preparing for her very own Christmas story.

Snow by the Temple in Lourmarin, Luberon, Vaucluse, Provence, France

For as we ventured out, driving only a short distance, the snow seemed to have only fallen on Lourmarin. Beautiful elsewhere but not quiet as magical.

The streets of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence were lined with les sapins; fir trees adorned with satin, bows and bells.

Streets of St Remy de Provence, Bouche du Rhone, Provence, France

The shop windows were bedecked in seasonal finery, both in Saint-Rémy

Patisserie window display in St Remy de Provence, Bouche du Rhone, Provence, France

and Uzès.

Christmas window in Uzes, Languedoc Roussillon, France

Our lovely Rue de la Grande Bourgade, where we’d once lived in Uzès, looking more festive than any other.

Rue du Grand Bourgade, Uzes at Christmas, Languedoc Roussillon, France

A truly special part of the world at any time of year and one which was hard to tear ourselves away from.

Packing our suitcases we prepared ourselves for our journey home. No deserted stables or donkeys but crowded airport terminals and rental cars; no reindeer driven sleighs but enormous metal birds quite equally miraculous to transport us back across the skies. We’re returning to our other home, briefly pausing in that treasured place where we are from before taking off again to a very different place but also a very special one. This English girl in love with Provence is finally going ‘home’, ‘home’ for the Holidays……….