Santa Claus House – Le hameau du Père Noel

Today we headed over to France to Santa Claus’s house, Le hameau du Père Noel after a tip from a friend.

It was well worth the trip, a truly magical house filled to the brim with interesting things for the children to discover.

Outside in the Jardin de lutins (the Elves Garden) the sleigh awaits the big night.To assist Rudolf and his crew, there is a large ramp at the end of the runway.

Inside the house, the children were fascinated by the kitchen – cookies were being made, the recipe book open on the table.

In the elves dining room the table was set for dinner, and when we moved through to the workshop the children’s eyes were as large as saucers.

Around the top of the room a tin train circled, toys were everywhere, some finished, some half made. Wooden blocks were transported along a conveyer belt to a ‘toy machine’ and out of the other side came wooden cars.

Santa’s room was divided into three sections: office, bath room and bedroom. The big man himself was snoring in the bed, even the loudest appeal of the children could not wake him.

The children were very concerned about poor Rudolf, who was confined to bed after a nasty car accident. He suffered two broken paws, a sore head and 1 bois foulé. Swiss choc to anyone who can translate that, my translator suggested a wooden crown which sounds a bit strange.

My daughter explained to her brother that the reason that Rudolf did not have a red nose, was because he was ill.

Nothing to do with the fact that he was a dead stuffed animal then.