The Matisse Museum in Le Cateau-Cambrésis in Nord-Pas-de-Calais has a fascinating small exhibition based around a literary text written by Georges Duthuit, illustrated by Henri Matisse. As Duthuit  recounted: "This collection is the result of the shock experienced by Matisse when he first saw the Eskimo masks on the walls of my studio."

The book, a poetic essay called Une Fête en Cimmérie has Matisse's drawings of the faces of the Inuit. The exhibition is in two parts: Georges Duthuit and his son Claude who did the museum's collection of drawings, engravings and documents about the book, and a second section on the book itself, with 31 lithographs, aquatints and studies by Matisse.

The exhibition is on until February 13^th at the Matisse Museum, Le Cateau-Cambrésis. But if you miss this exhibition, the museum is well worth a visit.

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Image: Visage sur found jaune, 1952, Henri Matisse © Succession H. Matisse

If you didn't get just what you wanted for Christmas, now is the time to seek out that fabulous frock, piece of  jewellery, trousers or whatever it was that Santa did not deliver. The winter sales (les soldes d'hiver) in France are government-regulated and take place at the same time each year. They run from January 12^th to February 15^th, 2011 with a few exceptions. Sales in Meurthe-et-Moselle, Meuse, Moselle and Vosges run from January 3^rd to February 6^th; in Les Lands and Purennes-Atlantique from January 5^th to February 8^th, 2011.

In Paris, make a note of Soldes by Paris! As well as the traditional sales, many of the city's hotels, museums and galleries will offer special packages, January 12^th to 15^th, 2011.

Check out my colleague, Courtney Traub's great blog on Paris sales.

If you're interested in discount shopping, consider a trip to Troyes for its major factory outlets .

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Image: Shoe shopping © Ossi Laurila

If you're a musher you'll know all about this event. It's the toughest international dog sledge race in the world, taking place through Savoie Mont Blanc and Haute-Savoie from January 8^th to 19^th, 2011. It's grueling and covers over 900 kilometers through France and Switzerland but it's also great fun. There are 11 stages, a speed challenge and more over stunning scenery.

22 of the best mushers in the world come from 11 countries and 2 continents, with men and women competing equally. And there's plenty for the spectator to see and do as well at all the various stations.

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More on Winter in France

Image: La Grande Odyssee Race © La Grande Odyssee/Savoie Mont Blanc

At this time of year, everywhere in France the windows of the bakeries and patisseries are filled with the cakes known as the Galette des Rois. The cake is part of the celebration of Epiphany, the time when the Three Wise Men first saw the baby Jesus. Throughout most of the country you eat the cake on January 6^th, though you might find some people celebrating it today, the first Sunday after January 1^st. But don't worry, this being a popular French delicacy, the cakes are made and sold throughout the whole month.

Different regions bake different cakes: in the north it's a flat puff pastry cake filled with frangipane; in the south galettes are brioche rings decorated with glace fruit. Tradition dictates that the galette holds a fève, a dried bean. But like all traditions, this is subject to creative modernization. In 1991 Christian Lacroix designed seven hearts for the famous Parisian patissier Gaston Lenôtre (1920-2009), whereupon other top designers like  Yves St Laurent and Sonia Rykiel brought their talents to bear on the tiny trinkets.

During the tirage des rois (pulling of the cake) the person 'pulling' or finding the bean becomes king or queen for the feast, puts on a paper hat thoughtfully provided by the shop and can choose their partner. The alternative choice is to be king for the day, but that depends on your family and which tradition you choose to follow.

So buy your galette and good luck! And of course a Happy New Year to everyone.

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