French Christmas: Noel in France

Now that Christmas is finally upon us, do you know about these Christmas traditions in France?

• In some regions of France the Christmas season starts on December 6^th, St. Nicholas Day, and is celebrated by exchanging gifts in memory of the historical 4^th century saint renowned for his generosity.

• Most French people celebrate Christmas on December 24^th with a huge meal eaten after midnight mass called le réveillon, which may include: goose, turkey, chestnuts, paté de foie gras (goose liver pâté), boudin rouge (blood sausage), or boudin blanc, oysters, and of course for dessert the bûche de Noël, a rich, creamy sponge-like cake in the shape of a Yule log.

• Tradition has it that on Christmas Eve in France, children would leave their shoes out (not stockings!) in front of the fireplace for le Père Noël to fill with treats and toys. In some regions, especially eastern France, le Père Fouettard (the “Whipping Father”) would come if children had been naughty, not nice.

• In the south of France, people in the countryside may leave a Yule log burning in their fireplaces during the Christmas season to ensure a good harvest.

• In Provence, the traditional meal ends with a parade of les treize desserts—the 13 desserts!

• Most people in France do not decorate the outside of their homes; municipalities, on the other hand, adorn the public spaces with holiday lights and organize reenactments of the nativity story in town squares.

• French families may set out a crèche, or nativity scene; in the south of France this includes santons (little saints) which are clay figurines depicting not only the holy family, shepherds and wise men, but the townspeople as well.

• Christmas markets are another holiday tradition in France, especially in the Alsace region, where you can buy all sorts of special foods as well as arts and crafts typical for the season.

• At Christmastime you will hear traditional carols, both religious and non-religious, such as: Il est né le divin enfant, Un flambleau Jeannette Isabelle, Vive le vent (Jingle Bells) and Mon beau sapin (Oh Christmas Tree). They even have a version of Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Le petit renne au nez rouge…). And of course Petit papa noël sung by Tino Rossi is a Christmas favorite.

• The Christmas season ends in early January with the feast of the Epiphany and the Fête des Rois (Feast of the Magi).

Joyeuses fêtes à tous!

The month of May is always an exciting time in France with the beginning of warmer weather, Labor Day celebrations, la Fête du Muguet and a host of other holidays.

• May is when temperatures really start to warm up in France. “Avril, ne te découvre pas d’un fil; mai, fais ce qu’il te plaît!” is French for: “April showers bring May flowers.” (Literally: In April, better keep your warm clothes on; in May, do as you like!)

• May 1st is a national holiday, the French equivalent of Labor Day, or la Fête du Travail. Most everything is closed except for restaurants, churches, and some museums and monuments such as the Eiffel Tower. Limited public transportation may be running; however, you just might have trouble reaching your destination due to street demonstrations. Better take to the streets yourself and join the celebrations for workers’ rights (or whatever cause you may fancy!)

• May 1st is also known as la Fête du Muguet, or Lily of the Valley Day. Mais pourquoi? Well, according to legend, King Charles IX received a bunch of these sweet-smelling flowers on May 1st, 1561, as a good luck charm. Ever since, it is traditional for family, friends and neighbors to exchange a small sprig as a goodwill gesture. You may find lily-of-the valley growing naturally in woods and gardens in France, but don’t worry: vendors will be selling bunches of the flower on every street corner.Other May holidays include: May 8th, la Fete de la Victoire which commemorates the end of World War II, the Catholic holidays of Ascension and Pentecost, and finally, Mother’s Day, which always falls on the last Sunday of the month.

• If you’re in France during this month, you’ll get to learn the idiomatic expression “faire le pont” (literally, “make the bridge”) which refers to the time taken off on days surrounding a national holiday, exemplifying the French passion for extra leisure time. For example, this year’s May 1 Fete du Travail falls on a Tuesday. Many businesses will close on Monday April 30 to “faire le pont” until Wednesday and make an extra long weekend of it. Ditto for Thursday, May 17, the Ascension: many businesses will close on Friday, May 18 for another long weekend. Sometimes, there are so many “ponts” during the month of May that it’s really more like “faire le viaduc!”

 

Visiting France in May

If you are lucky enough to be in France this month, you won’t want to miss these wonderful events.

• May 19^th is Museum night (la Nuit des Musées) when museums all over France are open free of charge until late into the night. Created in France in 2005 by the French Ministry of Culture, it is now also called European Museum Night and is celebrated in 40 European countries.

• On May 22^nd the French Open International Tennis tournament begins in Paris at the Roland Garros stadium. Fans will get a thrill out of watching their favorite tennis champs compete on the stadiums’ famous red clay courts. Through June 10^th.

• The Cannes Film Festival takes place this year from May 16^th through 27^th. Although this international film festival is by invitation only, you can still take part in the excitement if you’re in town and maybe even get a glimpse of the stars! Visitors can get tickets for the Cinéma de la Plage, a public event which occurs outdoors on a giant screen where cinéphiles will be able to watch movies to their heart’s content. Contact the Cannes Tourist Office for more information.

• If children accompany you to Paris in May, they might just ask, like French kids do, to go to the huge Fair called the Foire du Trône located at the Pelouse de Reuilly in the Bois de Vincennes (Métro : Porte Dorée, Liberté, or Porte de Charenton). This annual event is a traditional carnival fair complete with roller coasters, ferris wheels and barbes à papa (cotton candy). Very popular with French families. Runs through June 3^rd.

• A newly outfitted RER-C train to Versailles has just been inaugurated with magnificent photo panels of the palace glued to the train’s ceilings and walls. There will be five of these trains by the end of the year outfitted with such panels. If you’re lucky enough to catch one of them on the way to Versailles, it will be the closest you’ll come to that masterful ceiling painted so breautifully in the 17^th century by Charles le Brun.

 

New Year’s Traditions in France

Celebrating the New Year is a little different in France than in the US.

Cards. French people don’t send Christmas cards; they send New Year’s greeting cards instead. So if you are sending cards to folks in France, you don’t have to rush. People in France continue to wish each other la bonne année throughout the month of January! No interaction is complete in France in the month of January without prefacing it with Meilleurs voeux (Best wishes)

Etrennes.It is a common practice in France to give gifts of money to people who serve you on a regular basis: the mail carrier, the concierge of your apartment building, your local firemen, even the garbage man (les éboueurs). It’s the equivalent of their 13^th month, and the French tend to be quite generous.

Le Réveillon. Christmas Eve dinner is known as le réveillon … and so is New Year’s Eve dinner! To distinguish the two, the celebration on the 31^st is called la Saint- Sylvestre, or le réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre, simply because the last day of the year happens to be that saint’s feast day. The festive meal is similar to the one shared on Christmas – goose or turkey, oysters, foie gras – with the addition of champagne, bien sûr, and dancing and partying long into the night; it’s at least 4 hours longer, usually longer. Metros and public transportation in the large cities are free for the evening to discourage drivers from taking to the road in their cars after imbibing.

Midnight.At the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, expect to receive kisses on both cheeks and a hearty bonne année! Fireworks have been surpressed in the past years, however, due to the dangers, so the evening tends to be a private one amongst friends.

Le Jour de l’AnOn New Year’s Day – le jour de l’an – parades fill the streets which you can watch in person, if you don’t mind the cold, or on TV from the comfort of your living room!

Bonne année à tous et à toutes!

 

If you are in France this summer, consider attending one of the wonderful festivals being held throughout the hexagon, according to your interests. There are many to choose from!
• Music lovers: Don’t miss the annual Music summer festival in Aix en Provence, July 5th – 27th. A world-famous music festival in one of the most beautiful cities in France!
• Photographers will enjoy Les Rencontres Arles Photographie presented throughout the city with nightly projections outdoors in the impressive Roman theatre. Many exhibitions and workshops. July 2nd – Sept 23rd .
• This year theater-goers will be celebrating Avignon’s 66th annual theater festival with comedy, drama, music and dance on indoor and outdoor stages as well as on street corners throughout the medieval city. July 7th – 28th.
• Opera fans should attend either the Festival International d’Opéra Baroque in the city of Beaune in the heart of Burgundy wine country from July 6th – 29th or the Chorégies d’Orange where you can hear Puccini, Mozart and Rossini in Orange’s big

outdoor arena, July 7th – 31st.
• Prefer pop music? Don’t miss Francofolies, a festival dedicated to French popular music, in La Rochelle from July 11th – 15th.
• A jazz enthusiast? Consider attending either the jazz festival in Juan-les-Pins / Antibes from July 12th – July 22nd or in the southwest town of Marciac, located about halfway between Bordeaux and Toulouse, from July 27th – August 15th .
• For piano aficionados, the Festival International de Piano takes place in the small Provencal town of La Roque d’Antheron from July 21st- August 22nd.
Passez un excellent été …. en France !
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