You probably already know the word for “Christmas” in French, Noël, as it appears in common carols and sentiments of the season around the globe. Like many countries, le Noël is celebrated on December 25, which is a national holiday in France. Christmas in France is the integration of tradition, religion, creativity, and regional flavor, which makes for a magical season.
Learning about cultural traditions is an important part of how to learn French. Imagine you could tour the whole country to experience Christmas in France, as well as what makes each area unique during the holiday season. This guide may inspire you to make your plans, and will introduce you to important perspectives and practices from within French culture.
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1. Les illuminations de Noël (Christmas light displays) are stunning community works of art
From city streets to quaint villages, the dark and cold of the shorter days are made merry and beautiful in France with lights spanning across roads and decorating street lamps and trees. Beyond strings of lights, you’ll enjoy buildings illuminated in fantastical patterns, installations of Christmas trees, and enchanting winter scenes that make every town a “city of lights,” not just Paris.
Stroll a parcours nocturne (nighttime path) to view the charming displays of Bretagne or take a bus tour of Paris to see illuminated sights, bridges, and more during Christmas in France.
2. Les vitrines de Noël (Christmas window displays) invite you to shop or just observe
There are many creative Christmas traditions in France. Paris in particular is known for its flagship Grands Magasins (department stores), such as Les Galleries Lafayette and Le Bon Marché. The display windows in the storefronts are transformed into enchanting scenes for the holiday season, often featuring puppets and animated characters in motion in elaborate theater scenes.
In 2024, the Galleries Lafayette celebrated its 130th Christmas window display. Even if you don’t have intentions to shop for the season, enter the large shopping mall to appreciate the discord. Yearly collaborations with artists and fashion designers produce a unique giant Christmas tree each year under the impressive glass coupole (dome).
3. Marchés de Noël (Christmas markets) have fun and treats for the whole family
Outdoor marchés (markets) can be a fun part of visiting France year-round, but starting in late November until early January, you can treat yourself to the delightful tastes of the season while the kids ice skate, ride carnival rides, or bounce on trampolines. The city of Strasbourg is known as the Capitale de Noël (Capital of Christmas) with over 300 wooden chalets in its featured Christmas market, the oldest of its kind.
It’s not easy to leave the Christmas markets in France without finding a little treasure for yourself or for a loved one, as they feature local handmade arts and crafts, artisanal cheeses and charcuteries, truffles, macarons, and more of what France is known for.
Visiting in the daytime may avoid large crowds, but the holiday aesthetic really pops when illuminated in the evening hours. Enjoy the coziness of a mulled wine or hot cider, raclette, or takeaway foods to enjoy later.
4. Crèches de Noël are reminders of the religious significance of the holiday
Various crèches de Noël (Nativity Scenes) are featured displays in homes and village centers, outside of churches, and in the community all season long during Christmas in France. These traditional depictions of the birthplace of baby Jesus in a stable can be simple and feature just the main characters, or they can be elaborate and creative, even featuring live actors.
The word crèche refers to the entire nativity scene, but is also the word used for nurseries and daycare centers for small children. Like many of the Christmas traditions in France, families pass down their crèche traditions through the generations, preserving and adding santons (figurines) each year that may represent villagers, professions, or specific customs.
5. Celebrate the season en famille (as a family) with the calendrier de l’Avent and other traditions
The period of l’Avent (Advent) begins on November 30 and is the period of waiting until the day of Christmas, which celebrates the birth of Christ. A family tradition representing this countdown is the calendrier de l’Avent (Advent calendar). The interactive calendar contains tiny doors or windows that the children will open each day of December, revealing a small candy, chocolate, or other treat.
Families may also display their own personal decorations, such as the crèche, in which they will place the baby Jesus figurine at midnight on December 24.
A non-religious activity to do with children during Christmas in France is the tradition of creating pomanders, or oranges et clous de girofle out of oranges and cloves to create a fragrant decoration.
6. Wish everyone a wonderful holiday season in France
Share the best wishes of the season with friends, family, shopkeepers, or even strangers with the customary holiday greetings. Learning to say “Merry Christmas” in other languages, including French, helps get everyone in the holiday spirit.
- Bon Noël (Merry Christmas)
- Joyeux Noël (Merry Christmas)
- Bonnes fêtes (Happy Holidays)
- Bonnes fêtes de fin d’année (Season’s Greetings)
Save your written greetings for your cartes de voeux (greeting card) for janvier (January). It’s much more customary to send New Year’s cards instead of Christmas cards in France.
7. Enjoy a seasonal spectacle (performance)
The winter holidays are a spectacular time to take in artistic performances of all kinds. In bigger cities, you might find the familiar ballet Casse-Noisette (The Nutcracker) or Handel’s Le Messie (Messiah) performed by un choeur (a choir), but the holiday season is packed with other opportunities to see a show.
- théâtre (theater)
- opéra (opera)
- danse (dance)
- humour (comedy)
- cirque (circus)
- marionnettes (puppets)
In case you seek out other services on your night out, like overnight stays in a hotel, dinner before the show, or valet services, brush up on whether you should tip in France.
8. Stuff yourself with the most delicious foods for the meal of Le Réveillon on December 24
La Veille de Noël (Christmas Eve) is typically celebrated with extended family and the most decadent meal of the year, known as le réveillon. The word comes from the verb réveiller (to wake up). Different families celebrate according to their own timing, which could include attending la messe de minuit (midnight mass) at church, or the meal may even take place on December 25, which is a public holiday in France.
Typical French Christmas foods at this meal may include:
- la dinde aux marrons (roast turkey stuffed with chestnuts)
- les huîtres (oysters)
- le saumon fumé (smoked salmon)
- les escargots (snails)
- les fruits de mer (seafood)
- le foie gras (fattened liver)
In addition, many fruits and desserts adorn the table. With the meal lasting several hours and over multiple glasses of wine, it’s the final large meal of the year for French families, so they truly enjoy themselves. Don’t worry, you’ll be hungry again by La Chandeleur, a special holiday known for eating crêpes in February.
9. Don’t forget the Bûche de Noël
The Bûche de Noël (Yule log) is a traditional cake served after le réveillon. It’s a rolled sponge with sweet frosting filling, coated with buttercream or ganache, and decorated to look like a log from the woods. It can include marzipan mushrooms, candy to represent holly leaves and berries, all dusted with powdered sugar “snow.”
If you can’t make your own, visit a patisserie (pastry shop) to order your bûche, or order it with livraison à domicile (home delivery).
10. Delight in cadeaux (gifts) for all
Of all the other ways to celebrate Christmas in France, one of the most delightful for children and adults alike is the opening of cadeaux (presents/gifts). Families may open presents immediately after la messe de minuit, or wait until the next morning.
Instead of hanging stockings by the fireplace, French children and adults leave shoes or slippers out for Père Noël (Father Christmas), one of the names for Santa Claus, to fill with small gifts and treats.
In some parts of France near Alsace and Lorraine, children receive gifts from Saint-Nicolas (Saint Nicholas), their patron saint, on December 6th. In other traditions, children receive gifts from Les Trois Rois (The Three Kings) on January 6th, which marks the end of the Christmas season.
11. Explore Regional specialties that set each area of France apart
While many French holidays are celebrated throughout the country, they also demonstrate the endless variety of cultural customs and traditions in each region of the country. In addition to those mentioned above, take in traditions from around France.
Nouvelle-Aquitaine region winter solstice traditions
Celebrate the winter solstice with les feux de Noël gascons (Gascon Christmas fires) and cheering on “Olentzero,” a chimney sweep character who announces the return of the light in Basque country.
Provence desserts upon desserts
Not just déssert, but treize (13) desserts, to be exact. The tradition in Provence is to enjoy 13 different desserts, but each town still boasts its own list.
Grand Est pays tribute to Saint-Nicolas
Saint-Nicolas is the patron saint of children in this region, so to pay their tributes, young ones participate in torch parades and leave carrots and milk on their doorsteps to say thank you for the confections he leaves on the first weekend of December.
Enjoy gaufres (waffles) in Les Flandres
In the very northern corner of France, les gaufres de Noël (Christmas waffles) are a can’t-miss treat. Their recipes are passed down from generations of grands-mères (grandmothers) who couldn’t wait to share the treat with their loved ones.
Learn French through the culture and traditions
When you learn French with Rosetta Stone, you’ll be prepared to immerse yourself in any cultural traditions, in-person conversations, or holiday celebrations. Instead of learning long lists of vocabulary on separate topics, you’ll be able to discuss the relevant foods, activities, decorations, people, dates and times, greetings, and gift ideas that are relevant to Christmas in France.
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