France is a proud country with a rich history and a vibrant culture, and it welcomes millions of foreign tourists every year.
However, just like anywhere else, if you are unaware of the unwritten rules of etiquette, it can be easy to embarrass yourself or land yourself in trouble.
To help you avoid this – and also hopefully to enrich your knowledge about French life – in this post, I go into detail about French traditions and customs so you don’t find yourself making any cultural gaffes during your visit.
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Table of Contents
French Religious Festivals
Around 50% of the French population identify as Catholic, with a further 10% belonging to other Christian denominations.
So understandably, Christian religious festivals and their associated traditions feature prominently in the annual cycle of French life.
Here are some of the most important.
1. Christmas
Like in many other countries in Europe and elsewhere, Christmas is among the most important religious festivals in the French calendar – even vrhunski vodič za cbd ulja za masažu: najbolja cbd ulja … among non-believers – and there are many traditions related to how Christmas is celebrated.
Unlike in the UK, the main Christmas meal is served in the evening on Christmas Eve rather than in the afternoon of Christmas Day.
In UK culture, eating turkey is all but obligatory, but in France, the choice of what is served is far more open.
Some form of poultry (la volaille) is a common choice. Things like magret de canard (duck breast fillet) or capon (castrated cockerel) are popular options – but turkey is not usually favoured.
However, other meats such as pork or beef can be served instead. By the way, if you want to learn more French food vocab, check out my post on the names of foods in French.
One essential part of the Christmas meal – and one without which it would hardly be Christmas for most French – is foie gras.
It’s served before the entrée (starter), usually on warm, thin slices of a special kind of soft bread. It’s traditionally accompanied by a white wine that often leans towards the sweeter side of things.
When eating foie gras, never bjb directory spread it. Instead, place a slice on your bread and eat it like that – it’s a revered delicacy, not some kind of cheap pâté!
Also popular is the bûche de Noël (Yule log), a traditional dessert that exists in the UK too but that is considered more important in France.
Another major difference between Christmas in France and the UK is the tradition of waiting up until midnight on the 24th to exchange presents rather than doing so on the morning of the 25th.
Finally, for believers, it’s also traditional to attend Christmas midnight mass in church on the 24th, a practice that’s followed by many people who otherwise barely step foot inside a church throughout the rest of the year.
2. Easter
Easter is widely celebrated, and among the traditions associated with this festival is the chasse aux œufs (Easter egg hunt), where adults hide eggs for children to then run around and find.
3. La Toussaint
La Toussaint – or All Saints Day – is celebrated in France on 1st November. The day is a designated national holiday, and traditionally, people visit the graves of relatives to place there a couronne de Toussaint (All Saints wreath) usually made of chrysanthemums.
Incidentally, this is why you should never buy chrysanthemums for somebody as a gift in France since they are associated with death and funerals.
4. Saints’ Days
Every day of the year (other than days like Christmas) is the day of a particular saint. It’s customary to wish people a happy saint’s day on the day that corresponds with their first name.
Information about which saint’s day is currently being celebrated is given out during the weather forecast. And according to the custom, you should wish someone a happy saint’s day the day before the day of their saint.
When one of my friends worked in an office in France, she discovered that saints’ days were a good excuse for people celebrating their day to bring in a cake, in addition to birthdays!
