holiday in france essay

Christmas in France: a Fun French-English Side-by-Side Story

Test your French with this half-French, half-English Christmas tale.

• Pronunciation & Conversation
• Resources For Teachers

Test your comprehension of French with this side-by-side  French-English translation about Christmas . It is an easy story to help you learn French in context .

Christmas Is 'Noël' in France 

Noël est une fête importante en France. C'est une fête religieuse bien sûr, puisque traditionnellement la France est un pays catholique, mais c'est aussi une fête familiale : Le 25 décembre est un jour férié quand tout est fermé.

Christmas in France is an important holiday. It’s a religious holiday of course, since traditionally France is a Catholic country, but it's also a family holiday: December 25 is a national holiday when everything is closed.

Comme dans le reste du monde, les Français se réunissent en famille autour du sapin de Noël, et souvent d'une petite crèche, et les enfants attendent que le Père Noël soit passé pour ouvrir les cadeaux le 25 au matin.

As in the rest of the world, the French gather around the Christmas tree , and often a little manger, and the children wait for Santa Claus to pass by so they can open presents on the morning of the 25th.

What Are the Traditions of Christmas in France?

Il y a beaucoup de traditions de Noël en France, qui sont plus ou moins respectées selon les régions et les préférences personnelles. La Provence en particulier a beaucoup de traditions comme les treize desserts, le gros souper, etcetera. En Alsace, beaucoup de maisons sont richement décorées pour Noël, et il y a beaucoup de marchés de Noël. Cependant, dans la plupart de la France, les traditions sont comparables à celles des Etats-Unis.

There are many Christmas traditions in France, which are more or less respected according to region and personal preference. Provence (the South of France), in particular, has many traditions like the 13 desserts, the fat super, etcetera. In Alsace (the northeast), many houses are richly decorated for Christmas, and there are many Christmas markets. But in most of France, traditions are similar to the ones in the United States.

'Un Dialogue' 

• Un dialogue pour utiliser le vocabulaire de Noël en contexte: A conversation using Christmas vocabulary in context:
• Camille et son amie Anne parlent de leurs projets pour Noël. Camille and her friend Anne are talking about their Christmas projects.
• Camille:  Et alors, vous faîtes quoi pour Noël cette année ? So, what are you doing for Christmas this year?
• Anne:  Comme d’habitude, on va à Paris pour célébrer Noël avec la famille de Christian. Et vous? As usual, we’re going to Paris to celebrate Christmas with Christian’s family. And you?

Camille Nous, on reste ici avec la famille d’Olivier. C’est une fête familiale importante pour eux; ma belle-mère a toujours un joli sapin avec des guirlandes de Noël, des boules et des autres décorations de Noël. Il y a une belle couronne en sapin sur la porte, et l’année dernière, mon beau-père avait même accroché une guirlande lumineuse clignotante autour de la maison !

We stay here with Olivier’s family. It’s an important family holiday for them; my mother-in-law always has a beautiful Christmas tree with Christmas garlands, balls and other Christmas ornaments . There is a gorgeous pine wreath on the door, and last year, my father-in-law even put up a blinking garland around the house!

'Le Réveillon' Is Christmas Eve in France

Anne Oui, j’ai remarqué que de plus en plus de gens faisait ça. À côté de chez moi, il y a une maison toute illuminée... C’est amusant. Et qu’est-ce que vous faîtes pour le Réveillon?

Yes, I noticed that more and more people were doing this. Next to my house, there is a house that's all lit up. It’s fun. And what are you doing on Christmas Eve?

Camille En fait, nous faisons un Réveillon plus simple le 24 au soir : On fait plutôt un gros apéritif dînatoire, avec des toasts de foie-gras et de saumon fumé et du champagne, et  nous ouvrons les cadeaux  ce soir-là. Ce n’est pas très traditionnel, mais plus pratique avec les enfants.

In fact, we are having a simple Christmas Eve on the evening of the 24th; we have more like a large cocktail party which is abundant enough to be a meal, with foie-gras paté toasts, smoked salmon and champagne, and we open the presents that evening. It’s not very traditional, but it’s more practical with the kids.

Anne Ah bon ? Les enfants n’attendent pas que le Père-Noël soit passé ?

Really? The children don’t wait until Santa has passed by?

Camille Non, enfin je suppose que le Père-Noël passe plus tôt chez nous... comme il est magique, ce n’est pas difficile pour lui ! Et puis de toutes les façons, chez nous il n’y a pas de cheminée, alors il doit forcément faire preuve d’imagination.

No, well I suppose Santa comes early in our house. Since he's magic, it’s not difficult for him! Anyway, in our house there is no fireplace, so he has undoubtedly has to use his imagination.

Anne Et pas de messe de minuit non plus j’imagine.

And no midnight mass I suppose.

Camille Non, notre famille n’est pas très pratiquante. Le 25, on fait un gros repas de Noël. Là, on cuisine quelque chose de plus traditionnel : une dinde ou un jambon, ou bien un repas hautement gastronomique. Et bien sûr, en dessert, on déguste une traditionnelle  bûche de Noël . Et chez vous ?

No, our family is not very religious. On the 25th, we have a big Christmas meal. Then, we cook something more traditional: a turkey or a ham, or a fancy gastronomic meal. And of course, for dessert we enjoy a traditional Christmas yule log (dessert). What about at your house?

Anne Chez nous aussi bien sûr. Bon, et bien on a intérêt à se mettre au régime dès maintenant !

We do too, of course. Well, we better start dieting right away!

Camille Tu l’as dit ! Allez, joyeux Noël, Anne, et une excellente année 2015.

You said it! OK, Merry Christmas, Anne, and a wonderful 2015.

Anne Toi aussi Camille, un très joyeux Noël à toi et à ta famille, et tous mes meilleurs voeux pour 2015.

You too, Camille, a merry Christmas to you and your family, and my best wishes for 2015.

Joyeuses fêtes de fin d'année ! Happy Holidays!

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All the French holidays, traditions, and celebrations (by month)

• Post category: Facts and history / French Holidays
• Post author: Nassie Angadi

There are 11 public holidays in France. But there are a lot more French national holidays, celebrations, and traditions during the year that don’t necessarily come with a day off.

And having lived in Paris for over 10 years now, I’ve noticed that there is a particular rhythm dictated by the calendar to French people’s lives, much more so than we have in North America.

Whether it is a jour férié (meaning “public holiday” or “bank holiday”) or not, there are certain events in the french calendar that makes everyone sit up and take notice.

French people have a lot of holidays from work , and the kids have even more holidays than the adults. This means there are a lot of periods when everybody has more of a tendency to be on holiday than others.

And even if it isn’t a day off, there are plenty of other quirky French celebrations involving crêpes, parties with neighbors, festivals of music, etc. It is part of the culture and the fabric of French society .

And you combine that with each significant day having its own tradition, and you have the French way to celebrate, if you will. So let’s uncover the main French national events and holidays, shall we? Allons-y!

vi) La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc

Iii) carnival de nice, iv) sarlat fest’oie, iii) spring school holidays, v) fête des mères – mother’s day, iv) french open tennis tournament (roland garros), iv) le tour de france, iv) fête du jasmin in grasse, vi) montgolfières in rocamadour, vii) fêtes des sorcières, vii) salon du cheval de paris.

• viii) Réveillon du Nouvel An – New Year's Eve

1. Janvier – January

I) jour de l’an – new year’s day.

• Public holiday in France: Yes
• When: January 1st

Like the rest of Europe and the Anglo-saxon world, France follows the Gregorian calendar, meaning you get to go around at midnight on New Year’s eve wishing everybody Bonne Année and have a holiday.

French people will usually continue greeting people Bonne Année the first time they see them that year, even if they are deep into January. And along with Bonne Année , you can also add Bonne Santé , meaning “Good health”.

ii) Jour de l’Epiphanie – 3 Kings Day

• Public holiday: No
• When: First Sunday of the year

Three Kings day is not a public holiday but it is an important day in the French calendar. This is the day (or week) when French people get to pig out on a pastry from Brittany called the galette de roi.

The pastry usually has a tiny figurine called a  feuve  is hidden by the baker within the galette de roi, and the person who finds it is crowned King or Queen for the day.

iii) Winter Sales

You might think it is dreary to visit Paris in January , but the official Winter sales period ( les soldes d’hiver ) will start the 2nd week of January for four weeks. Who says there is nothing to celebrate in January?

It is a very busy time in stores, so be prepared to have your elbows out while shopping!

iv) Carnival de Limoux

It is the start of the carnival season in France with one of the oldest carnivals being held in Limoux in the Occitanie (near Toulouse and Carcassone ). It actually lasts 3 months from the end of December to the end of March /start of April .

v) Truffle Festival in Sarlat

Each year in mid-January, the town of Sarlat-la-Canéda  in the Dordogne region hosts a famous festival celebrating the truffle.

With music and festivities, along with markets selling fresh truffles and related artisanal products, you can learn everything from how to find and pick truffles to how to cook them.

La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc is an international sled dog race spanning 900 kilometres (560 miles) in French Alps in the former duchy of Savoy (around Chambéry ).

Over 50,000 visitors head over every year to enjoy the festivities that include everything from pistes de luge to building igloos. You can read more about visiting France in January here.

2. Février – February

I) la chandeleur – candlemas day.

• When: 2 February

Like on 3 Kings Day, Candlemas is another Catholic religious event and French celebration that isn’t a public holiday, but it is nonetheless important. And that’s because it is the day to invite your French family and friends over for crêpes .

This is not to say French people don’t eat crêpes all year long, but Chandeleur is a bit of a crêpe-athon. And while crêpes are not usually served on Valentine’s day , they are still ubiquitous all month long.

☞ READ MORE: Crêpe Suzette: To Flambée or not to Flambée?

ii) Winter School Holidays

School is off for 2 weeks all across France at the end of February, beginning of March. The weeks are staggered based on the zone that the region falls into.

Two weeks off of school that means that it is time for the requisite family ski holiday! If you do plan on coming to the French Alps to ski, I recommend checking when the school holidays are and planning the best time to hit the slopes .

If you are not a skier, not to worry, there are plenty of other places to visit in France in winter . You can read more about visiting France in February here.

The Carnival de Nice is the biggest carnival in France , held over two weeks in February and March . Located on the French Riviera , the parade features the city’s boardwalk Promenade des Anglais prominently. There are several events across Mardi Gras in the downtown of Nice , with the biggest highlights being:

• Carnival Parade – held during the daytime with large floats, dancers, acrobats, confetti and more
• Carnival Parade of lights – in the evening with large illuminated floats, visual animations of big screens, and fireworks
• Flower parade and the “battle of the flowers” – large floats covered with flowers and costumes models throwing flowers into the crowds.

The original parade dates back to 1873, with the flower parades being added on in 1876. You can read more facts about Nice here.

3. Mars – March

I) fête des grands-mères – grandmother’s day.

• When: 1st Sunday in March

Unlike North America which celebrates both grandparents together in September, in France, Grandmother’s day is in March, while Grandfather’s day is in October. It was a holiday created in 1987 for commercial purposes by the coffee brand Grand’Mère , but nevertheless French people do oblige by sending Mamie a bouquet of flowers.

The usual flowers offered are those in season such as the lys or tulips, usually in white or pink. Avoid yellow or red as those colors are meant to signify passion. You can read more about France in March here.

ii) Mardi Gras in Nice and Menton

The Carnival de Nice is the biggest carnival in France , held over two weeks in February and March . Located on the French Riviera, the parade features the city’s boardwalk Promenade des Anglais, with floats, bands and music over several days.

Another famous carnival in France at around the same time is the Fête du Citron (Festival of the lemon) in Menton and is to mark the end of winter. With floats made out of lemons and a party atmosphere, this festival attracts over 200,000 people a year.

The festival dates back to 1875, and even Queen Victoria of the UK was known to have made a visit.

iii) Fêtes des Violettes

A few miles away from the coast in Provence is the small town of Tourrettes-Sur-Loup which is known for its violet confectionery and artisan shops.

Every March, this small medieval village has a big violet celebration, including farmers’ markets, parades, and even a battle of the flowers.

If you enjoy foie gras, head to Sarlat in the Dordogne where the first weekend of March a celebration of foie gras is held. Oie translates to goose in French.

With farmers’ markets selling foie gras, cooking demonstrations, and other workshops, the festival of foie gras is an interesting way to learn about this traditional French delicacy.

4. Avril – April

I) 1er avril – april fool’s day.

April fool’s day doesn’t have a special name in French; which is not to say that it is not celebrated. Known as “ 1er avril ” or “ premier avril “, it simply means the 1st of April.

Nonetheless, it is believed that the tradition of merriment on April Fool’s actually originated in France, when the French King Charles IX decided to move the start of the new year from the end of March, to the start of December.

Today, the favorite prank of French children for April fools is stick a “poisson d’avril”, meaning a paper fish, on the back of the person they are trying to prank. You can read more about April fools in France here.

ii) Lundi de Paques – Easter Monday

• When: Based on the Jewish calendar, Easter falls on the Sunday after the Passover full moon

While Good Friday is usually the public holiday in North America, in France it is Easter Monday . Only Alsace and Moselle have Good Friday off as well.

An interesting note is that there is no Easter Bunny in France. Lapin (rabbits) are considered a delicacy so it would be difficult to explain to your little Frenchie why you are eating that cute little rabbit who gave you some chocolate eggs.

It has been 6 weeks since the Winter school holidays, so time for school to be out for 2 weeks again!

No one has any idea what to do with the kids, so its off to the grandparents or the centre de loisirs (meaning “leisure center”). You can read more about France in April here.

5. Mai – May

With several public holidays in May, this is usually the month where the average French worker does the “ faire le pont “. Which is to say, if the public holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, they will take a vacation day on the Monday or Friday for an extra-long weekend.

Don’t expect to get too much work done in May, because 1/2 your co-workers will probably be on holiday.

i) Fête du premier mai – Labor day

• When: May 1st

Labor day in France is not in September, but in May. It is a public holiday, and in Paris you will see large demonstrations and protests by unionists for May Day . You can read more about employee benefits in France here.

Even large museums like the Louvre will be closed on May 1st so check on their website if you are planning a visit.

In addition, the muguet flower which is known in English as the lily of the valley, is traditionally offered in France at the start of May as a token of the coming spring and to bring good luck .

ii) Jour de la Victoire en Europe – Victory in Europe day

• When: May 8th

The end of World War II in Europe is an important holiday in France. With older generations still able to recount the wartime horrors in France , the day is marked with military memorials with foreign leaders.

iii) Jour de l’Ascension – Ascension Day

• When: Thursday, the fortieth day after Easter

It is the 3rd public holiday in May, so many people “faire le pont”, which is take a “bridge” vacation day to string together a longer holiday. If you are a business trying to get some work done in May, be prepared to have a good percentage of your coworkers on holiday.

iv) Fête des Voisins – Neighbors’ Day

• When: Last Friday in May

It is not a holiday, but an evening when you are supposed to get together with the neighbors in your building for a moment of conviviality. It is usually organized in potluck style, with everyone bringing a little something.

• When: Last Sunday in May, except if it conflicts with Pentecôte (decreed by French government

French people love their moms, too so it is Mother’s day ! The standard greeting to your French maman is Bonne fête Maman ! with flowers and/or some chocolates. You can read more about May in France here.

6. Juin – June

I) lundi de pentecôte – pentecost.

• When: 50 days after Easter

Another Catholic holiday, which is also called Whit Sunday in the U.K. In France it is mostly just a holiday in June to recover after all the May holidays, before the big summer vacation starts.

ii) Fête de la Musique – Festival of Music

• When: June 21st

It is not a public holiday, but it is a day to mark on the calendar nonetheless. All over France, and especially Paris will turn into a giant music street festival. Small bands, musicians, and just about anyone and everyone will take to a street corner to play their favorite hits.

The party goes on late into the night in Paris, so wear your walking shoes so that you can band hop with the locals.

iii) Summer sales

If you missed the soldes d’hiver (winter sales) back in January, have no fear, it is time for the soldes d’été ! The summer sales start in the last week of June and run for 4 weeks during the dog days of summer. You can read more about June in France here.

If you are in Paris, you can catch the final rounds of the Roland Garros French tennis open which began in late May and wraps up in early June.

The tournament is named after the French aviator Roland Garros, and is played at Stade Roland Garros near Bois de Boulogne in the 16th arrondissement of Paris .

7. Juillet – July

I) end of school.

Surprisingly, School in France doesn’t end until the 1st week in July, although older children (high school) have usually finished their annual exams and are in cruise control. There is not much that goes on in school after the end of June.

ii) 14 Juillet – Bastille Day

• When: 14th of July

Interestingly, the date of the French Revolution (in 1789) is simply called by its date, Quatorze Juillet , and not Bastille Day as anglophones call it. The term “Bastille day” doesn’t really mean anything to the French.

The day is usually marked in Paris by a giant military parade with tanks, military regiments, horses, etc. The President of France usually hosts a foreign leader and gives a speech proclaiming “ Vive la France! ” and with the playing of the national anthem .

The crowd favorite, however, is always the traditional flyover by the different types of aircraft in the French Air Force. (Note there are no celebrations around the actual Place de la Bastille. )

Pro-tip: You will usually hear them practicing overhead on July 13th, from over La Défense over to the Champs Elysées and back.

You can read more about how French people celebrate Bastille day here.

iii) Juilletiste – July holidaymaker

There are two types of people in France: the Juilletiste and the Aoûtien . Those who take their annual 3 weeks off in July, and those who do so in August.

If you are impatient, you take off July, when prices are slightly cheaper. Otherwise, you try to maximize your summer in the city, waiting for your August holidays. You can read more about July in France here.

The most prestigious bike race , the Tour de France starts on the 1st of July and runs all through the country. It starts at a different location every year and consists of 21 stages, each a day long, over the course of 23 days.

The final stage and grand finalé always in Paris, with the winner awarded the yellow jersey on the Avenue des Champs Elysées in front of cheering crowds.

8. Aout – August

I) jour de l’assomption – assumption day.

• Public Holiday in France: Yes
• When: 15 August

For Catholics, this is the day when the Virgin Mary goes to heaven. For most French people, it is a day off in the middle of August that doesn’t count against their work-vacation allotment.

It was  Napoleon Bonaparte  in 1802, who established these religious days as national holidays, one for each season:

• Ascension in spring (May)
• Assumption in summer (August)
• All Saints in autumn (November)
• Christmas in winter.

ii) Festival Interceltique in Lorient 

Every year the town of Lorient in Brittany has a festival owing to its Celtic past , that attracts over 700,000 festival-goers from all over Europe. The festival is usually held in the 2nd week of August, with Celtic music and marching bands on feature.

With plenty of good food and dancing, this is a real celebration of Gaul and Celtic culture in a land where the Breton celtic language is still spoken.

iii) Aoûtien – August Holidaymaker

It is the dog days of summer in France when most people take their 3 weeks off. (Remember, most places in France don’t have airconditioning .) Cities like Paris are empty, abandoned to the tourists.

If you are a July holidaymaker who has returned to work in August, you are expecting very slow days at work, where almost everything is at a standstill.

In addition, if you are in a larger city, you may find that outside the tourist places that are open, many of the restaurants and shops nearby are also on their annual holiday.

The perfume town of Grasse celebrates the Fête du Jasmin or La Jasminade every August , which is always fun to watch.

Decorated floats drive through the town, with people throwing flowers into the crowd. Garlands of jasmine decorate the town center, and there are also fireworks, parties, and street performers.

9. Septembre – September

I) jour de rentrée – back to school day.

• Public holiday: No *
• When: First Monday in September

The big day back to school ! And for adults to get back to the grindstone! If there are projects at work that you have been putting off all summer, you now have to get back to it. ( Read more about la Rentrée. )

* Note: The day itself is not a holiday, but most companies have negotiated with their union to provide the day off for parents of small children. French parents usually take the day off to drop their kids off school, (though you do not get 2 days off if you have 2 small children!)

ii) Journées du Patrimoine – Heritage Day

• Public Holiday: No
• When: 3rd weekend in September

This is not a day off, per se, but rather a weekend to go behind closed doors. Most major government buildings and institutions will open their doors to visitors all weekend long. Lines are usually long for favorites such as the Palais Elysées (official residence of the French President) , Assemblée Nationale , and the television studios of France 2 (the French equivalent of the BBC).

If you plan on going to any of the hotspots, be prepared to line up as early as 6am, if not earlier. You can read more about France in September here.

iii) Braderie de Lille (Lille flea market)

With over 10,000 exhibitors in the streets, the city of Lille in the north of France hosts the world’s largest flea market. It is usually held the first weekend of September, attracting millions of people every year.

It is believed that the first annual flea markets in Lille date back to 1127 and is a big festival in the city. With various stands, local foods, a half-marathon, and parties late into the night, there is something for everyone.

iv) Féria du Riz in Arles

If you enjoy a good paella, you will want to head to the Camargue and the city of Arles near the French-Spanish border . It is usually held in the 2nd week of September (as well as in April ) and is a bull-fighting festival that takes place to celebrate the rice harvest.

The rice used in a paella is a short grain rice that is grown in the department of the Camargue which has a strong Spanish influence.

v) Fête de la Gastronomie

A newer festival around France is the Fête de la Gastronomie . It is an initiative of the Ministry of Crafts, Trade and Tourism launched in 2011, and is celebrated in the last week of September.

It takes place throughout France and is meant to promote the French culinary heritage . Some smaller towns and villages will promote their local fares, but it has yet to catch on with restaurants in larger cities like Paris.

More common is local and artisan food markets that will hold special events to promote their produce. Lyon , which is considered the French capital of gastronomy, holds a street food festival with tastings, picnics and other festivities.

In the last weekend of September, a spectacular sight takes place in Rocamadour, a small clifftop village in south-central France .

Around 30 hot air balloons take flight over the valley to pay tribute to the inventors of the Montgolfières , the Montgolfier brothers who were from nearby Ardéche.

10. Octobre – October

I) fête des grands-pères.

• Public holiday : No
• When: 1st Sunday in October

The grandparents may not be celebrated together, but Grandfather’s day only dates back to 2008. Being a newer holiday, there is no particular tradition of gifts for Papy , so you can wish him as you please.

ii) Fall School holidays

School may have just started in September, but 6 weeks after the 1st day of school, it is school holidays again! Kids are off school for 2 weeks from the end of October to the start of November, depending on their region. Time for a fall holiday somewhere, if the parents can afford to take some time off.

French adults usually have on average 6-8 weeks holiday , but it is not enough to make off for all their kids’ school holidays. Time to send the kids to the centre de loisirs (leisure center) or call in the grandparents!

iii) Nuit Blanche in Paris

Inspired by the 1989, Helsinki’s Night of the Arts, Nuit Blanche in Paris is is a special event when art takes over the city. Every art gallery and museum is open until midnight or later and artists are invited to install their creations on the street for passersby and art lovers everywhere to admire.

Nuit blanche translates to “white night”, and is the French expression for the all-nighter. The French nuit blanche has now been exported to over 120 countries across the world.

iv) Fête de la Bière – Oktoberfest in Alsace

The region of Alsace has been fought over by France and Germany for centuries . It only finally became part of France after WWII. So it stands to reason that the region would keep some of its German traditions , among them being Oktoberfest.

It is held in Strasbourg and Colmar and various small villages in the area with large beer gardens with plenty of singing, sausages, and sauerkraut. You can also visit the Alsace wine route at the same time, which should just be wrapping up their yearly wine harvest .

v) Lumière Film festival in Lyon

Celebrating the Lumière brothers who invented the cinema as we know it, is the Lumière film festival that is held every October in Lyon.

While smaller than the Cannes and Deauville film festivals, it is still features hundreds of French and foreign films.

vi) Halloween

As I mentioned, Halloween on October 31st is not really celebrated in France. The 1st day of November, or All Saints’ day , is a public holiday however.

You will not see kids going door-to-door trick-or-treating. And even if they did, there would likely be no candy. French neighbors don’t stock up on candy on Oct 31st, so I know other North American moms who go and drop off little bags of candy at their neighbors to subsequently hand out.

There are a few small parties that are held among expat groups, but certainly not the big celebration that you would see in North America. You can read more about Halloween in France here.

These days, several cities in France celebrate the Fête des Sorcières , festival of witches towards the end of October. If you are interested in attending, the biggest ones are in:

• Lille (Haut de France)
• Chalindrey (Grand Est)
• Morbecque (Haut de France)
• Pennes Mirabeau (Provence)

You can read more about France in October here.

11. Novembre – November

I) la toussaint – all saints’ day.

• When: November 1st

Halloween on October 31st may not be celebrated in France , but its historical cousin All Saint’s day is.

Known as  Toussaint  in French, it is an occasion to remember the dead. Chrysanthemums are laid on gravestones of the dearly departed. (For those superstitious , these flowers are never offered to the living.)

ii) Jour anniversaire de l’Armistice – Armistice Day

• When: November 11th

The anniversary of the end of the First World War is marked with solemnity here in France. Having been invaded in both WWI and WWII, the day is a national holiday with remembrance services being held on the Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysées.

iii) Jour de Beaujolais Nouveau – Beaujolais Nouveau day

• Public Holiday in France: No
• When: 3rd Thursday of November

If you have been in Paris on the 3rd Thursday of November , you will have seen the signs announcing that the “ Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé! ” (meaning “the Beaujolais Nouveau has arrived”). One of the quirkier French celebrations, this one is all about the wine harvest .

The Beaujolais Nouveau is a young wine that doesn’t need to be aged, so local vineyards would race to press their grapes into wine and rush it up to Paris to be the 1st.

A marketing strategy but one that worked, because Beaujolais Nouveau is now celebrated in many other cities like London and New York as well.

iv) Fetes des Vins de Chablis

The village of chablis in the Bourgogne (Burgundy) festival has its annual festival to celebrate the chablis wine harvest in November. The chablis is a white wine made from the Chardonnay grape.

Local producers gather in the heart of the village to offer tastings and enter their wines in local competitions under a festive atmosphere.

v) Fête du Hareng in Normandy

If you like fish, several towns in Normandy like Dieppe, Fécamp, Tréport, and Saint-Valéry-en-Caux celebrate the Fête du Hareng (Herring festival) every November .

Considered the “King of Fish”, it is a big part of the culture and economy in Normandy. As the French history lesson goes, it was 1429 during the 100 year war. The city of Orleans was under attack and besieged by the English.

Somehow, the French managed to cut off the food supply wagons of herring destined for the invading English, and after a famous battle, managed to liberate the city. All because of the herring.

You can taste it in all its forms during the festival, but the classic version is herring marinated and grilled, with a little lemon or white wine.

vi) Festival de la Soie (Silk Festival) in Lyon

The city of Lyon used to be known for its silk industry, and this savoir faire is still celebrated with Festival de la Soie every November. Local exhibitors will present original and modern designs demonstrating their craftmanship and creativity.

The show attracts professionals and amateurs who wish to participate in demonstrations and learn about these age-old techniques.

Salon du Cheval de Paris (Paris Horse Show) is an annual event dedicated to horses and riding with over 450 exhibitors and 2,000 horses. The event occurs each November, gathering around 150,000 visitors over ten days.

You can read more about visiting France in November here.

12. Décembre – December

i) Fête des Lumières in Lyon

The festivities start in early December when the city of Lyon lights up its major landmarks with a magnificent festival of lights. Special shows with music and illuminations are held every night for 3 days in the 2nd week of December, attracting millions of visitors.

ii) Foire de la Saint André in Annecy

Held the first Tuesday of December in Annecy , the Fair of Saint Andre dates back over 5 centuries. More than 1,100 traders covering over 5km over the city set up shop, attracting tens of thousands of visitors.

iii) Réveillon de Noël – Christmas Eve

• When: December 24th

Schools are usually closed during this period (see school holidays below), but most businesses are open, with offices usually letting people off work at 3-4 pm. Traffic is usually quite crazy in the Greater Paris Area at this time.

iv) Jour de Noël – Christmas Day

• When: December 25th

France is a secular country, but Christmas is Christmas. There are many French Christmas traditions , but it is the traditional dinner that is the most important.

A French Christmas family dinner will on average lasts 4-5 hours. (Time measured by my own statistical study, of course.) It usually takes place on Christmas eve or Christmas day lunch and will feature everything from seafood to foie gras, several different types of wine and champagne, and much much more. Better have some stretchy pants handy!

☞ READ MORE: Top French Christmas carols that will fill you with some festive spirit

Note: there is no Boxing Day in France on December 26th because as mentioned above, the official Winter sales period ( les soldes d’hiver ) will start the 2nd week of January.

v) Marché de Noël

If you live in France, you know Christmas is coming once you start seeing the booths being installed in your town or neighborhood.

The most famous Marché de Noël in France is the one in Strasbourg , but the one next to the Champs Elysées in Paris is not too shabby either.

With small rides, Christmas trees for sale, and everything from cheese , meats, lavender products , and any other artisanal product you can think of, these little Christmas markets will put a smile on anyone’s face.

Enjoy a raclette cheese sandwich and a vin chaud (or a non-alcoholic version ) while you do your Christmas shopping. You will also find many towns setting up small ice skating rinks outdoors over the holiday season, which are usually offered for free to small children.

vi) Festive Shop windows

Many of the large department stores, especially the ones in Paris , will have elaborate festive windows that are sure to please young and old. Shops like Galerie Lafayette and Printemps in Paris are known for their custom holiday windows, and it does get quite crowded with children.

Special Christmas offers are sometimes also on display, although the big sale season is usually in January .

vii) Christmas School holidays

Well it is Christmas and New Year, so time to give everybody some time off! The last week of December and 1st week of January (2 weeks) are usually off for all school children.

Time for more help from the grandparents. You can read more about December in France here.

viii) Réveillon du Nouvel An – New Year’s Eve

• When: December 31st

New Year’s eve is also known as la Saint-Sylvestre after Pope Sylvestre I. For most local Parisians, the tendency is to go to someone’s house for a party rather than go on the Champs Elysées (which is reserved for tourists), or an expensive dinner out.

Note: There are no fireworks at the Eiffel Tower , the festivities are on the Champs Elysées. So go for an apéro-style drinks and dinner with friends, and then counting down late into the night… It is New Year’s Eve, baby!

How to say “Holiday” in French?

The word for public holiday is “ Jour Férié ” meaning “day off”.

How to say “Happy Holidays” in French”?

To generally wish someone “happy holidays” when they are going off on vacation, the phrase in French is “ Bonne Vacances “. However, if you are saying “happy holidays” to wish someone for the Christmas holidays, then the phrase in French is “ Joyeuses fêtes “.

So are you feeling festive yet, after all those French celebrations? If you enjoyed this article, you may want to read more about the French revolutionary calendar . (Hint: the French tried to make a week include 10 days instead of 7, and 3 weeks in a month instead of 4. You can guess how it turned out.) A bientôt!

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Public holidays and national celebrations in France

January 1  –  Jour de l’An –  New Year’s Day

New Year’s Eve and publich holiday New Year’s Day are generally celebrated with friends and family.

January 6 –  Epiphanie: Fête des Rois  – Epiphany: Feast of the Kings

It is a tradition is to serve a special cake called “ une galette des rois ” which contains une fève (usually a porcelain figurine). The person who finds the hidden fève in their serving is named king or queen for the day and wears the paper crown sold with the galette. This day, held on 6th January, commemorates the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child.

February 2 –  La Chandeleur – Candlemas

A day when traditionally crèpes are eaten, believed to have religious origins. Read more about La Chandeleur .

February 14 –  La Saint Valentin – Valentine’s Day

This is the day for lovers – cards, flowers or small presents are shared with a special person. Read more about Valentine’s Day in France .

April 1 – Poisson d’Avri l – April Fool’s Day

Practical jokes mark this day and Poisson d’avril is the expression shared following a successful tease. One explanation for this day is April 1 marks the opening day of fishing season, which was considered a bit of a joke as very few fish were to be caught so early in the season. Like the fishermen of old who attempted to catch the elusive fish, now it is customary to try to catch friends in a joke. Some say that another reason for the term poisson was a corruption of the word “passion” referring to the Easter season.

March or April – Pâques – Easter Sunday

The Christian holiday to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. A special dinner is served with a traditional dinner of lamb and chocolate ( recipe for mousse au choclat with  mini eggs ) is customarily given. Read more about Easter customs in France .

March or April – Le lundi de Pâques – Easter Monday

The day following Easter is a public holiday in France and time to eat your chocolate!

May 1 –  Fête du Travail  – Labor Day and May Day

A national holiday designated as Fête du Travail – International Labor Day. It is also May Day and includes a custom to present un brin de mugue t (stem of lilies of the valley) to loved ones to bring them good luck and happiness (porter du bonheur). Read more about the Brin de Muguet.

April or May – Jour de l’Ascension – Ascension Thursday

Held 40 days after Easter to commemorate Christ’s ascension to heaven. Note this is a changeable Public Holiday.

May 8 –  Jour de la Victoire 1945 – WWII Victory Day 1945

A public holiday which celebrates the end of World War II in Europe.

May or June –  Pentecôte – Pentecost Sunday

Held 50 days after Easter in memory of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles. Note this is a changeable Public Holiday.

May or June –  Lundi de Pentecôte – Whit Monday

In 2005, the French Parliament voted to remove this holiday from the official list of public holidays. However, as a response to widespread opposition to the change, some employers retained the day as a holiday for staff. As a compromise, the government designated June 5 as a national school holiday.

May 30 – Fête des Mêres – Mother’s Day

The day to celebrate mothers everywhere in France, chocolates and flowers are the main choice for gifts.

May –  Nuits des Musées – European Night of Museums

All over France thousands of museums open their doors for one night in an exceptional free opening to the public on the Saturday closest to 18 May.  Many of the venues put on music, theatre, games, films and cuisine to tempt the public to venture out in the dead of night and enjoy the collection in a way not normally available. Read more about the Nuits des Musées .

June 20 – Fête des Pères – Father’s Day

Fathers in France are celebrated.

June 21 – Fête de la Musique – Music Festival

A celebration of the longest day of the year (first day of summer). Musicians of all sorts, both professional and amateur, line the streets of Paris and cities, towns and villages all over France to entertain enthusiastic crowds until near dawn with the joyous Fête de la Musique .

July 14 – Fête National – Bastille Day

A national holiday that commemorates the storming of the Bastille during the French Revolution in 1789. An impressive military parade down the Champs Elysées and firework displays highlight this holiday. Street dances or Bals des Pompiers are hosted at fire stations by local firemen. Every town in France will celebrate Bastille Day .

August 15 –  L’Assomption – Assumption of Virgin Mary

A public holiday to honour the assumption of the Blessed Mother Mary into heaven.

September –  France Gourmet Week

All over France for a whole week restaurants will put on a grand show with special prices showcasing the best of their regions produce.

September –  Journées Européennes du Patrimoine – European Heritage Days

Hundreds of historical buildings, famous monuments, Government sites and places of interest – some of which are normally closed to the public, open their doors and welcome in visitors. Read more about Journées Européennes du Patrimoine .

November 1 –  La Toussaint – All Saint’s Day

Public holiday to honour all saints and a day to remember the souls of the dead. A French tradition is to place chrysanthemums on the graves of departed relatives. Read more about La Toussaint .

November 11 – Jour l’Armistice – Armistice Day (1918)

This national holiday celebrates the end of World War I in Europe, many towns in France will hold services of remembrance.

November –  Beaujolais Nouveau – Festival of new wine

The new harvest of Beaujolais wine is celebrated on the third Thursday of November, released at the stroke of midnight!

December 25 –  Noël – Christmas Day

This national holiday begins the evening before with the réveillon de Noel (Christmas Eve) meal and a visit by le Père Noe l (Santa Claus) during the night who leaves presents under the Christmas tree – though he apparently has been known to smack naughty children in France!

December 31 – La Nuit de la Saint Sylvestre – New Year’s Eve

The feast day of Saint Sylvestre includes a festive celebration spent with friends at home or in a favourite restaurant. A kiss under the mistletoe is shared at the stroke of midnight.

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Noël en France - Christmas in France

How is Christmas celebrated in France? How are Christmas Eve and Christmas Day different in France than in the US or UK? Our bilingual article - with audio! - has everything you need to know - just click any phrase to see the English translation as well as links to lessons on the relevant French grammar.

Christmas Links

• French Advent calendar
• Un conte de Noël (A Christmas Carol)
• Bûche de Noël : recette
• Conseils pratiques pour profiter des marchés de Noël
• Decorating the Christmas tree in French
• French Christmas vocabulary
• Kwiziq interactive readers are great way to practice your reading skills without getting lost. Click on any phrase for the English translation and related French grammar lessons , that you can study now or add to your Notebook." data-tooltip-theme="tooltipster-generic" data-tooltip-interactive="true">What's this?
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1 Sur la Côte d'Amour

This section on summer holidays in France starts with a video sequence showing a typical beach scene from a French resort on the Atlantic coast. As well as finding out a little about the history of holiday-making in France, we hear present-day holiday-makers describing the advantages and disadvantages of a popular beach. A number of people then explain how much holiday they take and when they can take it. Finally we explore current trends and investigate how popular foreign holidays are among the French.

The video was shot partly in the Pays de la Loire region in the west of France and partly in Paris. In the first sequence we see an area that is particularly popular with the people of Nantes ( les Nantais ), namely the beaches around La Baule on the Atlantic coast to the west of the city. Like all coastal areas of France, this one has a name: la Côte d'Amour.

The opening video sequence uses archive and contemporary footage to show some of the ways in which the coast is used for leisure activities. It also traces a little of the history of holiday-making in France. Various people explain to us why they like the Batz-sur-Mer beach, or why they don't.

View the following video

Activité 2, Sur la Côte d'Amour

Transcript: Sur la Côte d'Amour

Key point 1: using visual clues.

When learning a language, it is important to be aware of visual clues. They often help you understand the context: for example, a shrug of the shoulders may indicate indifference or resignation, even if the words seem neutral. They can indeed give an idea as to the language the speaker may be using. They may also help your visual memory: you'll probably remember words and phrases better if you associate them with images. So, we begin with an exercise in visual concentration.

Warning signs on the beach

Pour vous aider

salariés workers, wage-earners (remember that French uses the masculine plural to embrace both sexes)

congés payés (m.pl.) paid holiday/leave

au moins at least

d'après according to

toute la journée the whole day

surveiller to keep an eye on

pas tellement/pas trop not very much

pas mal de (informal) quite a lot of

Grammar Point 1 Using ‘de’ in expressions of quantity

The word de is used in expressions of quantity (including negative quantities such as pas de ), whether the noun that follows is singular or plural.

trop de vent too much wind

beaucoup trop de monde far too many people

pas assez de temps not enough time

pas tellement d' amis not that many friends

plus de six semaines de congé more than six weeks' leave

moins de jeux fewer games

pas de glaces à la vanille no vanilla ice cream

énormément d' argent lots of money

un tas de mouches (informal) loads of flies

pas mal d' algues (informal) quite a lot of seaweed

des centaines de vacanciers hundreds of holiday-makers

But note the use of des with the expressions la plupart and la majeure partie when followed by a noun in the plural:

la plupart des Français most French people

la majeure partie des commerçants most shopkeepers

The suffix -aine indicates approximate quantities, except for (demi-)douzaine which may mean exactly (six) or twelve.

Hier, j'ai planté une dizaine de rosiers dans mon jardin.

Yesterday I planted around ten rose bushes in my garden.

Je vais passer une quinzaine de jours à Paris.

I'm going to spend a fortnight in Paris.

J'ai appelé une trentaine de campings, mais ils sont tous complets.

I phoned about thirty campsites, but they're all full.

Je connais une demi-douzaine de personnes ici, c'est tout.

I know about half a dozen people here, that's all.

Je voudrais une douzaine d' œufs, s'il vous plaît.

I'd like a dozen eggs please.

Key point 2: Learning phrases

We suggest that you learn the examples given. Here are two suggested methods to help you do this.

Where there is an English translation, cover up the French and try to translate the English back into French. Check as you go along. Then reverse the process.

Close your book and, from memory, write out all the examples in French on a piece of paper. Then look at your book in order to check back.

As you progress through studing a language, why not collect examples in a notebook for each grammar rule and make up some of your own too, using the new vocabulary that you have learned? Share these examples with other students.

Activité 3.1

1 Lisez les deux cartes postales écrites par Valérie et trouvez les dix adjectifs qui montrent qu'elle aime beaucoup cette station balnéaire.

Two postcards

pratique convenient

toutes mes amitiés all the very best

l'eau est bonne the sea is at a pleasant temperature

bonjour à say hello to

grosses bises (informal) lots of love (literally ‘big kisses’, used for family and close friends only)

The adjectives showing enthusiasm are: superbe, magnifique, pratique, merveilleux; joli, belle, beau, bonne, délicieux, idéales.

Activité 3.2

2 Le mari de Valérie n'est pas aussi enthousiaste qu'elle. Il écrit à un de ses collègues de bureau. Les mots ou expressions qui manquent dans le texte de sa carte postale sont donnés avec l'illustration de ce qui se passe à la plage pour vous aider.

Ce sont nos derniers jours de vacances. Valérie et les enfants sont tristes, mais moi je suis vraiment (a) __________ de rentrer à la maison! Je n'aime (b) __________ cette plage: il y a (c) __________ de (d) __________, trop (e) __________ sur la plage, beaucoup trop de (f) __________ (oh là là, les enfants et les transistors!) et il n'y a (g) __________ de vent pour faire de la planche à voile. Et puis, il (h) __________ trop (i) __________ : 36 degrés à l'ombre! Ah, la clim au bureau!

la clim air conditioning (short for climatisation )

à bientôt see you soon

Below are the words you should fit in the spaces:

pas tellement • mécontent • algues • mouches • vent • de monde • fait • pas assez • glaces • gens • froid • bruit • dauphins • bronzé • trop de • des centaines • chaud • différent • surveille • content

A busy beach scene with lots of people annoying Marc

Ce sont nos derniers jours de vacances. Valérie et les enfants sont tristes, mais moi je suis vraiment (a) content de rentrer à la maison! Je n'aime (b) pas tellement cette plage: il y a (c) des centaines de (d) mouches, trop (e) de monde sur la plage, beaucoup trop de (f) bruit (oh là là, les enfants et les transistors!) et il n'y a (g) pas assez de vent pour faire de la planche à voile. Et puis, il (h) fait trop (i) chaud: 36 degrés à l'ombre! Ah, la clim au bureau!

Grammar Point 2 Writing an informal letter or postcard

When you are writing to someone it is important to use the appropriate opening and closing phrases. These vary according to who you are writing to.

Make sure that there is agreement (in gender and number) between cher and the name or names that follow.

And you can of course add a message to someone else:

Meilleurs souvenirs à/Bien des choses à…

Kindest regards to…

Say hello to…

We suggest you start a section in a notebook devoted to letterwriting, in which you could record these and other examples of opening and closing phrases as you come across them (for instance when you get a postcard or letter from a French-speaking friend). If you have a dictionary which has a 'Language in Use'; or 'Communicative Grammar' section you will also find more examples there.

Would you like to spend your own holiday on the beach featured on the video? Activity 4 gives you the chance to express your views in writing and to revise the expressions you have met so far in this section. You will also be listening to some audio materials for the first time.

You will be

Looking at the advantages and disadvantages of a seaside resort

Expressing an opinion

Using 'de' in expressions of quantity

Writing an informal postcard

Activité 4 EXTRAIT 1

1 Relisez les activités 1 à 3 et trouvez les expressions qui décrivent:

les avantages et les inconvénients d'une station balnéaire;

les réactions personnelles des gens.

Notez-les dans votre Carnet. Par exemple:

2 Écoutez le premier extrait. Imaginez que vous êtes en vacances sur la Côte d'Amour. Écoutez bien tout: les voix et les bruits. Ensuite, écrivez une carte postale d'environ quatre-vingts mots à un(e) ami(e). Vous devez:

expliquer les avantages et les inconvénients de votre station balnéaire;

donner vos réactions (positives et/ou négatives);

utiliser quelques expressions de quantité;

utiliser les formules correctes pour commencer et terminer le texte de votre carte.

Base yourself on the three examples of postcards you have seen above. You can use phrases from the lists you compiled in step 1.

Audio Track 1

Transcript: Audio Track 1

Art & Culture Travel Blog

My travel diary: three days in paris.

• Tea Gudek Šnajdar

Paris is one of my favourite cities!

I’m so in love with its museums, French cuisine and the city’s vibe. I’m pretty lucky Paris is only three hours away by train from Amsterdam. So, I’m there quite often. However, recently, I was in Paris for the first time on a solo trip. It was a mix of business and personal trips, so I had enough time to enjoy the city during my short trip. Well, here is my travel diary with things I did during my three days in Paris.

Three days in Paris

Day one – fashionable paris.

This post contains some affiliate links.

I caught an early train from Amsterdam and was in Paris already at 10 am, soI had the whole day to explore the city. It was a rainy, grey Monday morning, and I felt like I was the only person in the city. Paris is usually packed with tourists, but its streets were almost empty this time. I had a feeling like I travelled to some different time when it was only the city of Parisians and a few travellers.

And I was one of those travellers… Explorers… Having the city only for myself.

⤷ Read more : Beginners’ art & culture guide to Paris

Palais Garnier & Coco Chanel

I took a walk from the Jardin du Luxembourg, where my hotel was located, towards the Seine River, Louvre and Palais Garnier.

Before my trip, I read Christina Henry de Tessan’s book ‘Forever Paris’ . She created several self-guided tours around Paris through which travellers could follow in the footsteps of some famous people that used to live there.

I decided to follow the life of Coco Chanel. My tour started in front of the Opera Garnier, from where I continued wandering around the neighbourhood. I’ve passed next to the first Chanel store, one of the apartments the famous designer used to live in and next to the place where she used to have her morning coffee.

There is something special in reading about someone’s life and then strolling the streets where that person lived. Somehow, I could almost see Coco Chanel rushing through the small side streets from her apartment to the office with some new fashion drawings under her arm.

⤷ TIP : When in Paris next time, explore Opera Garnier! It’s a beautiful building, and you can learn a lot about it with this self-guided tour around it .

Marais, street art & vintage shops

My first day in Paris was reserved for immersing in Parisian fashion. I had a nice and delicious lunch in one of the restaurants with a view of the Opera Garnier. And decided to spend my afternoon exploring some famous vintage shops in the Marais neighbourhood. I’ve never spent much time in that area, and it was such a  pleasant surprise. I loved its picturesque streets filled with small cute stores, cafes and restaurants. The whole area has such a relaxed vibe.

It’s filled with street and I loved spotting it all around me. I didn’t have enough time to join some of the street art tours this time, but would definitely like to do that on one of my future trips to Paris.

Marais is well known for some of the best vintage stores in Paris. You never know what you’ll find in them – Dior earrings or some other gem from the 1980s. Well, I wasn’t so lucky… But, I definitely enjoyed visiting them, checking the clothes they have and talking with other shoppers (who were some of the coolest people I’ve met in Paris).

I felt a bit sick that day, so I returned to my hotel early. I got myself a nice cup of hot tea and went to sleep.

⤷ Read more : Check out my post about exploring Paris like a local for more ideas about things to do and see in Marais.

Day two – Impressionists’ Paris

Looking for impressionists at montmartre.

When I woke up the following day, I was feeling much better. So, after breakfast in a restaurant close to my hotel, I was ready for some sightseeing again. Day two was reserved for learning more about and exploring the French Impressionism in Paris. It’s one of my favourite painting styles, and I am in love with that time, the bohemian lifestyle and the culture at the end of the 19th century.

⤷ Read more : Impressionists in Paris

I decided to take a tour around the Montmartre neighbourhood and learn more about the Impressionist painters that used to live and work there. I met my guide below the Sacré-Coeur Church, and we went to Montmartre, where he showed me some places important for the Impressionist movement in Paris.

When we left the most popular area of Montmartre behind us, some streets and houses still looked the same as they did at the end of the 19th century. I could almost imagine carriages strolling through those streets and music coming from the small cabarets.

The most special place for me was the house where Vincent and Theo van Gogh lived together during the two years Vincent spent in Paris. The painting Van Gogh painted while looking through the window of that apartment is displayed in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam . I know the painting so well, and once standing there, the place almost felt familiar to me.

⤷ Read more : Locations linked to Vincent van Gogh in Paris

Musée d’Orsay

After a short break and some tarte tatin , I went to the Musée d’Orsay. That’s THE museum to visit if you want to see some of the most famous modern paintings. And it’s home to one of the best Impressionist collections in Paris.

⤷ Read more : Impressionists at Musée d’Orsay

The building in which the museum is located is a piece of art and history itself. It was built as a train station at the end of the 19th century and later converted into a museum. Visiting it will provide you with a fantastic combination of industrial architecture and a modern art collection.

⤷ TIP : To avoid queueing in front of the museum and waiting to get in, buy your Musée d’Orsay online ticket before your visit.

Musée Marmottan Monet

My guide gave me an excellent recommendation for a lovely little restaurant close to the Musée d’Orsay, called Les Antiquaires. After a delicious lunch there, I went to another museum with one of the best collections of Impressionists’ paintings in Paris – Musée Marmottan Monet.

⤷ Read more : What to see at the Musée Marmottan – Monet in Paris

I visited it a few years ago on a student trip and have wanted to return since. The museum has a beautiful collection of one of the best female Impressionists – Berthe Morisot. And the most extensive collection of  artworks made by Claude Monet . It’s not a busy museum, so there is a lot of space to enjoy some of the masterpieces of Impressionism in peace and quiet. I’m always wondering why everyone is rushing to see Mona Lisa, while there are many beautiful museums around the city, like this one.

After this trip to Paris, I’m even more in love with Impressionism than before. If the hygiene level were just a bit higher, I would love to live during that time. I would be an art dealer and go on little trips to nature to paint with Monet and Renoir. Oh, those sweet dreams…

⤷ TIP : Here is the online ticket for Musée Marmottan – Monet

⤷ Read more : Best museums in Paris

Day three – Modernist Paris

My last day in Paris started with one of the best breakfasts and the most amazing coffees I have ever tried. I had breakfast at a charming restaurant, Carette, located close to Trocadero. I’m sure it will become my new favourite place in Paris.

Since I have been to Paris many times, I know the city quite well. However, there was a part I was always kind of missing – the Modernist Paris. It played an essential role in shaping the city – Art Nouveau metro entrances and Eiffel Tower are just the most famous examples of architecture from that time.

To learn more about it, I decided to join a walking tour called the ‘Modernist Architecture’. During the tour, we explored some of the modernist buildings, learnt about the movement and visited Foundation Le Corbusier and the modern architecture exhibition in the Palais de Chaillot ( here is the online ticket for it ). It was so interesting to see how the Modernist movement shaped the way we are living today.

After the tour and a quick lunch, it was time to catch a train back to Amsterdam. My three days in Paris were dedicated to art, mostly Impressionism and modern architecture. I also tried to learn more about some of its famous former citizens like Monet, Renoir, Cezanne and Coco Chanel.

However, once again, I have realised solo travel isn’t bad. And that French are some of the nicest people out there, who know how to cook well and enjoy life. Well, maybe my next visit should be dedicated to learning how to enjoy life like a Parisian.

Au revoir!  Until the next time, my dear city!

⤷ TIP : If you plan to visit Paris and some of its cultural sites, consider buying Paris City Card. You’ll get free or discounted entrance to many of them with it. Here is the link with more info about it .

france , impressionism , paris , solo traveling , Travel diary

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Telling your holidays in French

Drrriiiiiiing !!!

It is the start of the new school year, students and learners of French are back to lessons! 

How to restart the brain gently? Telling your holidays in French is an excellent back to school exercise to keep your mind on vacation a little longer.

Vacances Actives gives you the right tips to make the start of the new school year a pleasant one that refreshes your French as a Foreign Language (FFL) skills and stimulates exchanges!

Recounting  one’s holidays: a complete linguistic exercise

Holidays, a good subject to create an exchange and integrate.

At the start of the school year, the first lessons of the year can impress students and it is important to facilitate dialogue between them . Whether a learner is shy or not, speaking is never an easy exercise in a new group whose members you don’t know. And the task falls to the teacher to stimulate the pupils and to encourage them to speak. Recounting your holidays in French is an excellent “ice breaker” : in turn, or as part of a two-person dialogue, the pupils share their experience and describe their holiday destination. Travel, sport, leisure, geography: so many subjects that allow students and teachers to find common points and perfect topics of conversation to facilitate their integration.

A story that mobilizes a lot of knowledge in French

“En juillet, je partis à Nice et j’ai allé à la mer”. ( = with mistakes :“In July, I left for Nice and I went to the sea”. )

Coming back from vacation can be hard for the learner’s brain. We will not hold it against him, these mistakes are very common!

First of all, recounting one’s vacation requires using the concordance of times from the past. Here is an opportunity to work on the conjugation and use of the past tense, simple and imperfect past. This exercise is not suitable for all language levels, but it can be adapted with a simplified version, using only the past tense. Here is a good introduction to discover this grammatical tense, if it is on the program for the year.  

Also, recounting one’s holidays is an opportunity to express one’s preferences, feelings and emotions . ‘I liked, I preferred, I loved, I regretted, I hated…” : so many personal formulas to testify to a moment or a pleasant or not pleasant activity. This exercise opens up many possibilities for discussion. And for those who have not had the chance to go on a trip, the exchange can be oriented towards the wish, the future desire to discover a destination, or to do a particular activity. 

Describing one’s holidays: a wide range of vocabulary

The description exercise is an effective way to mobilize a lot of French vocabulary words . Many lexical fields can be used, depending on the activities and the destination in question. It is a good idea to provide students with vocabulary sheets to help them describe their vacation. The sea, the mountains, the countryside, sport, leisure, transport, accommodation, weather, geography, etc. are among the main themes that can be used for this exercise. 

In particular, very dense vocabulary supports can be found on the site: https://www.lepointdufle.net/pseigner/lexique_vacances-fiches-pedagogiques.htm#h

Exercise materials to tell about one’s holidays in French

Orally: a set of questions relating to the holidays.

In pairs or in the form of a group forum, the exercise which consists of recounting one’s holidays can be easily set up with a set of questions . It is true that at the resumption of lessons, learners generally have difficulty finding their words and developing a speech in front of others. It is up to the teacher to guide them through a framework of dialogue:

• Did you go on vacation this summer? 
• Where did you go? 
• At what period? How long ? 
• With whom did you go)? 
• How did you spend your time? What activities? What visits have you made? 
• Have you had any meetings? (a question open to several interpretations!)
• Did you speak French during the holidays? 
• What do you plan to do for the next vacation?

If the speaking is still too timid and the students are not very verbose on the subject, then an ultimate exercise can help them. The idea is to ask them to identify which student in the group has had a vacation most like theirs ! As a result, the pupils question the others in the form of a game and discover a maximum of common points. A good way to untie tongues.

In writing: essay or travel diary

For higher French as a foreign Language (FFL) levels, it is interesting to work on written expression on this question. In writing, an essay for example, the story of the holidays can be developed further but the exercise will lose its interactive and playful side. 

On the other hand, to tell their vacation, students can rely on their travel diary. This can be used as “summer homework”. The travel journal is a very effective activity for working on students’ written expression and creativity. We have devoted a generous article to it with tips and suggestions: Create your linguistic travel diary. Some teachers go so far as to organize contests within the class!

The postcard exercise

Writing a postcard is a tradition that is being lost… It is an opportunity to revive it and to suggest that the pupils tell their holidays in French in a reduced format. It only takes a few minutes for learners to address the postcard to the person of their choice.   This approach is well suited to the first levels of FLE: it allows students to give a synthetic account of their adventures. Borrowing in the telegraphic style or with a more literary tone, they use a few well-chosen words to quickly describe the destination and give their impressions. 

The teacher can play the game to the end by printing a nice photo in the appropriate format to illustrate the vacation destinations of his students, or provide a set of ready-to-use postcards!

Tell your holiday stories on Instagram !

Why not do this exercise on social media? Teachers, you can create an Instagram account dedicated to your class, and start the exercise. Students should choose and post a photo and then write a clear description. Destination, anecdotes, exciting visits… The end result: an aesthetic and complete picture illustrating the holidays for the whole FFL class, to show and share!

Summer peregrinations are an excellent topic of conversation and story to mobilize knowledge and develop French vocabulary. 

The exercise can very well be applied when returning from a language study trip, where each of the learners will share an anecdote or an opinion on the trip made. 

So many good ideas to encourage travel and learning French!

Visit France during the Paris Olympics in 2024

Carnivals in provence, new year in france: traditional celebrations or something special , privacy overview.

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50+ Important French Vacation Words and Phrases (With Audio)

Whether you enjoy the feel of seawater and hot sand or the crisp mountain air, there’s nothing like a relaxing vacation.

However you choose to vacation, wouldn’t you love to do it all in French?

Here are 50+ useful French vacation vocabulary words and phrases , with example sentences so you can use them correctly in context.

So grab that passport and let’s get started!

French Vacation Vocabulary for a Smooth Trip

Talking about vacation plans, vacation accommodation, modes of transport, vacation activities, tips to learn vacation vocabulary, drill flashcards before your trip, visualize the vocabulary, watch authentic french videos, start using the words in your own sentences, and one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

This topic will require you to get comfortable with some basic interrogatives in French .

Common questions and answers

• où ? (where?)
• quand ? (when?)
• avec qui ? (with whom?)
• Comment voyages-tu ? (How are you traveling?)
• Je vais au / à la…  (I’m going to…)
• pendant (during)

Vacation seasons

• les vacances de Noël ( Christmas vacation )
• les vacances d’été ( summer vacation , also known as les grandes vacances )
• les vacances d’hiver ( winter vacation )
• les vacances de printemps ( spring vacation )
• les vacances de la Toussaint ( fall vacation ; All Saints)

Example sentences

Où vas-tu en vacances ? (Where are you going on vacation?)

Je vais à la plage / à la montagne / à l’étranger. (I’m going to the beach/to the mountains/overseas.)

Quand iras-tu en vacances ? (When will you go on vacation?)

Je voyagerai pendant les vacances d’été. (I will travel during the summer vacation.)

Avec qui allez-vous voyager / vas-tu voyager ? (Who are you going to travel with?)

Places people stay on vacation

• un hôtel (a hotel)
• une auberge de jeunesse (a youth hostel)
• un club de vacances (a resort)
• un camping (a camping ground)
• un appartement (an apartment)
• un gîte (a holiday home/cottage)
• une chambre d’hôtes (a bed and breakfast)

Phrases for making a reservation

• Je voudrais une chambre (I would like a room…)
• salle de bains (bathroom)
• pour une / deux / trois / quatre personnes   (for one/two/three/four people)
• du… au… (from [date] to [date])

Je voudrais une chambre pour deux personnes avec salle de bains du 5 août au 12 août. (I would like a room for two with a bathroom from August 5 to August 12.)

Pour mes vacances, je vais loger dans un hôtel. (For my vacation I am going to stay in a hotel.)

Je logerai dans une auberge de jeunesse. (I will stay in a youth hostel.)

L’année dernière, j’ai logé dans un camping. (Last year, I stayed in a camping ground.)

Getting to your destination

• en avion (by plane)
• l’aéroport (airport)
• en bateau (by boat)
• en train (by train)
• la gare (the station)
• le billet (the ticket)
• aller-retour (round trip)

Getting around your vacation spot

• en métro (by subway)
• en bus (by bus) 
• en taxi (by taxi)
• à pied (on foot)

Comment vas-tu en Belgique ? En avion ou en train ? (How are you going to Belgium? By plane or by train ?)

Où est l’aéroport, s’il vous plaît ? (Where is the airport, please?)

Je cherche la gare. (I am looking for the train station .)

À quelle heure est le départ de l’avion ? (What time does the plane leave?)

Combien coûte le billet pour Nice ? (How much does the ticket to Nice cost?)

Je voudrais un aller-retour pour le train qui va à Marseille. (I would like a return ticket on the train going to Marseille.)

This topic is a great opportunity to pick up common French nouns and verbs . There are hundreds of activities that you can add to your vocabulary list. Some common ones include:

• faire de la planche à voile (to windsurf)
• faire du lèche-vitrine (to go window-shopping )
• bronzer (to suntan)
• aller au restaurant (to go to the restaurant)
• nager (to swim)
• faire du ski (to ski)
• faire une randonnée (to go hiking)
• faire du vélo (to cycle)
• visiter des monuments / des musées (to visit monuments/museums)
• participer à une visite guidée (to join a guided tour)

Try to use this vocabulary with different tenses!

Aujourd’hui, je voudrais aller à la plage pour bronzer. (Today, I would like to go to the beach to suntan.)

Hier, je suis allé(e) faire du vélo en montagne. (Yesterday, I went cycling in the mountains.)

Demain, j’irai au restaurant avec mes amis. (Tomorrow, I will go to the restaurant with my friends.)

One of the best parts of going on a holiday in France is getting to eat out and sample food. So, food vocabulary should be in the cards. We’ll give you the basics for a vacation— for an in-depth guide to restaurant vocabulary in French, check out this article.

• le repas (the meal)
• le petit déjeuner (breakfast)
• le déjeuner (lunch)
• le dîner (dinner)
• la salle à manger (the dining room)
• le restaurant (restaurant)
• Qu’est-ce que vous recommandez aujourd’hui ? (What do you recommend today?)
• le plat du jour (today’s special)
• Je voudrais… (I would like…)
• L’addition, s’il vous plaît. (The check, please.)

À quelle heure est le petit déjeuner ? (What time is breakfast ?)

Comme dessert, je voudrais la crème caramel. (For dessert, I would like the crème caramel.)

Recommandez-vous le plat du jour ? (Do you recommend today’s special?)

Je voudrais des escargots. (I would like some snails.)

Make flashcards for the words above and go through them periodically before your trip. You don’t even need to carry around a stack of index cards—there are apps like Quizlet for creating flashcards online and even playing games to test yourself.

French vacation words tend to be highly visual, so consider  making mind maps , or visual diagrams that represent the words you want to learn. There are many examples of mind map templates online.

You can also create a memory palace . The idea of this memorization device is to visualize a location—say, your childhood home—and populate it with the relevant vocabulary. For example, you could visualize a building and each hallway, room or object would be associated with a word you wish to remember.

It’s a great technique for visual learners to create context for seemingly isolated terms.

The best way to remember any new French vocabulary is to learn it in context. And one of the best ways to do that is to watch videos in French from French sources. You can easily find French TV shows and movies on streaming services like Netflix. If you prefer shorter videos, you can find French videos about all sorts of topics on YouTube.

FluentU is another way to hear French how it’s spoken in actual French-speaking regions. It’s a language learning program that uses authentic videos with interactive subtitles as the core of its lessons, along with active learning features like flashcards and quizzes.

The videos on FluentU are sorted by topic, so you can easily find media that’s related to travel, such as news clips about French vacation habits or video tours of French open-air hotels.

You’ll be using the words and phrases below with real French speakers throughout your vacation. So, why not start practicing now?

For example, don’t just learn the word nager (to swim). Start creating sentences, like:

Où est la plage ? J’aimerais nager cet après-midi. (Where is the beach? I would like to swim this afternoon.)

Savez-vous nager ? (Do you know how to swim?)

To ensure your own sentences actually make sense, you can use a grammar checker like Bon Patron . 

Now that you’ve used all the tools and resources at your fingertips and you’ve prepared everything for your vacation, you’re ready to go.

Use your new vocabulary as often as you can and you’ll become good at communicating and recognizing repeated words.

Bonnes vacances ! (Have a good vacation!)

FluentU has a wide variety of great content, like interviews, documentary excerpts and web series, as you can see here:

FluentU brings native French videos with reach. With interactive captions, you can tap on any word to see an image, definition and useful examples.

For example, if you tap on the word "crois," you'll see this:

Practice and reinforce all the vocabulary you've learned in a given video with learn mode. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning, and play the mini-games found in our dynamic flashcards, like "fill in the blank."

All throughout, FluentU tracks the vocabulary that you’re learning and uses this information to give you a totally personalized experience. It gives you extra practice with difficult words—and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

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Last Updated:  12 January 2023

All there is to know about Winter in France

Winter in France is often considered the country’s least popular season for tourism.

This is the coldest season of the year when gloomy and rough weather forces the vegetation into a well-earned pause. Trees are leafless, their trunks of a darkish-grey colour, and depending on the sky, snow and ice cover entire regions, disrupting human activity.

Once the cheerful Christmas and New Year’s celebrations have gone, the long months of January and February are not a season one particularly anticipates in Europe. However, they are many light-hearted celebrations and events happening to cheer everyone up.

Winter in France: the calendar

Officially the season of Winter starts on the 21st of December and ends on the 20th of March of the following year.

Winter officially starts on 21 December in Europe, the Winter solstice date, and ends on 20 March the following year. For meteorologists and many French people, Winter runs from approximately 1 December to the beginning of March. Although most of December officially belongs to Autumn , the last month of the year is often thought to be part of Winter because cold and snow occur throughout the country.

With the start of Winter comes the festive season of Christmas  and New Year , commonly referred to in French as “les fêtes de fin d’années”.

Winter Calendar:

• Four Sundays before Christmas – Advent  (l’Avent)
• 21 December – beginning of Winter
• 25 December – Christmas (Noël)
• 1 January – New Year’s Day
• 6 January – Epiphany (l’Épiphanie)
• January-beginning of February – Les Soldes d’Hiver. The big retail sales in January and February. There are only two major sales periods in France whose dates are regulated by the French government: just after Christmas and in July.
• 2 February – Candlemas (la Chandeleur)
• 14 February – Valentine’s Day (la Saint-Valentin)
• February or March – Shrove Tuesday and the Carnivals (Mardi-Gras et les carnavals)
• 21 March – the start of Spring

Winter: a bit of (art) history

According to art historian Erwin Panofsky (1892-1968), the first wintry scene ever depicted in the history of painting dates from the 1410s.

It is part of the most famous French Gothic manuscript illumination Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry . The collection is possibly the best surviving example of its kind. The book is on display at the Musée Condé, Chantilly .

Another early winter landscapes date from 1565. Dutch artist Pieter Bruegel painted The Hunters in the Snow. On a calm, cold, overcast day, three hunters and their dogs return from an expedition with a poor catch, a single fox dangling from a spear. The painting is displayed at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria.

Between the 16th and 18th centuries, Europe underwent a Little Ice Age. Many factors could explain this climate change: volcanic ash blocking solar radiation, cyclical solar radiation levels, changes in the ocean circulation, variations in Earth’s orbit and axial tilt…

We know, for instance, that encroaching glaciers caused the destruction of farms and villages in the valley of Chamonix  during the mid-17th century.

Rivers and lakes in France were frequently frozen deeply enough to support ice skating and winter festivals.

In 1693-1694, famines in France claimed roughly 10 per cent of the country’s population.

The first snowmen

The earliest documentation on medieval snowmen (1380) is on display in the Koninklijke Bibliotheek in The Hague.

The earliest known photograph of a snowman dates back to 1853. Taken by Welsh photographer Mary Dillwyn, the original is kept at the National Library of Wales.

Great Italian artist Michelangelo also worked on a snowman ( bonhomme de neige in French) in Florence in 1494.

When we lived in the French Alps, we did our snowmen too. Here, in a field near Annecy :

And in our backyard in the alpine village of Granier , Savoie:

The weather in Winter

The average temperatures are often just below zero and can go up to a maximum of ten degrees in the afternoon.

Winter can be harsh in some mountainous parts of France. In the Jura Mountains, a record of -41°C was recorded in 1985 in the little town of Mouthe.

On the opposite, the coastal towns of Corsica can enjoy average temperatures of 9°C during Winter.

In Provence , the mistral is a strong, cold, dry wind originating from the Alps that blows in Winter for periods of only a few days up to a couple of weeks.

In Paris , sunshine is rare, but the sea’s closeness means that temperatures are generally above freezing (around 7°C). For a few nights, temperatures can go down to – 5°C.

Often Winter is associated with snow, but it appears more rarely on the plains in the South of the Loire and Paris. However, snowfalls are abundant in mountain areas, particularly in the Alps and the Pyrenees . The first snow of winter can cause massive transport disruption in a region.

I particularly like admiring the snow turning a familiar landscape into a fantastic winter wonderland .

The Winter solstice occurs on the first day of the season (21 December). It is the day of the year that has the fewest hours of daylight. The solstice is closely associated with Christmas  with the meaning of rebirth with the hope of the coming of the better days of spring.

Visiting France in Winter

Visiting sites and monuments in France is ideal in Winter as it is a low touristic season.

During Winter in France, people on vacation will choose between cool winter sports in the mountains and mild Mediterranean destinations.

During your exploration, you may be surprised by the beauty and harshness of Winter in France!

Winter in the mountains

The country’s mountains are the best places to be to unfold the wonders of winter in France! There, you can walk through the snow, marvelling at the unique design of each snowflake.

The Winter sports season occurs in January and February in the Alps  and the Pyrenees . Millions of people come to France in Winter as the country has some of the world’s top resorts. A wide range of activities are possible: downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, dog sledging, ice climbing and ice rappelling.

France has more than 400 ski resorts across the six main mountain ranges: the Alps , Corsica , the Jura, the Massif Central, the Pyrenees  and the Vosges .

Some of the largest connected ski areas in the world are found in the French Alps :

• Les Trois Vallées (Courchevel, Méribel, Les Menuires, and Val Thorens ): 338 slopes, 600 km.
• Portes du Soleil (Avoriaz, Châtel, Morzine, and Abondance): 288 slopes, 650 km.
• Paradiski ( La Plagne , Peisey-Vallandry, Les Arcs): 239 slopes, 420 km.
• Évasion Mont-Blanc (Megève, Saint-Gervais, Les Contamines Monjoie): 183 slopes, 420 km.
• Espace Killy (Tignes, Val-d’Isère): 137 slopes, 300 km.
• Les Grandes Rousses (L’Alpe d’Huez): 117 slopes, 236 km.
• Les Deux Alpes and La Grave: 69 slopes, 220 km.

Ski resorts in the Alps are bustling during the February school holidays, and accommodation can be costly and should be planned well in advance.

Winter by the sea

Winter in france: english-french vocabulary.

(f) for féminin, (m) for masculin, (adj) for adjective and (v) for verbs

• Advent = Avent (m)
• Autumn = automne (m)
• Candlemas = chandeleur (f)
• carnival = carnaval (m)
• Christmas = Noël
• December = décembre
• Epiphany = épiphanie (f)
• fall = automne (m)
• February = février
• French Riviera = Côte d’Azur (f)
• March = mars
• mountain = montagne (f)
• New Year’s Day = Nouvel An / Jour de l’An (m)
• resort = station (f)
• sales = soldes (f,p)
• season = saison (f)
• Shrove Tuesday = Mardi-Gras (m)
• to ski = skier (v)
• ski resort = station de sports d’hiver (f)
• sky = ciel (m)
• snow = neige (f)
• to snow = neiger (v)
• solstice = solstice (m)
• Spring = printemps (m)
• temperature = température (f)
• tree = arbre (m)
• Valentine’s Day = Saint-Valentin (f)
• weather = temps (m) / météo (f)
• Winter = hiver (m)
• Winter in France = l’hiver en France

Read more about Winter in France on  our French blog .

Holidays and Celebrations in France

Learn more about the seasons, celebrations and public holidays in France:

About the author

Pierre is a French/Australian who is passionate about France and its culture. He grew up in France and Germany and has also lived in Australia and England. He has a background teaching French, Economics and Current Affairs, and holds a Master of Translating and Interpreting English-French with the degree of Master of International Relations, and a degree of Economics and Management. Pierre is the author of Discovery Courses and books about France.

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