April Fools’ Day traditions in France

Alongside Easter, French children follow April Fools’ Day traditions in Spring. On 1 April, people use paper fish to play an April Fools trick. This involves sticking a paper fish onto the back of as many adults as possible. And then running away yelling, “Poisson d’Avril !” (April Fish!). Yes, you better check your back if you happen to be in France on that day!

🎥 Watch this short video to learn more about April Fools’ Day in France:

The French traditions of April Fools’ Day

Everyone must pay attention on the 1st of April to avoid being victims of practical jokes and general foolishness.

It is the ideal day for children (and grown-ups alike!) to tell funny jokes to those around them, including family members, friends, teachers, neighbours, colleagues at work, etc.

April Fools’ Day in France

April Fools’ Day in France is known for the “poisson d’avril” (April Fish). That tradition dates back to 1564.

The origin of the April Fish in France is relatively obscure. Maybe it was reminiscent of the ichthus used by Christians in the Roman era.

A new date has come!

The New Year started on the 1st of April, a long time ago. This date ended in the mid-16th century. In his proclamation of Paris in January 1563, King Charles IX (1550–1574) made a swift change to the French calendar.

The King of France wanted the year to start on the 1st of January. The royal edict was promulgated in Roussillon on the 9th of August 1564 and is known as the Edict of Roussillon. However, the change of date applied from the 1st of January 1567.

Legend has it!

Legend has it that some people were not happy with this enforced law. This is for many reasons. You know, people don’t like change. And this was a BIG change – imagine if we had to move Christmas to the 25th of July!

And so, people continued to celebrate the new year around the 1st of April.

Those who embraced the new calendar started to mock the reluctant ones.

And gave them false presents and played tricks on them!

When the 1st of April coincided with the end of Lent

Then, the 1st of April coincided with the end of Lent. During that time, the Church forbade Christians from eating meat. However, the religious authorities tolerated fish eating. It is no surprise that gifts for the New Year often feature fish.

When the jokes became more common, people often used false fish to trick their victims.

There lies the legendary origin of April Fish, stuck on the back of the fools.

These were the fools who did not accept the changing times.

Or the fools who saw the world through their own eyes only!

Beware of the hoaxes in the media!

It has become a tradition in the French media to observe the commemoration of the 1st of April. Newspapers, magazines, radio, and the Internet relay fake stories.

But one should not take people for fools for long. It is common practice for the media to reveal what is true and false the next day!

Here is a short selection of hoaxes published in France for April Fools’ Day.

Archaeological excavations found the village of Asterix

On the 1st of April 1993, the London newspaper The Independent announced that archaeologists had discovered Asterix’s village.

According to the British daily, the village is located in Le Yaudet, near Lannion in Brittany, at the very spot where René Goscinny, the creator of the comic strip, had imagined it in his books.

In fact, professors from Oxford and Brest Universities lent themselves to the game by declaring that they had found coins decorated with wild boar (Obelix’s favourite dish) and an incredible collection of menhirs.

The Eiffel Tower to move to Disneyland Paris

On April 1, 1986, Le Parisien published the disturbing news that the Eiffel Tower was about to be dismantled and then moved to Marne-la-Vallée, the site of the future Disneyland Paris.

The newspaper then revealed that the space left by the “Iron Lady” would be used to build a 35,000-seat stadium for the 1992 Olympic Games. Fortunately, it was just a prank!

The rotation of the earth slowed down by wind turbines

On 1 April 2009, David Pujadas announced in the 8 pm news programme on France 2 that the multiplication of wind turbines on the earth’s surface would slow down its rotation. This news would result in the lengthening of the days. In fact, one day would pass from 24 to 25 hours.

Homer Simpson’s voice used by the SNCF

On 1 April 2009, the French railway company contacted Philippe Peythieu (Homer’s French voice in the “The Simpsons” series) to surprise the commuters and travellers. Indeed, the dubbing of Homer’s character replaced the familiar voice of SNCF announcements to trap passengers. We could therefore hear crazy announcements sounding in about fifteen French stations (Rouen, Toulouse, Paris…), such as:

“The train from Alaska is expected to arrive on the Milky Way. Beware of bears and the platform’s edge”.

Then, the SNCF stroke back on 1st April 2015, announcing trains coming from Pretoria or going to Sydney.

Giraffes spotted on the French Riviera

“Nature takes back its rights”.

This is a phrase often heard since the beginning of the Spring 2020 lockdown in France. Well, municipal officers in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, on the French Riviera, encountered strange animals in the streets of their city.

🦒 Pendant le confinement #COVIDー19, la nature revient en ville ! En témoigne cette girafe venue de la Petite Afrique aperçue hier en plein coeur de ville … 🙂 pic.twitter.com/SGPBGhyRcN

— Beaulieu-sur-Mer (@Beaulieu06310) April 1, 2020

Indeed, nature took back its rights, with animals coming from far away, such as the famous Beaulieu giraffes visible in this Twitter publication of the town.

The Tour de France in South Korea

Also, on the 1st of April 2020, French media reported that the famous Tour de France bicycle race would be taking place in South Korea amid the pandemic.

Our own Poisson d’Avril!

Did you know? As Paris is getting ready for the 2024 Olympic Games, the French authorities are seriously planning to move the Eiffel Tower to the top of the Champs-Élysées. The new vista would look like this:

Notice the subtle reference to a fish! Despite the clue, many people believed the whole story (for one day only as we revealed the hoax the next day!!)

Read more about our 2015 April Fools’ Day joke!

Top 20 April Fools’ Day Hoaxes for fun!

Here are some ideas for April 1st hoaxes that may inspire you. Announce, claim, or tell your friends the following (and don’t forget to tell the truth right afterwards so that you don’t leave the person in error indefinitely.)

1. A new French airline is set to offer passengers the chance to travel from Paris to Marseille in a hot air balloon.
2. The Mona Lisa reveals her true identity; she is the long-lost twin sister of king Louis XIV.
3. A leading French perfumer releases a new fragrance, “Eau de Fromage.”
4. The Palace of Versailles has announced that they will organise video game tournaments for visitors.
5. The Monnaie de Paris (Paris mint) announced they would be issuing chocolate coins from the 1st of April.
6. Notre Dame Cathedral announces they will be organising French cheese tastings shortly after the monument reopens at the end of 2024.
7. The Louvre Museum announces a new part of the museum will be entirely dedicated to the artistic portrayal of the iconic macaron.
8. A French café announces offering a new menu item: crêpes served with a side of escargot (snail).
9. The Eiffel Tower announces plans to build a mini version of itself in every French village.
10. French cheese makers announce the launch of a new cheese infused with the essence of freshly cut grass.
11. The French government has passed a new law requiring everyone to dye their hair green.
12. A Parisian grocery store announces that they are now selling “candy-flavoured” fruits and vegetables.
13. French scientists have invented a machine that can make it rain chocolate.
14. A local restaurant in Marseille announced introducing a new “dog-friendly” menu.
15. The French government has declared the 1st of April to be National Croissant Day.
16. On the 1st of April, all schools in France are cancelling classes for the day.
17. A new law in Normandy requires all citizens to wear a clown nose on the 1st of April.
18. Apple has just launched a new product called the iFool, which will only be available in Paris this year.
19. A pet store in Lyon announces that they are now selling “unicorns”.
20. A new law passed in France requires everyone to wear funny hats on the 1st of April.

Creating a Fish for April Fools’ Day

Nowadays, children make and colour April Fish at school or home. Download our Poissons d’Avril Worksheet and start colouring them.

Learn more!

• The full guide to Easter in France: origins, traditions, celebrations, chocolate, Easter eggs and bunnies!
• All there is to know about the beautiful season of Spring in France.

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