Embraced by the fragrance of freshly baked pastries and the glow of twinkling lights, Christmas in France unfolds as a harmonious blend of rich traditions and gastronomic indulgence. In France's north-east, the enchanting season commences with the eagerly awaited Saint Nicholas’ Day and reaches its zenith on the 24th of December with the opulent Réveillon dinner.
French cities come alive with captivating illuminations and festive markets, inviting locals and visitors to immerse themselves in the magic of the holiday spirit.
From the cherished tradition of crèches and Midnight Mass to regional delights like the Gros Souper in Provence, every corner of France paints a unique stroke on the canvas of Christmas celebrations. Join us on a journey through the heartwarming traditions, culinary extravagance, and festive merriment that define Christmas in France.
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This year the Christmas holidays take place from Saturday 19 December 2015 to Sunday 3 January 2016 included. Christmas is a joyful time when children (and grown-ups alike!) marvel at the lights, Christmas markets and trees, without forgetting Nativity Scenes and an encounter with Santa. Here are our 10 favourite things to see in Paris Read more…
In 2015, the window display of the Galeries Lafayette are based on “a Christmas from another planet” with its lots of robots, Jedi, imperial troops, R2D2 and Stormtroopers echoing the release of a new Star Wars episode. Standing under the beautiful Art Nouveau cupola, the giant Christmas tree consists of a myriad of gold and Read more…
A visit to the Eiffel Tower at Christmas time has become one of the highlights of the festive season when discovering Paris. From Christmas markets to ice-skating rinks, the area of Trocadéro-Eiffel Tower-Champ-de-Mars is a trendy place for residents and tourists alike. Christmas time at the Eiffel Tower Vantage points There are Read more…
Since its creation in 1994, the Christmas market of Grenoble has become one of the most popular in the Rhône-Alpes region. The beautiful site of Grenoble, surrounded by the mountains of the French Alps, fits well with the festive atmosphere during Advent. Let’s find out why you should visit Grenoble at Christmas time! Grenoble: Read more…
Stuck in Paris and can’t visit Alsace this Christmas? No worries, Alsace comes to you! The Alsatian Christmas Market in Gare de l’Est, Paris, takes place under a marquee set on the forecourt of the railway station with trains servicing the Alsace. The region in eastern France near the German border is reputed to be the home of Read more…
At sunset we went to the parvis of Notre-Dame cathedral to admire the Christmas tree set in front of the Gothic façade. Here are 10 of our favourite photos of the Christmas Tree of Notre-Dame. The Christmas Tree of Notre-Dame In 2014, the Christmas tree of Notre-Dame Cathedral was donated by the generous people of Russia. Read more…
In the North of France, not far from the Belgian border, the town of Béthune hosts one of the most beautiful Christmas markets in the Hauts-de-France region. Bethune is a short distance from England via the Eurotunnel or cross-Channel ferries. In fact, a British magazine recently began its article entitled “10 things to visit in Read more…
Ideally situated on the forecourt of the famous cathedral, the Reims Christmas market has become over the years a significant event in Reims. Its 140 stalls attract more than 1.5 million visitors annually, making it one of France’s most famous Christmas events. Organised by “Les Vitrines de Reims“, the trading association of the city, the Read more…
One of the most beautiful views of Paris at Christmas can be enjoyed from the giant Ferris Wheel at Place de la Concorde. Ideally located along the Historical Axis, the temporary structure offers a great view of the Eiffel Tower and River Seine. In the past, we made sure to embark at night on the dot of the hour Read more…
More than 125 streets in Paris are lit up for Christmas. Every night of Advent from 5 pm, the streets become a magical place where young and old will marvel at the decorative lights. Here is a list of arrondissements for the Paris streets lit up for Christmas. Paris streets lit up for Christmas Read more…
Christmas at the Grands-Magasins of Paris is always a treat for the eye. In December, Printemps, Galeries Lafayette, Le Bon Marché and Bazar de l’Hôtel de Ville compete with each other for the best Christmas decorations and invite their visitors to a fairy-tale world with their remarkable window displays. This tradition is now more than 50 years old and Read more…
The Arras Christmas Market has become one of the most important festive events in northern France. The event welcomed a record one million visitors in recent years. It occupies the remarkable Grand’Place with street lights and illuminations, animations for children, and concerts. This is an excellent opportunity to visit Arras and visit the main sights of Read more…
The Annecy Christmas market is the most important event in town during Advent. Each year the festive event “Christmas in the Alps” (Noël des Alpes) draws more than 500,000 visitors. This is when Annecy puts on her most beautiful festive clothes with street lights and illuminations, animations for children, concerts, Nativity scenes, Christmas markets, and more… Read more…
Every year on the 6th of January, the French celebrate Epiphany, which is synonymous with the “galette des Rois”. As today is Epiphany, here are a few words about the celebration and its traditions. Today is Epiphany! Epiphany is the occasion in France to “tirer les rois” which means deciding who is the king of the Read more…
Joyeux Noël! Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad ! Buon Natale ! Frohe Weihnachten ! The French Moments team wishes you “Joyeux Noël“. Joyeux Noël from France! In France, the arrival of December brings an air of enchantment as the country prepares to celebrate the most cherished holiday of the year – Christmas. As the days Read more…
L’Enfant au Tambour… the story of the song known in English as “The Little Drummer Boy”. About the song The Little Drummer Boy was written by Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941 and recorded by the Trapp Family Singers in 1955. It became famous in 1858 with a version by Harry Simeone Chorale. In the Read more…
Christmas on the Champs-Élysées takes place for nearly two months, from mid-November to early January. The Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris is then decked with lights and enchantment to celebrate Christmas and New Year. Until 2017 the Arc de Triomphe shared the spotlight with a temporary counterpart on Place de la Concorde: the great Ferris Read more…
The Paris Christmas markets have their origins in Alsace where the tradition is very strong and part of the local culture. France’s first and largest market is found in Strasbourg, which is easily accessible by TGV from Paris-Gare de l’Est. The Paris Christmas Markets, a new tradition The presence of Christmas markets in Paris is relatively Read more…
The Christmas gastronomy of Alsace is much appreciated during the Holiday season. From Foie Gras to Kugelhopf, gingerbread and little Christmas cookies, the Alsatian gastronomic traditions will enchant young and old alike on their visit to one of the many Christmas markets taking place throughout the region. Christmas dishes in Alsace Foie Gras The reputed foie Read more…
The Saint Nicolas Day celebrations highlight Christmas in Nancy at the beginning of December. Until the New Year, several activities and events are organised to maintain the magic around the character of Saint Nicolas, including a Christmas market, elegant Christmas lights in the town centre and the grand Christmas tree standing on Place Stanislas. Embark Read more…
Ideally situated in the foothills of the Vosges, along the scenic Alsace Wine Route lies historic Obernai. As Christmas approaches, the wine town hosts one of the most enchanting Christmas markets. The Obernai Christmas Market has become over the years a not-to-be-missed event in Alsace. With lights and decorations, gastronomic experience and exciting festive events… there is much to Read more…
Located between Strasbourg and Colmar, the historic town of Sélestat is an important landmark in the history of Christmas traditions. The Sélestat Christmas Market occupies the old town selling Christmas decorations and ornaments, local produce and handicrafts from Alsace. The long Christmas tree tradition in Sélestat It was in Sélestat that the first Alsatian Christmas tree Read more…
Kaysersberg, the “Mountain of the Emperor”, certainly deserves its prestigious name. When the time of Advent starts in Kaysersberg, you know you’re for a treat. Rustic decorations and illumination ornate the beautiful façades of the town’s half-timbered houses‘. Not far from Colmar, the Kaysersberg Christmas Market is one of the most traditional festive events in Alsace! Read more…
Listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France, Riquewihr is surrounded by the vineyards of Alsace. With its charming half-timbered houses, the Riquewihr Christmas Market attracts a large crowd of visitors at the approach of Christmas who come to marvel at the fairy-tale like village. Riquewihr Christmas Market The Christmas market of Riquewihr is certainly one of the Read more…
Eguisheim, the birthplace of the Alsatian vineyards, was chosen as the French’s most beautiful villages in 2013 during a TV programme aired on France 2. With its beautiful half-timbered houses, The Eguisheim Christmas Market is the perfect setting for a magical and unforgettable experience. Situated only 5km from Colmar, Éguisheim should not be missed if Read more…
For the Christmas season, the little town of Altkirch in the Sundgau radically departs from the Alsatian tradition of hosting a Christmas market. The fir trees of the Foret Enchantee of Altkirch (Enchanted Forest) spread out throughout the old town centre, creating a fantastic world of ancient local tales and legends. La Foret Enchantee of Read more…
The little town of Guebwiller is situated along the Alsace Wine Route at the foot of the Vosges mountains. For the Christmas season, Guebwiller distinguishes itself from the popular Alsatian destinations that are Colmar and Strasbourg with an original yet creative event called “Blue Christmas” (Noël Bleu). A Blue Christmas In 2014, the Christmas season Read more…
The little town of Thann is situated at the foot of the Vosges mountains and marks the entrance to the Thur Valley which links Alsace to Lorraine via the Bussang Pass. Thann is also the southern gateway to the scenic Alsace Wine Route. During Advent, the Thann Christmas market is themed on a “White Christmas” (Noël Read more…
Let’s start the season of Advent with a list of our 10 most beautiful Christmas markets in France’s North-East, all situated in the Alsace, Franche-Comté and Lorraine regions. Christmas markets are called “Marchés de Noël” in French and are organised in the historic town or village centre. Although they are a traditional event in Alsace, many Read more…
Lille Christmas Market is wonderfully set in the city’s busy shopping district and is a popular destination for French, British and Belgian visitors. Let’s look closely and find out why you should visit Lille during the festive season! Lille Christmas Market The Christmas Market of Lille is the largest of its kind in Read more…
As soon as France’s second-largest fair (Foire Saint-Romain) closes its doors, another popular event is about to start in the old Ducal town of Rouen, Normandy, as part of the Christmas festivities: the Rouen Christmas Market. Let’s find out why you should visit it! The “Frosted” Rouen Christmas market The Christmas market is the Read more…
You may know Dijon for its mustard, gastronomy, history, and monuments… but did you know that the capital of Burgundy puts on its most beautiful festive clothes for the holidays? To make you want to visit the city, I invite you to discover the Dijon Christmas market and its illuminations. Promise, you won’t forget your Read more…
Our team has come up with a English-French Christmas glossary that may be useful if you are looking for equivalences between the two languages! English-French Christmas Glossary Glossaire de Noël Français-Anglais Download You can download a PDF version of our French<->English Christmas Glossary.
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Christmas in Lorraine consists of traditions centred around the character of St. Nicholas, locally known as Saint-Nicolas. In Nancy the Patron saint of Lorraine is at the centre of a 40 day celebration with a big parade organised early December. The Vosges mountains with their towering fir trees offer great skiing opportunities while in Metz, a Christmas market – Read more…
Every year during Advent, the German-style Montbéliard Christmas market is held to the delight of the young people of the town. Since its first edition in 1986, the Christmas market has been one of the most popular of its kind in France with more than 400,000 visitors. Montbéliard, the City of the Princes Montbéliard, also nicknamed Read more…
Ready for the most wonderful time of the year in France? Christmas is an enchanting time when the best attractions of Paris and France transform into the most festive winter wonderlands. During the holiday season, you’ll spot Christmas lights and trees in every city and town in the country. You’ll also find enchanting Christmas markets Read more…
In France, Epiphany is synonymous with the “Galette des Rois”. The French ceremoniously eat this wafer king cake a few days before and after 6 January. As soon as Christmas and New Year, with their abundance of food and bûches, are over, it is time to celebrate the Epiphany with the ‘Galette des Rois’. People Read more…
As little Christmas delicacies, chocolate mendiants are part of the Provençal tradition and the thirteen desserts. The Provençal tradition of the mendicant order The colours of their ingredients are reminiscent of the original robes of the mendicant order of friars in the Church during the Middle-Ages: the Franciscans (the Grey Friars) founded 1209 = grey (sultanas) Read more…
Leckerlis are swiss little gingerbreads which come from Basle on the border of France and are often cooked in South Alsace … one is never enough! They are part of the numerous sweet delicacies prepared around Christmas in Switzerland and in Alsace. Ingredients 600g plain flour sieved 500g caster sugar 150g candied citrus fruit cut in Read more…
A Christmas log is the traditional dessert for the French Christmas meal on the 24th of December. It is a rolled sponge / Genoese sponge in the shape of a log, most often with chocolate ganache inside or chestnut cream and icing on the outside to make it look like a log ready for the Read more…
Bredalas are little Christmas cookies whose preparation date back to the Renaissance. This is probably one of the best known Alsatian traditions. The Bredalas (the spelling changes depending on local Alsatian dialects: Bredele, Bredela…) are small cakes cooked before Christmas, during the Advent period. They can have a multitude of different shapes and tastes. You Read more…
The French chocolate truffles (truffes au chocolat) are traditionally served around the Holiday season and are a delicious little treat covered with bitter cocoa. According to the legend, it was created by a pâtissier-chocolatier from Chambéry, Savoie in December 1895. One day the chocolatier was running out of ingredients and he had the genius idea Read more…
For some people, Christmas is all about Santa, presents, Christmas trees and decorations. This is a festive season when it’s time to rejoice and gather together around a delicious dinner with turkey and chocolate. We can get extremely busy in the days before Christmas. Busy shopping the perfect gifts. Busy attending Xmas shows at school Read more…
Christmas in France is celebrated with singing songs that are called “les noëls”. Christmas Carols in France are traditionally remembering the birth of Jesus. They are sung by Christians attending the midnight catholic mass, at the protestant service, or at the occasion of the family and friends’ gathering. According to the New Testament, the first Read more…
Santa Claus in France is called “Père Noël”. Like in any place celebrating Christmas, the French Father Christmas wears a red suit and hat with white fur trim with a broad black belt around his waist. He is tall and large, with ruddy cheeks and nose, bushy eyebrows, a white beard and a moustache. His Read more…
Christmas markets in France are small villages made up of little stalls made of wood (called chalets). They are usually located in the main square or street of a town. They officially start on the first weekend of Advent that is 4 Sundays before the 25th of December. Christmas markets in France sell decorations, local products and Read more…
Saint-Nicolas is the character who distributes presents to Austrian, Belgian, Dutch, German, French and Swiss children on the 6th December. He is often portrayed as a tall thin man with a long white beard, all dressed up in silk garments, carrying a bishop’s mitre and holding a crosier. Saint Nicolas is traditionally accompanied by a Read more…
You’ve been to the Strasbourg and Colmar Christmas markets. And you’re looking for another fantastic festive market in Alsace? You’ll have to go to Mulhouse, Alsace’s second most-populated city, to the South of Alsace. The Mulhouse Christmas market is a not-to-miss event in the area. It will be celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2020. What started Read more…
The Strasbourg Christmas Market is the oldest in France and the country’s most famous festive event. Its 300 chalets are spread over several locations across the Grande Île, the historic centre of Strasbourg. You’ll find them on Place Broglie, in front of the lofty cathedral or the picturesque Petite-France district. At nightfall, the French capital Read more…
The Linzer Torte (or Tarte de Linz in French) is originally an Austrian cake often prepared for Christmas and a favourite dessert prepared in Alsace. Its name derived from the town of Linz, in the province of Upper Austria. It is therefore part of Alsace’s range of traditional cakes, alongside the Bredalas, the Basler Leckerlis and the Read more…
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