MAIN Christmas Europe Christmas in France

Douce nuit, sainte nuit !
Dans les cieux ! L’astre luit.
Silent Night

In parts of Northern France, Christmas arrives (as he does in Belgium) on St. Nicholas Day on December 6th when Père Noel, or Father Christmas, is known to deliver toys & treats to deserving good little girls and boys.

For most of regions of the country, French children can count on waking up on Christmas morning to find presents from Père Noel, but not before staying up late the night before for the main celebration — on Christmas Eve.

That's when homes or neighborhood restaurants are filled with friends and family celebrating the traditional le réveillon, or Christmas feast, usually consisting of lots of seafood appetizers followed by a big roast goose or turkey, all washed down with lots of good local wine or champagne. The evening may be topped off with a variety of French pastries, or the traditional Bûche de Noël, a rich and creamy yulelog cake.

Around the Web, find out what else goes into the making of a fine French Christmas with more on on holiday customs, sights, sounds, food and feasting ...

The Francofiles Christmas in France Noel en France - A near complete look at customs & traditions, including typical French Christmas decorations, menus & recipes, carol lyrics in French and English, photo gallery, word glossary.

Christmas in France - Mutli-part "Christmas dossier" from the French embassy with photos and descriptions of a typical Christmas in France including the origins of Pere Noel, the Christmas creche, tree decorating, with lyrics to popular Christmas carols.

Christmas Traditions in France and in Canada - Comparisons of Old World and New World French traditions with information on the Christmas creche, family celebrations, religious ceremonies and historical background from the Middle Ages and beyond.

Christmas and New Year in Paris - What to do during the holidays with a must-see list of animated store windows, Christmas tree displays, restaurants and cafes. Check out the event schedule for contact details, maps and directions.

The Traditional Thirteen Desserts of Christmas in Provence - Wonderfully written and beautifully photographed account of the traditional dessert served on Christmas Eve representing Jesus Christ and his twelve apostles. And be sure to click around for more on regional holiday events, Christmas markets in Avignon, and the Santons Museum.

France Christmas Markets - Archived but still informative feature on top Christmas markets with details on those in Chartres, Strasbourg, Amiens, Nancy, Reims, Dijon and elsewhere throughout the country.

Noël à Strasbourg - Strasbourg Christmas Market - A knockout Web site with all you need to know about France's best and biggest Christmas market including the complete December - January schedule of events, historical background, practical info and transportation, contact details.

also see in Holidays -> Christmas Cookie Recipes | Christmas Party Ideas

Christmas Recipes | Christmas Trees | E-Cards

Epiphany | Holiday Planner | Music | Santa Claus

also see in Travel -> France Tourist Attractions

Paris Tourist Attractions | French Winery Tours