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The Most Celebrated French Traditions

The French seem to love a good tradition. And who can blame them?

Traditions are celebrations and rituals passed down from generation to generation. These traditions can be anything from shared recipes, to special holidays and festivals. These special rituals help to form the very fabric of a culture, and makes it distinctly recognizable to outsiders.

As one of the oldest cultures in the world, France has plenty of traditions that are still celebrated today. And in fact, each region in France has their own celebrations specific to that area. But in this article I’m going to stick to the most celebrated French traditions across the entire country.

Le 14 Juillet  (Bastille Day)

Bastille Day Celebrations depicted by Claude Monet – Sourced from WIkimedia Commons

The 14th of July, or Bastille Day is easily one of the most celebrated French traditions. This is the French National Holiday, or the equivalent of Independence Day in many other countries.

Bastille Day refers to the storming of the Bastille on July 14th, 1789. The French people were rioting against Royal absolutism and planned an attack on the military prison at the Bastille. The Bastille prison and its stockpiles were raided by Parisians who wanted ammunition for the revolution. During the storming of the Bastille, the then government was overthrown and Feudalism officially ended. Today, you can actually see the line of the old Bastille prison; a metal strip running through the Place de la Bastille and even part of the Bastille metro station.

Photo by Joe de Susa on Unsplash

The French love celebrating Bastille Day and do so every year on the 14th of July. Paris, Lyon and Marseille are home to the country’s biggest celebrations. During the morning, Paris hosts Europe’s largest military parade on the °ä³ó²¹³¾±è²õ-·¡±ô²â²õé±ð²õ. The French President and military commanders are always present.

Weather is usually at its summer best on Bastille Day, and people usually celebrate with a big picnic, or family meal outside. Come nightfall, France’s main cities put on impressive fireworks shows. In Paris, the show takes place on the Eiffel Tower, and hundreds of thousands gather in the streets to watch.

Chandeleur (Candlemas)

By Monica Grabowska on Unsplash

If you haven’t heard of this one before, you’re not alone. I had absolutely no idea what this holiday was before arriving in France. But I quickly learned that Chandeleur (or Candlemas in English) is an important and delicious French tradition.

Chandeleur is also called the Feast of the Presentation, and commemorates the presentation of Jesus at the temple. Said to have been established by Pope Liberius in the year 354 A.D., Chandeleur or Candlemas is one of the oldest Christian Holy Days. In France, Candlemas is celebrated every year on February 2nd, or around that time.

And as with any great French tradition, it involves food. More specifically, a feast. Families ad friends get together to enjoy a huge meal, usually dinner. °ä°ùê±è±ð²õ are the dish of honor, savory and sweet varieties are made and enjoyed with generous servings of wine and cider. And while this was originally a religious holiday, nowadays almost everyone in France celebrates in one way or another.

Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras Celebration in Marseille by Say Mars Say Ye on Wikimedia Commons

Now you’ve definitely heard of Mardi Gras. This is one of the most famous French traditions worldwide! The name means ‘Fat Tuesday’ and is actually a religious holiday as well. Or at least its origins are religious. Mardi Gras is celebrated on the 25th of February each year.

This is the time after the Christian celebration of Epiphany and the day before the forty day period of Lent begins. In many countries around the world, Mardi Gras also marks the culmination of Carnival season celebrations. Basically, Fat Tuesday is a day of excess and feasting, the last chance to go all out before the fasting that would usually take place during the forty days of Lent.

Mardi Gras in New Orleans – Sourced from Wikimedia Commons

Today Mardi Gras is celebrated across France with parades and parties. Families and friends usually gather for a large meal. French donuts or beignets are the traditional fatty indulgence, but really any rich dish or dessert goes.

The Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans are especially famous. Massive parades spread over the downtown area. And people take to the streets in elaborate costumes for days of parties and feasting.

Mardi Gras is celebrated around the world in the late weeks of January and early February as Carnival. The most famous and extravagant celebrations take place in New Orleans, Brazil, Colombia, the Netherlands, Venice, Italy and throughout the Caribbean.

The Apéro Hour

Apero Hour by Jp Valery on Unsplash

While this tradition doesn’t stem from religious origins, apéro hour is celebrated with equal fervor across the nation. Apéro is a shortened version of ²¹±èé°ù¾±³Ù¾±´Ú, which comes from the Latin word meaning to open. In ancient times, it was believed that a pre meal drink would open or work up your appetite.

The idea of an apéro is now cemented in French culture. And you can celebrate this  French tradition too. Basically, apéro is a pre dinner drink and snack. No matter where in France you go, you’ll spot locals enjoying an apéro come late afternoon.

As with most other French traditions, the food and drinks served during apéro change with the regions. In the south, apéro almost always consists of Pastis, usually served with bread and local specialties like olives, anchovies, etc. In the French Alps, apéro tends to be a drawn out affair, complete with cheese and cured meats.

There’s no set hour for apéro, nor is there any specified menu or duration. It’s a play it by ear kind of situation, really. An apéro can take place just about anywhere; from an after work picnic in the park to a fancy cocktail lounge, to your friends’ house.

I hope you’ve enjoyed learning about some of the most celebrated French traditions. Maybe you’ll even find a new tradition yourself.

Hope to see you soon in Paris!