By the end of this lesson you'll know the main celebrations of the French year, and what to say at each one.
Winter
Noël is on 25 December, but the big meal is often the evening before, on 24 December. This is le réveillon, and it's usually un repas de famille. Many homes have un sapin, and people give each other presents. You know un cadeau from the lesson on indirect object pronouns. The meal often ends with la bûche, a cake shaped like a log.
Le Nouvel An starts with another réveillon, on 31 December, known as le réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre. Then, in January, friends and colleagues wish each other a good year.
La galette des rois appears in early January. It's a flat cake with a small charm, la fève, hidden inside. Whoever finds it wears a paper crown, la couronne.
La Chandeleur is on 2 February, and people make des crêpes at home.
| French | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Noël | noh-EL | Christmas |
| le réveillon | luh ray-vay-YOHN | the Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve dinner |
| le sapin | luh sah-PAN | the Christmas tree, the fir tree |
| la bûche | lah BEWSH | the Yule log (a cake) |
| le Nouvel An | luh noo-vel AHN | New Year |
| la galette des rois | lah gah-LET day RWAH | the kings' cake |
| la fève | lah FEV | the small charm hidden in the cake |
| la couronne | lah koo-RONN | the crown |
| la Chandeleur | lah shahn-duh-LUHR | Candlemas, the pancake day |
| une crêpe | ewn KREP | a crêpe, a thin pancake |
| couper | koo-PAY | to cut |
Le 24 décembre, on mange en famille.
On 24 December, people eat with their family.
On coupe la galette et on cherche la fève.
We cut the cake and we look for the charm.
Spring and summer
Pâques is in spring, and its date changes each year. Children often look for chocolate eggs in the garden.
Le 1er mai is a public holiday, un jour férié. Many people offer each other a small bunch of lily of the valley.
La Fête de la musique is on 21 June. Musicians play in the streets and in bars all over France, and concerts are often free.
Le 14 juillet is la fête nationale. There's a military parade in Paris, and many towns have des feux d'artifice in the evening.
| French | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Pâques | PAHK | Easter |
| la fête nationale | lah fet nah-syoh-NAHL | the national holiday |
| un défilé | uhn day-fee-LAY | a parade |
| un feu d'artifice | uhn fuh dar-tee-FEESS | a firework displayPlural: des feux d'artifice. |
| la Fête de la musique | lah fet duh lah mew-ZEEK | the music festival held across France |
Le 14 juillet, on regarde le défilé à la télévision.
On 14 July, people watch the parade on television.
Le 21 juin, on écoute de la musique dans la rue.
On 21 June, people listen to music in the street.
Notice how often on appears when talking about customs. It's the natural way to say what people do in general: on mange, on offre, on fête.
Festivals around France
Many towns have a famous festival of their own. Use à with a city, as you learned in the lesson on prepositions.
- Le carnaval de Nice takes place in winter, à Nice, with floats and flowers.
- La Fête des Lumières lights up the streets à Lyon in December.
- Le Festival d'Avignon, in summer, is about theatre, à Avignon.
- Le Festival de Cannes, in spring, is about cinema, à Cannes.
Words for celebrating
| French | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| fêter | feh-TAY | to celebrate |
| un jour férié | uhn zhoor fay-RYAY | a public holiday |
| un repas de famille | uhn ruh-pah duh fah-MEE-y | a family meal |
Nous fêtons Noël chez mes parents.
We celebrate Christmas at my parents' house.
What to say
| French | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Joyeux Noël ! | zhwah-yuh noh-EL | Merry Christmas! |
| Bonne année ! | bonn ah-NAY | Happy New Year! |
| Bonnes fêtes ! | bonn FET | Happy holidays! |
You'll write these in cards and in messages, and you'll say them to people you meet. Bonnes fêtes covers the whole period at the end of December, so it's a good choice if you aren't sure what someone celebrates.
A memory
You can use the passé composé, and the imparfait from the lesson on the imparfait to talk about celebrations you remember.
- Quand j'étais enfant, on fêtait Noël chez ma grand-mère. (When I was a child, we celebrated Christmas at my grandmother's.)
- Une année, il a neigé le 24 décembre. (One year, it snowed on 24 December.)
En français
- Tu fais quoi pour le réveillon ? (What are you doing for New Year's Eve?)
- On va chez des amis. Et toi ? (We're going to some friends' place. And you?)
- Je reste en famille. Alors, bonnes fêtes ! (I'm staying with my family. So, happy holidays!)
- Merci, à toi aussi ! (Thanks, you too!)
Your turn
Write four sentences about a celebration in your country, on paper or in a notes app. Use this checklist:
- the name of the celebration, with en or le and a date or month
- one thing on mange
- one thing on fait
- the greeting you would use
What's next
Last of all, the A2 final review looks back over everything you've done at this level.