In France, there are 11 official public holidays annually: five of them are civil holidays (New Year’s Day, May Day, WWII Victory Day, Bastille Day and Armistice Day) and six have a religious origin, having been based on the Catholic calendar (Easter Monday, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, Assumption Day, All Saints’ Day, and Christmas). Additionally, there are special celebration that are non-national holidays (Epiphany, Chandeleur, Carnaval, April Fools’ Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and World Music Day).
EPIPHANY
On the first Sunday of January every year, the French celebrate Epiphanie (Epiphany). On this occasion, we share galette des rois (king cake), a special pastry with small charms baked inside. Galette des rois are filled with frangipane, a cream made from sweet almonds, butter, eggs and sugar. The tradition of eating galette des rois dates back to the 14th century, where it commemorated the arrival of the Three Wise Men in Bethlehem. However, the religious meaning has been lost over the years. You will now find galettes des rois in every bakery in France, with pastry chefs devising original creations to add their own twists to the tradition.
As for those charms, there’s a fun tradition tied to them. When cutting the cake, the youngest child present has to hide under the table and tell whoever is cutting the cake who should get which piece. Then whoever finds the charm, known as a fève, will become the king or queen and pick a partner. They get to wear the crown and boss the rest of the family around for the rest of the day.
If you would like to make your own galette des rois, check out Gaëlle’s favorite recipe here.
Aux Petits Soins hosts an annual King Cake Party, to start the New Year off with a little French flavor.
CHANDELEUR
Chandeleur is a French holiday that falls on February 2 each year. It is celebrated by eating sweet and savory crêpes and drinking hard cider. This holiday, also known as Candlemas on the Catholic calendar, marks the end of the Christmas period, arriving 40 days after Christmas and commemorating the presentation of the infant Jesus at the temple.
There are many superstitions surrounding Chandeleur, nearly all of which have to do with weather. This dates back to when France was primarily an agricultural country and the weather played a vital part in everybody’s prosperity and welfare. (You may recognize the date as Groundhog Day, which has a similar weather-related tradition in the U.S.)
Researching this holiday, I came across numerous proverbs warning of the consequences of specific weather: “Soleil de la Chandeleur, annonce hiver et malheur.” (“If it’s sunny at Chandeleur, winter will continue bringing bad luck.”) Others warned of “40 days lost if snow was still on the ground” (“Chandeleur couverte, quarante jours de perte”), and even the exact opposite of the first one mentioned, fortuning good news if the day was fine. It is traditional to hold a coin in your writing hand and a crêpe pan in the other while you’re cooking. If you successfully flip the crêpe into the air and back into the pan, your family will be prosperous for the rest of the year.
As you can see, the religious meaning has been lost over the years. Really, these days Chandeleur is just an excuse to eat crêpes for dinner.
Aux Petits Soins hosts an annual Chandeleur Party every year.
CARNAVAL
Mardi Gras (“Fat Tuesday”) is perhaps the most well known French holiday in the U.S. Most Americans associate Mardi Gras with New Orleans, but it’s also wildly popular in many French cities and departments, including Nice and the French West Indies (more details here).
Mardi Gras refers to events of the Carnaval celebrations, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of Epiphanie and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday. In 2017, Mardi Gras is on February 28. Traditionally, on Mardi Gras we eat rich, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of Lent.
Carnaval typically involves a public parade, during which people wear masks and costumes surrounding King Vaval, who is represented by a giant mannequin and serves as the king of Carnaval. He is introduced at the beginning of the festival and dies on Ash Wednesday, to be reborn like the phoenix the following year.
The food associated with this holiday is another French staple: the beignet, a fried pastry made with sugar, flour and eggs. What’s a French holiday without rich food?
Aux Petits Soins celebrate Carnaval every year.
APRIL FOOLS’ DAY
In France, April 1st is all about laughter and light-hearted pranks. One of the most beloved traditions? Sneakily sticking a paper fish on someone’s back—then gleefully shouting “Poisson d’avril!” when they finally notice!
Every year, we invite YOU to join in the fun with our annual April Fools’ Day Contest! Here is how to take part:
- Make a paper fish and decorate it.
Need inspiration? Download and print this origami fish here. - Stick it on a friend or family member’s back—as sneakily as possible!
- Snap a picture of your prank in action.
- Post it on social media with the hashtag #APSAprilFool.
The most creative or hilarious photo of the day will win a $100 Community Gift card.
Let the silliness begin—and may the sneakiest fish win!
MAY DAY
May 1st in France is more than just a day off, it’s a celebration of springtime renewal and workers’ rights.
The custom of giving lily of the valley (muguet) dates back to 1561, when King Charles IX received a sprig as a lucky charm. Delighted by the gesture, he began offering lilies of the valley to the ladies of his court every year. By the early 20th century, this charming tradition had become widespread –on May 1st, it’s customary to gift a sprig of muguet, a symbol of springtime, to loved ones as a token of good luck and happiness.
May 1st is also International Workers’ Day, honoring the labor movement and the fight for workers’ rights. The date was chosen in the late 19th century to commemorate the Haymarket affair in Chicago. French workers marching on May 1st once wore a red triangle, later replaced by a wild rose (églantine) as a symbol of the Left.
During the Vichy regime (1940–1944), Marshal Pétain officially replaced the rose with the lily of the valley, intertwining the two meanings of May Day –celebration of spring and solidarity– into one lasting symbol.
WORLD MUSIC DAY
On June 21st, we celebrate the French holiday Fête de la Musique, or “World Music Day.” All over France, there will be free concerts performed by professional and amateur musicians alike who will take advantage of today being the longest day of the year to fill the air with music covering all genres. These planned and impromptu concerts are held in theaters, bars, parks and street corners.
BASTILLE DAY
Bastille Day is France’s National Day, analogous to Independence Day in the U.S. Its formal French name is la Fête Nationale, and is celebrated every year on July 14.
The holiday commemorates the turning point in the French Revolution. A political group called the Third Estate, which represented the common people — two other “estates” represented the clergy and the nobility — overtook the Bastille in 1789 after talks with King Louis XVI stalled. The Bastille was a fortress prison that held both munitions and political prisoners, and the Third Estate’s takeover led to a violent clash. However, this action led directly to the abolishment of national feudalism several weeks later, and the adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.
On July 14 every year, France’s Bastille Day parade makes its way down the historic Champs-Elysee in front of the President. The parade is the oldest and largest military pageant in Europe.
ASSUMPTION DAY
Many of France’s national holidays are rooted in the Catholic Church’s calendar, and Assumption Day, celebrated annually on August 15, is one of them. Parades, fireworks, and bonfires are held throughout the country commemorating the end of summer. Those adhering to the religious aspect of the day often make pilgrimages to the French city of Lourdes, where special celebrations are held to commemorate the ascension of Mary into heaven.