The tradition of decorating Christmas trees in France goes back to 16th century Alsace, when people would hang apples and nuts from the trees’ branches. However, in 1858, a drought caused the apple harvest to fail, so an enterprising glass blower from Goetzenbruck in Lorraine created […]
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As with many people across the world, the Christmas tree (le sapin de Noël) takes pride of place at Christmastide in French homes, schools, businesses, and factories. The first Christmas tree in France is said to have been put up in Alsace in the 1521 but it […]
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Did you know that when children write letters to Santa in France, it is the law that they each receive a postcard by way of a response? The law was passed in 1962.
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While France may come low on the list of vegetarian-friendly European countries, there is no need for vegetarians to despair; French cuisine does actually include a number of dishes which are actually suitable for vegetarians but because meat-free diets are not a big thing in l’Hexagone, […]
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In January 1897, several newspapers reported the story of Béatrice de Rothschild’s poodle, Diane, getting married La Petite Major – her father’s dog, also a poodle. An excerpt from the Washington DC Morning Times said: “There is a new fad among the rich – dog marriages. […]
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Foie gras, the goose liver pâté that is the staple of le Réveillon in some regions, actually originated in ancient Egypt 4,500 years ago. Around 500 BC, it spread to Greece but didn’t make it to France (or, as it was then, Gaul) until the Romans brought […]
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After midnight mass on Christmas Eve, le Réveillon, a fast-breaking feast, is served. Cafés and restaurants stay open all night to accommodate those who are not feasting at home. Le Réveillon comes from réveiller – to wake (hence reveille being the morning bugle call to wake […]
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As in many countries around the world, Christmas in France is a time for family gatherings. On Christmas Eve, instead of stockings however, children leave their shoes in front of the fireplace (or under the tree), so that Père Noël can fill them with gifts. In Northern […]
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This Christmas, terminally-ill patients at the palliative care centre of the Clermont-Ferrand University hospital in Puy-de-Dôme in central France, will be able to enjoy some festive spirit with their friends and relatives in a purpose-built wine bar attached to the hospice. The medically-supervised visits to the […]
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It’s no secret that the rest of the world considers the French to be the epitome of sophistication when it comes to alcoholic beverages; whether it’s wine, beer, cider, apéritifs, liqueurs, or spirits, French booze generally beats everything else into a cocked beret. I say beats… […]
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