Tag Archives: French customs

La Chandeleur: Candles, Customs and Crêpes

Posted on 02/02/2019 by

Today is la Chandeleur or la fête des chandelles. I had never heard of it before we moved to France, but I had heard of Candlemas – lovely name – which is the British equivalent. To those of you in … Continue reading →

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Épiphanie, the Day of the Three Kings, in France

Posted on 06/01/2019 by

Now that New Year’s Eve has passed, I can wish you all a very happy, healthy and peaceful 2019. In France, it’s considered bad luck to do so before midnight on 31st December. Although we have turned the corner of … Continue reading →

Posted in Customs, Food/drink/recipes | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

19 Years in France

Posted on 26/08/2016 by

Time for a little celebration. Nineteen years ago today, we moved into our house, but we had arrived in France a few days earlier. The time has passed quickly, although much wine has flowed under the bridge since then. A … Continue reading →

Posted in French life | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

More French Superstitions

Posted on 30/03/2014 by

The post I wrote in November 2010 (is it really that long ago?) on French superstitions is the most popular I have written. So I decided to continue my researches and find some more for your delectation. Some were kindly … Continue reading →

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To Crèche or Not To Crèche

Posted on 21/12/2013 by

Political correctness sometimes verges on the downright barmy. France is a secular society, which is fair enough. Public employees in France are not permitted to display ostentatious symbols of religious affiliation, such as foulards (headscarves) or large crucifixes. These issues … Continue reading →

Posted in Customs, French life, Places, Rants | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Saint Catherine’s Day Customs

Posted on 25/11/2013 by

‘A la Sainte-Cathérine, tout bois prend racine.’ On St. Catherine’s Day (25th November) all wood takes root. This oft-quoted saying implies that the climatic conditions are right for planting trees and shrubs on that day. I’ll return to this below. … Continue reading →

Posted in Customs, French life, History | Tagged , , , , , , | 13 Comments