Christmas in France: French Christmas Traditions

France celebrates Christmas on December 25th, a nationwide public holiday, but the heart of a French Christmas beats the night before at Le Réveillon, the family's long, leisurely Christmas Eve feast.

Christmas in France is dreamy. The twinkling lights, the warm mulled wine, the hustle and bustle of Christmas markets, and the beautifully decorated store windows make it a magical time of year to visit.

Every corner you turn, the spirit of the holidays greets you with mesmerizing visuals – the streets are lined with electric lights of all shapes, sizes, and colors, the stores are busy installing interactive scenes, and large Christmas trees are mounted in iconic squares. While cities like Paris, Lyon, Marseilles, Cannes, and surtout Strasbourg certainly bring out their big guns, in French households it's a different matter altogether. Although not high on Christmas decorations, French people have a variety of Christmas traditions that might seem out of place to some tourists. 

With the holiday season upon us, let’s take a look at French Christmas traditions and how the French celebrate Christmas. Some things like Christmas trees and nativity scenes are common, whereas others are a little more unique such as oysters and gifts in shoes. You don't have to be in mainland France to celebrate the season à la française, you can easily replicate these traditions and practices chez vous. Not sure where to start?

Here's a quick regional guide before we get into the traditions, food, and markets that make the season so special.

Where to Experience Christmas in France

Wondering where to go for the most memorable French Christmas? Here's a quick regional guide.

Alsace and the French Alps:

Go here for the classic postcard French Christmas, with wooden chalets, mulled wine, half-timbered houses strung with lights, and Strasbourg's famous market (more on that below). The nearby French Alps add outdoor trees and torchlit processions of skiers.

Provence:

For a slower, more traditional French Christmas built around food and faith rather than markets, head south. Read Andi's guide to Le Gros Souper for the full Provençal Christmas Eve meal, and look for nativity processions and santons markets in towns across the region.

Brittany and Mont Saint Michel:

Brittany pairs its own Christmas lunch tradition and buckwheat crêpes after midnight mass with a Christmas pilgrimage up to the abbey at Mont Saint-Michel, a favorite for pilgrims and coastal charm alike.

Pyrenees:

The region along the Pyrenees and the Spanish border has a French-Spanish Christmas. In this region, the presents are usually brought by the three wise men (not Santa Claus) and exchanged on January 6th.

Paris:

For festive department store windows, ice rinks, and a full Christmas market circuit alongside everyday Parisian elegance, see Andi's dedicated guide to Christmas in Paris.

Read on for the customs, food, and full market guide behind each region, starting close to home in Paris.

Traditional French Christmas Celebrations in Paris

Christmas traditions in France vary largely by location. As a cultural hotspot, Christmas in Paris blends global influences with a side of French elegance. As elegant as the city itself, Christmas time in Paris is an enchanting experience. Every arrondissement has its own special charm.

The city of Light is, well, filled with dazzling Christmas lights! Ice skating rinks at iconic spots and some of Europe's best Christmas markets bring the city to life. For the full rundown of department store window displays and where to see them, read Andi's dedicated guide to Christmas in Paris.

The City of Light is well filled with dazzling Christmas lights! And the warm smell of the holidays will drive you to eat even when you aren't hungry! Ice skating rinks in iconic places, some of the best Christmas markets in Europe, and beautiful window displays (and interiors, too!) at places like Galeries Lafayette and Le Samaritaine truly bring the city to life.

Many of the passages, the covered passages of Paris, are decorated for Christmas. Don't miss the Galerie Vivienne.

If you are going to spend the holidays in Paris for Christmas, check out my article on Paris in December and what to pack for Paris in the Winter. If you are staying through the New Year, you will want to check out Paris in January as well.

Once you know where you are staying, make sure to check out my individual guides on all the Paris Arrondissements:

Paris Arrondissement Guide | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th | 13th | 14th | 15th | 16th | 17th | 18th | 19th | 20th 

Traditional French Christmas Celebrations in the rest of France

In other parts of France, Christmas traditions vary according to the customs of individual provinces, influenced by the 1700s. In the Alsace region and the Alps, the region closest to Germany, outdoor Christmas trees are quite popular, along with torch processions of skiers and carrying lanterns to Mass. Lorraine, in North-Eastern France, joyfully celebrates Saint Nicholas Day on December 6th with the exchange of gifts and candies, among other things.

Remember, if you are visiting France at Christmas time, Christmas Day is a public holiday, and you will need to plan ahead for meals at restaurants. Do your research and most definitely make reservations ahead of time!

Provençal French Christmas Traditions

The Provence region is well known for its elaborate processions based on nativity scenes and French Christmas carols. The processions began in the Middle Ages and remain a major tourist attraction today. There is also a tradition of “little saints,” or santons: small clay figures. They are used in nativity scenes, but the figurines also represent the “everyday” people in life, like bakers, fishmongers, etc.

I have written an entire post on Le Gros Souper, the traditional Christmas meal in the South of France. In addition, there is also the Provençal tradition of a feast consisting of 13 different desserts symbolizing Christ and the 12 Apostles at the Last Supper.

These desserts include a variety of fruits, sweets, and nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, dried figs, and grapes), along with a cake known as Pompe à l’huile (olive oil bread or brioche). Usually beginning a week before Christmas, these desserts are placed next to the dining table, and everyone is supposed to taste them all to bring luck for the coming year.

French Christmas Characters for Kids

Like many other countries, French children also open Advent Calendars filled with chocolates from the beginning of December. I have a full guide to picking the best advent calendars if you want to start your own tradition. (Advent calendars are extremely popular with adults too!) Santa Claus is popularly known as le Père Noël (Father Christmas), Papa Noël, or Saint Nicolas. In France, according to law, every child who writes to Santa receives a response from him in the form of a postcard. The French postal service takes care of this and ensures every letter receives a response.

Another Christmas figure in the stories is le Père Fouettard (Father Whipper), the opposite of Père Noël. While Père Noël is a jolly old man who comes bearing gifts, Père Fouettard is dressed in black robes and punishes naughty children. Another legendary Christmas character is La Tante Airie. Found in Franche-Comté, La Tante Airie is believed to be the reincarnation of the medieval aristocrat Countess Henriette de Montbéliard. The kind woman is always accompanied by her trusted donkey, Marion.

Christmas Tree and Carols

In France, a Christmas tree is called le sapin de Noël. Most French people bring home real trees. The local stores start selling real, lush trees around the beginning of December, and there is a fresh scent of fir and pine lingering in the air. Companies also offer Christmas tree rentals, where the tree arrives with roots intact and can be replanted after the holidays.

In terms of what the French put on their Christmas trees. Instead of putting up a lot of ornaments, they often use red ribbons and small white lights. These replace the traditional apples and candles used “in the old days.”

As for Christmas songs, there are songs similar to English carols, and French Christmas carols are a fun way to learn basic French. The carols are usually sung in cathedrals from Advent until the New Year. Caroling on the streets is not a very French thing to do.

Christmas Decor 

The nativity scene, also known as la crèche, is popular in the South West of France. The elaborate setups of the traditional manger scene include more than just Baby Jesus, Joseph, Mary, and animals. Some scenes in the Provence region feature entire villages. Before December 25, the manger does not include Baby Jesus. He arrives at midnight on December 24th, just in time for the Midnight Christmas Mass.

French homes are tastefully decorated with twinkling lights to bring in the festive season. You'll see Advent wreaths (Couronnes de l'Avent) throughout homes in France. The wreath made of greenery (pine tree branches) and ribbons is placed on a table. There are 4 spots for candles and every Sunday leading up to Christmas a candle will be lit.

If a French home has a fireplace, they will typically burn cherry wood yule logs often sprinkled with red wine (for the smell!).

In Paris, lights can be seen on major boulevards, squares, and everywhere in between, while smaller towns will have them in town centers, outside churches, and along lampposts. Department stores are where everyone goes to see spectacular, rather extravagant displays of holiday lights and Christmas scenes.

Lastly is the tradition of mistletoe (le gui), a popular French Christmas decorative item hung above the door to bring in good luck. HOWEVER, unlike in the United States, the traditional kissing under the mistletoe is for New Year's Eve celebrations, not Christmas! The same is true for Christmas cards. Traditionally, the French send out New Year's cards instead of Christmas cards. (Also, never wish anyone a Bonne Année (Happy New Year) before midnight on New Year's Eve as this brings bad luck!)

Midnight Mass and Christmas Day

Instead of visiting the church on Christmas Day, the French tradition is to hold a Midnight Christmas Mass. Though not everyone who celebrates Christmas is Christian, and of those who are, not all attend the midnight mass. Many churches hold a little reception after the mass for the church community to socialize. Christmas days are reserved for spending quality time with the whole family. Some go to church again on Christmas morning and then enjoy a meal with friends and loved ones.

The Traditional French Christmas Dinner

Christmas is incomplete without a hearty meal and laughter all around the table. The biggest meal of the holiday season is eaten on Christmas Eve, the night of the 24th. Known as le Réveillon de Noël, the Christmas feast is prepared with fancy ingredients and delicious flavors that are reserved for such festivities.

Christmas meals are a traditional affair, and the French pull out all the stops. With carefully planned Christmas dishes, the tables are decorated to offer loved ones an excellent experience. 

The French meals are a lengthy affair and for good reason. It usually begins with Champagne and amuse-bouches (like foie gras) and is replaced by a selection of wines throughout the meal.  While the main dishes differ from family to family, smoked salmon, oysters, escargots, and caviar are the most popular starter dishes.  

For the main course, fowls and game meats (quails, ducks, pheasants) are usually found on small tables, whereas bigger French families prefer a large chicken, roast goose, roast turkey with chestnut stuffing, or even roasted ham with a side of vegetables cooked with garlic and butter, provincial herb-sauteed potatoes.

The meal is finished with la  Bûche De Noël, the classic French Christmas cake. Shaped like a yule log (or Christmas log), this rich chocolatey sponge cake is wildly popular, and chefs often bake their own version every year. Over the years, la Bûche De Noël has evolved, and pastry shops offer a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and flavors, and even as an ice cream cake too!

French Christmas Cheer

When it comes to cocktails and drinks, the most important libation is champagne! While Champagne is still an expensive drink, the French love to splurge a little on their Christmas meals. People often start with a Kir Royale, made with champagne and crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur), and then move into straight champagne. Or the fancy French 75.

At the markets, it is all about the vin chaud, spiced mulled wine that is gently heated. The fragrance is hard to resist!

Christmas Gifts

In France, small gifts are exchanged on Christmas Eve, unlike in many countries where gifts are exchanged on Christmas Day. French kids usually receive their gifts from Père Noël on Christmas Day. In North America, a typical Christmas scene is incomplete without a thick stocking to hold all your presents, but in France, children put shoes near the fireplace to be filled with candies and gifts.

Today, many households simply put gifts under the Christmas tree and hang stockings as decorations. Need ideas? Andi's stocking stuffer guide has plenty of inspiration. Gifts typically range from wines, perfumes, and jewelry to books, sweets, and fruits. Visiting Christmas markets to select unique handmade products is also a favorite tradition of most families.

Christmas Markets 

Christmas markets in France are absolutely fabulous! Each market is unique and offers something a little different from the others.

The oldest and biggest Christmas market in France is in the city of Strasbourg. As Christmas nears, Strasbourg transforms itself into a twinkling town straight out of a fairytale. Also known as the Capital of Christmas, the markets here date back to 1570 and sit in the heart of the city, with the Strasbourg Cathedral as a spectacular backdrop. Within close walking distance of each other, the markets offer a variety of different themes.

In Rouen, the chilly winter weather is perfectly counterbalanced by the warmth brought by the Christmas markets, thanks to their endless supply of mulled wine and spicy foods. In the north, between Lille and the Belgian border, Roubaix has been holding one of France's first sustainable Christmas markets since 2016. Offering locally produced handmade products made from recycled materials, this is the perfect place for anyone keen on protecting the environment. Lille also has a great “regular” Christmas Marché in Place Rihour.

The town of Montbéliard offers very German-influenced Christmas markets. From children caroling with crowns of candles on their heads to a Santa Claus competition, Montbéliard’s holiday season is full of surprises.

Lyon's market is the most artistic. Full of fun energy, the Old Town also hosts the Fête des Lumières, or the Festival of Lights, along with the Christmas Markets. The festival is held annually in early December, centered on December 8th, though exact dates shift slightly each year, so check Lyon's official festival site before you plan around it. Expect spectacular light shows and the city filled with magic and dancing lights.

Best Time to Visit France for Christmas

When should you go? Christmas markets across France typically open in late November and run through December 24th. For reference, Strasbourg's market ran November 26 through December 24 in 2025, though the city finalizes each year's exact dates closer to the season, so double-check before you book.

For the best atmosphere, aim for the final two weeks of Advent, but expect the biggest crowds on December weekends. Late November through the first week of December tends to be quieter with the same festive setup. Lyon's Fête des Lumières is worth timing a trip around too, since it's held annually in early December, centered on December 8th.

Keep in mind that many restaurants, some shops, and public transport run reduced hours on December 25th itself, and the holiday season stretches all the way to January 6th, La Fête des Rois, if you'd rather visit after the crowds thin out.

La Fête des Rois

But wait, it’s not over yet! The Christmas season stretches into the new year until 6th January, when the French celebrate the Fête des Rois (Three Kings’ Day or Epiphany). Making merry with la galette des rois, a flaky pastry from Brittany, the festival is not an official holiday but is recognized in offices and schools.

The galettes have little figurines known as feve hidden inside them. Whoever finds the feve in their slice is crowned King/Queen for the day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Joyeux Noël

No matter where you celebrate your festive season, it is a wonderful time of year to bring a few French traditions into your home this Christmas.

I hope your Christmas is merry and filled with the chocolatey goodness of a typical French Noël.

Joyeux Noël ! (Merry Christmas in French!)

How about you? Have you spent Christmas in France? Do you try to replicate any French Christmas traditions in your home? Do share!

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