Goals
What you'll be able to doBy the end of this lesson, you can:
- Recognize the main French holidays (14 juillet, Noël, Saint-Valentin, Fête de la musique…)
- Talk about what you did for a holiday
- Reuse the passé composé with avoir and être
- Know a few French regional specialties
- Compare holidays in France and in your own country
✏️ This is a cultural lesson that recycles everything you've seen so far.
The big holidays in France
Religious, civic, popularThe French love their holidays — religious, civic, popular. Here are the most important ones — the ones people talk about most.
La Fête nationale (Bastille Day)
Anniversary of the storming of the Bastille in 1789. Military parade on the Champs-Élysées, fireworks in every town, popular street balls. Bastille Day, France's national day. Comparable in weight to July 4th in the US.
La Saint-Valentin
The lovers' holiday. People give flowers (often roses), a gift, or a romantic dinner. In France, more low-key than in the US — primarily romantic couples, not "Galentine's" or classroom card-exchange traditions.
Noël (Christmas)
The big family holiday. Réveillon on the 24th evening — a long late dinner, tree, presents. Traditional dishes: dinde aux marrons (turkey with chestnuts), foie gras, bûche de Noël (yule log cake). Note: the main meal is on Christmas Eve (24th), not Christmas Day. Gifts are typically opened on the 24th in many French families.
La Fête de la musique
Since 1982, on the first day of summer. Free concerts in streets all over France. Every genre: rock, jazz, classical, electro… A French invention — now exported. Probably the most beloved civic holiday after July 14.
La Fête du Travail (Labor Day)
Public holiday. People give lily of the valley (muguet) as a good-luck charm. Trade union marches. May 1, not the US "first Monday of September" Labor Day.
Pâques (Easter)
Christian religious holiday. Children hunt for chocolate eggs in the garden — but in France the tradition is that the bells (les cloches) bring them, not the Easter Bunny! Friendly cultural surprise for anglophones — no Easter Bunny in France.
Halloween
Imported from the US, but much smaller than in North America. Mostly for kids: costumes, candy. Many adults barely notice it. If you're American, expect Halloween in France to feel like a faint echo of home.
La Chandeleur
Crêpe day! Families make crêpes together. (See Lesson 17!) Closest English equivalent: Pancake Day / Shrove Tuesday — though the date doesn't match.
L'Épiphanie
People share a galette des rois (kings' cake) with a fève (charm) hidden inside. Whoever finds it is "king" or "queen" for the day and wears a paper crown. Roughly the French take on King Cake / Mardi Gras cakes in the US South.
La Toussaint
All Saints' Day. Public holiday. Families visit cemeteries and place chrysanthemums on graves. Quieter and more solemn than Halloween. Note: chrysanthemums in France are funeral flowers — never give them as a gift!
Vocabulary
Words to remember| French | Type | English |
|---|---|---|
| l'arc de triomphe | n.m. | the Arc de Triomphe |
| une bonne année ! | phrase | Happy New Year! |
| un copain / une copine | n. | friend, mate (informal); also "boyfriend / girlfriend" |
| dernier(ière) | adj. | last; previous |
| une enquête | n.f. | survey, investigation |
| exister | v. | to exist |
| une faculté (fac) | n.f. | university (informal: la fac) |
| une fête | n.f. | holiday; party; celebration |
| fêter | v. | to celebrate |
| le feu d'artifice | n.m. | fireworks |
| un gâteau (gâteaux) | n.m. | cake |
| un groupe | n.m. | group; band |
| juin | n.m. | June |
| juillet | n.m. | July |
| un magazine | n.m. | magazine |
| un mariage | n.m. | wedding; marriage |
| un moment | n.m. | moment |
| le muguet | n.m. | lily of the valley |
| Noël | n.m. | Christmas |
| papa / maman | n. | dad / mom |
| une pâtisserie | n.f. | pastry shop; pastry |
| petit-ami / petite-amie | n. | boyfriend / girlfriend |
| romantique | adj. | romantic |
| la Saint-Valentin | n.f. | Valentine's Day |
| un souvenir | n.m. | memory; souvenir |
| un triomphe | n.m. | triumph |
| Vienne | proper noun | Vienna |
| viennois(e) | adj. | Viennese |
Holiday expressions
Wishes you'll need🎉 Wishing someone well "Happy ___!"
A few must-have set phrases:
| Occasion | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas | Joyeux Noël ! | Merry Christmas! |
| New Year | Bonne année ! | Happy New Year! |
| Birthday | Joyeux anniversaire ! / Bon anniversaire ! | Happy Birthday! |
| Name day (saint's day) | Bonne fête ! | "Happy name-day!" — see note below |
| February 14 | Bonne Saint-Valentin ! | Happy Valentine's Day! |
| Exam / challenge | Bonne chance ! / Bon courage ! | Good luck! / Hang in there! |
| Trip | Bon voyage ! | Have a good trip! |
| Meal | Bon appétit ! | Enjoy your meal! (no real English equivalent — see below) |
| Weekend | Bon week-end ! | Have a good weekend! |
🍾 passer une bonne soirée & appreciation "That was lovely!"
- Nous avons passé une excellente soirée ! "We had a wonderful evening!"
- J'ai passé un bon moment. "I had a great time."
- C'était magnifique / romantique / sympa !
Note passer here = "to spend (time)" — same range as English "spend" with time, not money.
Practice
Try it outExercise 1 — Which holiday? Match descriptions to holidays
Match each description to the right holiday.
- You go watch the fireworks and the parade.
- People give lily of the valley.
- Families make crêpes together.
- People give flowers and have a romantic dinner.
- People listen to free music in the streets.
- Children look for chocolate eggs in the garden.
Exercise 2 — Right phrase! Pick the wish
What do people say in these situations?
- Before a meal:
- On January 1st:
- On December 25th:
- Before an exam:
- At the airport, to a friend:
- On Friday evening:
Exercise 3 — France facts: True or false? Cultural check
True or false, about France:
1. Halloween is a major holiday in France.
2. On July 14th, there's a parade on the Champs-Élysées.
3. On May 1st, people give roses.
4. The Fête de la musique is on June 21st.
5. The big Christmas meal is on the evening of the 24th.
Exercise 4 — Memories Writing
Write to a friend about a memorable holiday from your life — in France or in your own country. (6-10 sentences) Use the passé composé: j'ai passé… j'ai mangé… nous sommes allés…
Exercise 5 — And in your country? Group discussion
In groups, compare French holidays with the holidays in your own country. Which ones are most important? What do people eat?
Cultural snapshot — French regional cuisine
A whirlwind tourFrance has 13 regions, and each one has its specialties. The French are extremely proud of their cuisine. A few classics:
🍷 La Bourgogne — Burgundy
Home of world-famous red wine. Classic dishes: bœuf bourguignon (beef stewed in red wine), coq au vin (chicken in red wine), escargots (snails — yes, really, with garlic butter).
🦞 La Bretagne — Brittany
Coastal region in the north-west. Seafood specialties: huîtres (oysters), crêpes, galettes (savoury buckwheat crêpes), cidre (cider).
🥨 L'Alsace
Eastern region near Germany. The food shows the influence: choucroute garnie (sauerkraut with sausages), tarte flambée ("flammkuchen", a thin onion-and-cream tart), pain d'épices (gingerbread), bretzels.
🌞 La Provence
South-east, on the Mediterranean. Sun-drenched cuisine in olive oil: ratatouille (vegetable stew), salade niçoise, bouillabaisse (Marseille fish stew), tapenade (olive paste).
🧀 La Normandie — Normandy
North-western region known for dairy: camembert (the cheese), crème fraîche, calvados (apple brandy).
💡 Bon appétit! In France, people always say bon appétit before eating — even strangers in a restaurant might wish you a quick "bon appétit" as they pass. There's no equivalent fixed phrase in English; "enjoy your meal" is the closest, but it's much more institutional. Just adopt bon appétit wholesale.