A traditional French Christmas meal, or Réveillon, is a lavish feast featuring rich starters like oysters, foie gras, and snails (escargots), followed by a centerpiece of roasted poultry, often a turkey (dinde) stuffed with chestnuts or other birds like capon or goose. The meal concludes with a classic Bûche de Noël (Yule Log cake) and a cheese course, with regional specialties like Provence's Thirteen Desserts also appearing.
It is the main French Christmas Meal and usually starts after the midnight mass, which can be as late as 2 am, but in modern times, families begin at 8 pm till after midnight. They gather for a late-night feast featuring oysters, foie gras, and perfectly roasted meats.
Dishes might include roast turkey with chestnuts or roast goose, oysters, foie gras, lobster, venison and cheeses. For dessert, a chocolate sponge cake log called a 'bûche de Noël' is normally eaten. In some parts of France, they celebrate by eating 13 different desserts!
What do the French eat for breakfast on Christmas Day?
The possibilities are endless: beautiful breads, freshly-pressed juices, colourful winter fruit salads, quiches, and eggs in a million and one different ways. Wonderful! Here is one of my favourite Christmas breakfast in France recipes.
What Is A Traditional French Christmas Dinner? - France Fact File
What is the traditional dessert for a French Christmas dinner?
The traditional French dessert for Christmas is of course the Bûche de Noël or Yule Log. The custom is to make a genoise cake, layer on buttercream, then roll it up into a log shape and decorate.
How is French Christmas different to English Christmas?
Père Noël brings French children their Christmas presents during the night and kids typically open their presents from him on Christmas Day morning the same as in the UK. One significant difference is children leave out their shoes by the fireplace not stockings as we are so familiar with in the UK.
At the heart of French Christmas celebrations is Le Réveillon, a lavish multi-course dinner held on Christmas Eve. Families gather late into the evening to enjoy an elegant meal that can last for hours.
What is the most popular Christmas gift in France?
Toys (45%): Christmas is truly a time for children in France, with toys topping the list. Fashion and Accessories (44%): The French are known for their impeccable style, and fashion items are a popular choice for all ages. Books (42%): France has a rich literary tradition, and gifting books is a beloved custom.
Festive French cocktails include Kir Royale, a gorgeous ruby-hued drink made from Champagne and Crème de Cassis or blackcurrant liqueur. Another classic is a Sidecar made with citrusy Cointreau and Cognac.
Most European countries have their own distinct festive rituals. You might find them in specialised British import shops, but the average French or German family does not pull crackers on Christmas Eve.
What is the name of the traditional cake eaten at Christmas in France?
Traditionally, a bûche de Noël, which literally means “Christmas log” in French, is a sponge cake and buttercream roulade that is modeled after the Yule log. The chocolate frosting is scored to resemble bark and the cake is typically embellished with exquisite meringue mushrooms, marzipan holly, and berries.
Roast turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, dinner rolls, and pumpkin or pecan pie form the classic American Christmas meal.
In the North East of France, Christmas celebrations begin on the 6 December - also known as Saint Nicholas' Day. The celebrations take place because, once upon a time, there were three children who got lost in the countryside. A wicked butcher kidnapped them.
The most common way of wishing merry Christmas in French is to say “joyeux Noël !”. And it's enough, you don't have to add anything to it. Just like you could say “Merry Christmas in English and leave it at that.
From around the magnificent Cathedral to the city's most beautiful squares, Strasbourg, Capital of Christmas, invites you to share in the most marvellous of all the holidays.
French Christmas Food Traditions: Le Réveillon de Noël, Bûche de Noël and Galette des Rois. The Christmas Eve supper! Some oysters, a cold partridge, some crayfish, ham and some cakes.
What do French people say to each other at Christmas?
Wish a “Merry Christmas”, “Happy Holidays” and “Happy New Year” in French. Joyeux Noël! “The holidays” include both Noël and Le Nouvel An, and can be packed in “Les Fêtes de fin d'année”.
Which country has the best Christmas celebration in the world?
The best Christmas celebrations in the world take place in Germany, Finland, the Philippines, Austria, Mexico, Australia, the USA, Italy, Iceland, and Spain. Each destination celebrates in its own special way, from candlelit saunas and giant lanterns to lively parades and midnight feasts.
Steak-frites. Steak-frites consists of a piece of steak served with French fries. This is often considered the most typical French dish. A piece of steak, often a rib eye (entrecôte) is pan fried in butter and served “saignant” or bloody with a mountain of chips.
In France, breakfasts are mostly sweet rather than savoury. Most French people start the day simply with a coffee or café au lait and bread with butter and jam. Croissants, pain au chocolat, and other viennoiseries (flaky, buttery pastries) are often reserved as a weekend treat.
Crème brûlée is arguably the most well-known French dessert outside of France, a staple on menus from Paris to New York. Its popularity comes from its elegant simplicity - a rich, creamy custard capped with a brittle burnt sugar crust.
