Clé France

While Christmas Day may be winding down, the season isn’t really over until the New Year. Christmas has many traditions, and many of them are tied to food.

Everyone loves family meals consisting of a baked ham or turkey, savoury sides, and delicious desserts (miam ! yum!) – and we’re not even counting the sugar overdose from all those homemade cookies and fudge.

We have our traditional pies, and France, Quebec, and certain French colonies get to chow down an elaborate and historical dessert known as une buche de Noel. Called a Yule log in English, it’s simply a sponge cake rolled and filled with a chocolate buttercream and designed to resemble a log. Some cake makers will cut out branches to stick out of the log. Others will whip up meringue mushrooms, add fresh berries, make fake holly, or sprinkle powdered sugar on top to resemble snow. The cake as we know it today emerged during the 19th century, but the origins of the actual Yule log date back before the medieval era.

At this time, Gaelic Europeans and Celtic Brits believed trees held special powers and burning them to create les cendres (ashes) would increase the strength of this power. Before the winter solstice, people would search out a huge log, decorate it with holly and ivy, and burn it to celebrate days finally becoming longer. The log’s ashes would be collected and used in medicines. In addition to its healing benefits, the ashes also guarded against evil and accidents. It was also believed that spreading the ashes in les champs (the fields) would yield a nice harvest. Certaines personnes (some people) would keep charcoal or cinders from the original log because relighting them during a thunderstorm would protect your home and property from being struck by lightening.

When Christianity spread through Europe, this tradition still continued. The logs were brought in and burned in the hearth, the fireplace area. Onlookers would observe les flammes (flames) and make predictions about the upcoming year – important things like how many calves would be born that year and how many marriages would take place.

Au fil des années (over the years), heaths in houses were built smaller, and people weren’t bringing full-sized logs into their homes anymore. It’s impossible to pinpoint exactly when people stopped burning the Yule logs in their homes and created edible versions instead, but some research suggests that the cakes date back the 1600s judging from popular ingredients of the time. The traditional buche de Noel has meringue and marzipan decorations, and both of these were common treats at that time. Same goes for sponge cake –  it was mentioned as early as 1615 in Gervaise Markham’s “The English Huswife.”

Want to try one of these delicious, calorie-laden Christmas desserts? No problem. You can make it yourself by following one of the many recipes online, but make sure you have time and patience. Some of the recipes require more than 8 hours of your time!

Baking not up your alley? Just head on down to your local patisserie (bakery specialising in sweets) and order one. You’ll find more simple ones à prix abordable (at an affordable price) – about 20 euros – but you can easily drop more than 100 euros for a fancy one.

Bon appétit!

Blog submitted by: Alex at The French Property Network - Cle France.

This blog was originally posted on The French Language Blog pages.

One thing in common, that I love, about the various places I have lived in France over the years are the winter markets. They are smaller, larger, bigger and better in the varying regions of France but the one thing they all have is bundles of Christmas spirit and a sense of community, even though some of the stall holders travel the country to different markets; all the 'locals' visit the town square and share du vin chaud under des illuminations de Noel (Christmas lights).

If you are planning a viewing trip in December be sure to not only visit many nice french houses for sale, take time off and soak up the atmosphere at one of the local French winter markets.

Photo by Jean-Pierre Dalbéra on Flickr

In many pays européens (European countries) December brings les marchés de Noel (Christmas markets). These marchés are a special seasonal affaire that last all too short, but provide a nice traditional atmosphere right in the middle of town.

The tradition originally comes from l’Europe centrale (Central Europe), and as such, the most famous marchés de Noel se trouve en Alsace (are found in Alsace). But there are well known marchés all throughout France.

Dans un marché de Noel you can buy all kinds of jouets (toys) and other petits cadeaux (small gifts), or for those older kids in the crowd, du vin chaud (mulled wine). The traditional shops line the streets, creating an outdoor shopping experience, a real winter wonderland.

While enjoying du vin chaud under des illuminations de Noel (Christmas lights), you might even catch un spectacle (a performance) or two. All in all, se promener dans (taking a walk in) un marché de Noel is the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit.

Blog submitted by: David at The French Property Network - Cle France.

This blog was originally posted on The French Language Blog pages.

There is nothing like a trip around some Christmas markets to get you in the festive spirit. You don’t need to be tied to only visiting your local markets this year, though, try hopping over tho France for some true Christmas magic!

There are so many beautiful Christmas markets you can visit across the Brittany region this year and, Brittany Ferries sail into Roscoff and St Malo, so you can be at the markets shortly after arriving in France.

Taking your car on the ferry or via Le Shuttle is easy these days, so you can drive to whichever Christmas markets you choose to explore; and you'll have plenty of space in your car for all the festive goodies you pick up.

There are several Christmas markets in Brittany within just an hour's drive of St Malo.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, especially in France. The French love their Christmas markets and do them very well, and they make the perfect excuse for a seasonal weekend away.

Christmas markets dotted across the country. If you are planning a trip in November or December read on for our pick of the French festive fun.

If you have never visited a French Christmas market before, these are some of the most popular. These are the Christmas markets in France that see tourists and locals revisit them time and time again. Probably because they each offer something a little different from the next, all with that familiar Christmas atmosphere.

The best Christmas markets to visit in Brittany

St Malo, Ile et Vilaine

Dates: 2 - 31 December

Where: At the foot of the Castle, on the Esplanade St Vincent

Head to the picturesque walls of Intra Muros for a variety of chalets selling food and drink such as delicious cheeses, crêpes and mulled wine as well as arts and crafts and lots of gifts. There’s also an ice rink in the town, horse-drawn carriage rides and more.

Saint Suliac, Ile et Vilaine

Dates: 2 - 3 and 9 - 10 December

Where: In the heart of the village, in the little streets at the foot of the church.

Chalets housing artists and craftsmen are perfect for artsy gifts. Musicians, horse-drawn carriage rides and Father Christmas himself add to the festive atmosphere. Be sure to try some of the food - barbecued scallops, soups, doughnuts and other delicacies tickle the taste buds. 

Rennes, Ile et Vilaine

Dates: 24 November - 7 January

Where: Mail François Mitterand

This popular market in Brittany's capital has a great atmosphere and a wealth of wooden chalets to discover. The perfect destination for your Christmas shopping, embrace the festivities in Rennes and head to the shopping streets as well as the markets for a fantastic Christmas shopping experience. Be sure to explore the city centre for more festive fun as there’s much to see and do, including an ice rink.

Dinan, Côtes-d'Armor

Dates: Awaiting dates

Where: Esplanade de la Résistance in front of the town hall

Charming medieval Dinan is a wonderful backdrop for your Christmas shopping and there are plenty of chalets selling regional gastronomic delicacies and handicrafts. To get you in the festive mood there's also an ice rink and illuminations and a Father Christmas letterbox for children.

Lamballe, Côtes-d'Armor

Dates: 1 - 3 & 8 - 10 December

Where: Held at the historic Haras National de Lamballe (national stud farm)

Les Écuries du Père Noël is an annual Christmas event. Around a hundred exhibitors make this one of the best to visit. The stables are transformed into charming stalls that house craftsmen, artists and local producers. Enjoy equestrian demonstrations, carriage rides and lots of great food and drink stalls for a cup of mulled wine and more.

The best Christmas markets to visit in Normandy

Being able to drive straight from the ferry port means you can explore the many markets of Normandy if you choose a sailing into our Norman ports.

As well as being steeped in the history of the D-Day Landings and home to the beautiful Mont St Michel, Normandy is also full of Christmas markets!

From sampling some of the best French gastronomy to finding festive gifts, the Normandy Christmas markets have so much to offer you. What’s more, all these markets are within an hour-and-half drive of Caen or within a two-hour drive from Le Havre.

Caen, Calvados

Dates: 25 November - 31 December

Where: Place de la République, Boulevard Maréchal Leclerc.

Caen's Christmas market has a wonderful selection of gifts and local products in its 60 chalets. Browse the gourmet chalets for fabulous regional delicacies to take home for your festive dinner table. You're sure to find plenty of gifts with stalls selling crafts, jewellery and much more.

Bayeux, Calvados

Dates: 15 - 23 December

Where: Place de la Liberté

Gourmet and artisanal chalets nestle in front of Bayeux's stunning cathedral selling scarves, jewellery, cosmetics, sweets and local products making a wonderful setting for your Christmas shopping. Bayeux’s shops will be open on the Sundays that the market is in town too.

Le Havre, Seine Maritime

Dates: 25 November - 31 December

Where: Place de l'Hotel de Ville

Le Havre's Christmas market is a large market selling everything you could want for Christmas. Illuminations, a Ferris wheel and a chance to meet Father Christmas on his sleigh will keep the little ones entertained! The Parade Blanche attracts thousands every year and is a beautiful Christmas parade that you won't forget.

Rouen, Seine Maritime

Dates: 23 November - 24 December

Where: Place de la Cathédrale

The Rouen Givrée is the place to go if you want lots to see and do with your Christmas shopping. Normandy's capital really knows how to celebrate Christmas! Around 50 traditional wooden chalets selling all kinds of quintessential Christmas gifts and fine local delicacies blend into the environment. The atmosphere here is one that will really get you in the Christmas mood with street entertainment and musicians, a Ferris wheel - and you may even see Santa making an appearance!

La Pin au Haras, Orne

Dates: 9 & 10 December

Where: The famed Haras National du Pin (national stud farm)

A variety of stalls will be set up in the stables with all kinds of gifts and gourmet produce. Normandy is renowned for its love of horses so this market at one of France's most famous national studs is perfect for horse lovers - there's even the opportunity for little ones to have their first ride on a pony.

With so many magical Christmas markets to discover in France, what's stopping you?

Make your Christmas shopping experience extra special this year by visiting the Christmas markets of France.

Please note, the details of these markets are subject to change. Before making any travel plans, we suggest checking dates.

Thanks to Brittany Ferries for providing the background to this blog.

For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk

Travelling to France for the Christmas Markets

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, especially in France. The French love their Christmas markets and do them very well, and they make the perfect excuse for a seasonal weekend away.

When travelling between the UK and France we always use LeShuttle which can get you from Folkestone to Calais in just 35 minutes, and from there you are spoiled for choice with lots of Christmas markets dotted across the country. If you are planning a trip in November or December read on for our pick of the French festive fun.

Top French Christmas Market destinations

If you have never visited a French Christmas market before, these are some of the most popular. These are the Christmas markets in France that see tourists and locals revisit them time and time again. Probably because they each offer something a little different from the next, all with that familiar Christmas atmosphere.

Strasbourg Christmas Market

Where in France: Place de la Cathédrale, Strasbourg, Bas-Rhin, Grand Est
Drive from Calais: 621km / 5h 30m

The Christmas market in Strasbourg is one of the oldest and best loved festive celebrations in the country, dating back to 1570. It has a vintage feel, with many traditional craft stalls that will make you think of Christmas celebrations from yesteryear. The city’s historic quarter, known as ‘Petite France’, is a dream to stroll through on a winter’s night, too. Be sure to grab a mulled wine to sip as you wander among 300 twinkling chalets selling festive treats.

Metz Christmas Market

Where in France: Place Saint Louis, Metz, Moselle, Grand Est
Drive from Calais: 633km / 6h 30m

Perhaps the second most popular Christmas market in France after Strasbourg, the Christmas market in Metz is spread across the city in five different areas. You can shop for baubles and tree toppers, delicious festive treats and sensational local wine, plus unique Christmas souvenirs.

Reims Christmas Market

Where in France: Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims, Reims, Marne, Grand Est
Drive from Calais: 274km / 2h 20m

The stunning cathedral in the centre of Reims is illuminated, adding to the festive glow and magic of the city at Christmas time. You’ll find all the usual favourites at this Christmas market, such as classy glass decorations, garlands, chocolates and roasted chestnuts. How about a steaming cup of mulled wine to keep the cold at bay, or even a cheeky glass of champagne, for which the city is famous?

Amiens Christmas Market

Where in France: Place Gambetta, Amiens, Somme, Hauts-de-France
Distance from Calais: 157km / 1h 39m

Amiens is the capital of Picardy and home to France’s largest Gothic cathedral that gets beautifully lit up throughout December. It’s the perfect backdrop to the Christmas market. The market is one of the largest in northern France with over 130 stalls. This is the place for unusual items like Le Creuset kitchenware and regionally made glass. Local ​specialties include Beauvais chocolate and macarons made in Amiens.

Bordeaux Christmas Market

Where in France: Allées de Tourny, Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Drive from Calais: 868km / 7h 40m

If you travel further south in France, a trip to Bordeaux to visit their Christmas market is definitely in order. Enjoy a cup of something hot and spicy as you browse the selection of unique gifts from over 150 exhibitors and vendors, including produce from every corner of France. Sample local beers or wine and ensure everyone on your Christmas list gets something special!

Lille Christmas Market

Where in France: Place Rihour, Lille, Nord, Hauts-de-France
Drive from Calais: 112km / 1h 30m

Lille loves to get festive and you’ll find the whole town dons its Christmas lights and decorations during December. Nestled in the city centre, 90 wooden chalets teem with gift ideas, nativity figurines, Christmas decorations and festive food. As well as regional specialities there’s the classic festive treats to enjoy like gingerbread, roast chestnuts and freshly cooked pralines.

Colmar Christmas Market

Where in France: Place Jeanne d'Arc, Colmar, Haut-Rhin, Grand Est
Distance from Calais: 610km / 6h 20m

For a quintessentially ‘French’ experience, visit the Christmas market in the picturesque Alsace town of Colmar. Place Rapp in Colmar’s market has a huge, 800 square-meter ice rink and Christmas-themed rollercoaster. Listen to the children’s choir as they float along the canals lined with half-timbered houses as you shop for locally crafted gifts and souvenirs.

Toulouse Christmas Market

Where in France: Place du Capitole, Toulouse
Drive from Calais: 962km / 9h 20m

Held in December in the very heart of Toulouse, this is an impressive French Christmas market featuring original gift ideas from local woodcrafts to regional specialities. There’s something for everyone here including toys, pottery, jewellery, candles, clothing and leather goods. Toulouse is France’s fourth biggest city so as well as the market, be sure to stroll around its historic centre.

Arras Christmas Market

Where in France: Grand Place, Arras, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France
Distance from Calais: 109km / 1h 10m

You can’t miss the fantastic centrepiece of the Arras Christmas market – an enormous Ferris wheel. Take a ride to see views of the surrounding festivities and Flemish architecture. After a restorative mulled wine, browse the market stalls, visit the unique Christmas tree roundabout, or try skating on the natural ice-rink. Foodies should note that Arras is famous for its Gaufres - waffles of Flemish origin that are best served smothered in melted chocolate. Yum!

Other less well-known French Christmas markets

Smaller and less busy, if you need a quieter Christmas shop (but with no less magic) then these are the spots to explore.

Avignon Christmas Market

Where in France: Place de l'Horloge, Avignon, Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur
Drive from Calais: 983km / 8h 47m

Avignon’s grand Christmas Market runs throughout December in Place de l'Horloge, a central square. As well as streets lit up with fairy lights there’s live music and stalls selling crafts and food. A must see is the ‘Chemin des Crèches’, a very pretty walk through the different animated and illuminated nativity scenes, allowing you to discover the fabulous traditional ‘santons’ figures which are hand-painted figurines made from wood or clay.

Mulhouse Christmas Market

Where in France: Place de la Réunion, Mulhouse, Haut-Rhin, Grand Est
Drive from Calais: 666km / 6h 45m

Famous for its textiles, the pretty Alsace enclave of Mulhouse decorates its streets and market stalls with luxury Christmas fabric, which is made each year to mark the occasion. The stalls are within the glow of the church of Saint-Etienne which is lit for the festive season. Around 100 Christmas huts present local culinary specialities including foie gras, gingerbread and Bredeles (small cakes). While you're here, visit one of the town's many museums, including the Musée de l’Impression sur Etoffes (fabric printing museum).

Le Touquet Christmas Market

Where in France: Le Touquet-Paris Plage, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France
Drive from Calais: 70km / 1h

The stylish and fashionable seaside resort of Le Touquet stages beautiful Christmas celebrations each year. The town and surrounding dunes twinkle with fairy lights and entertainment includes carol singing and a Saint Nicolas parade. The stalls sell everything you need for the perfect Christmas gift including jewellery, hand-made wooden toys, and gourmet specialities including champagne and cheese.

Rouen Christmas Market

Where in France: Place de la Cathédrale, Rouen, Normandy
Drive from Calais: 274km / 2h 45m

Rouen has dubbed its Christmas event ’Rouen givrée’ (Frosted Rouen), and sees the whole town undergo a magical transformation. At the Christmas Market, held in front of the stunning cathedral, over 70 wooden chalets sell all manner of local fayre, such as cheeses, wines and sweets, traditional arts and crafts and Christmas decorations. Warm yourself up with a mulled cider or hot Calvados and honey before taking a turn on the ferris wheel on Place du Vieux Marché.

Licques Christmas Market

Where in France: Place de la Marie, Licques, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France
Drive from Calais: 21km / 30 minutes

This is one of the more unusual Christmas markets in France and only runs for three days. Because the town is known for its exceptional poultry, there is a Fête de la Dinde, which is a live parade of turkeys through the town centre, followed by local dignitaries and organisations. Licques Christmas market is where you can buy lots of festive treats to eat as well as traditional crafts and decorations. As the closest Christmas market to our Calais terminal, why not include Licques in a festive day trip to France?

What is the most Christmassy town in France?

It’s hard to say, but festivities in France don’t come much twinklier than in Strasbourg, which calls itself the ‘Capital of Christmas’. As well as the Christmas market itself, which spills out over large parts of the city’s old town, Strasbourg plays host to carol singers, a children’s Christmas village and the tallest decorated Christmas tree in Europe. But smaller towns like Colmar perhaps offer something cosier, and if it's Christmas twinkle you want, you can’t beat the City of Lights itself, Paris.

What is one unusual Christmas tradition in France? 

There are lots of similarities with how Christmas is celebrated in the UK, but perhaps the biggest difference is that for some French families, December 6th is the day that presents are exchanged. This is because it is the feast day of St Nicholas, the patron saint of children, who helped inspire the figure of Father Christmas. Children leave out shoes for St Nicholas to fill with presents (but only for the good children). This is a Christmas tradition strongest in north and north-eastern France.

When do Christmas markets start in France?

Christmas markets in France usually start towards the end of November and run through December, and some even remain open until the first week of January. If it’s your first time to a French Christmas market, here are five must dos, and some other ideas to help get you feeling festive in France.

Thanks to Le Shuttle for providing the background to this blog.

For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk

Beware the Christmas Cannibal of France

How a whip-wielding butcher became St. Nick’s sidekick.

A Butcher, a man with a whip, and a jolly bishop walk into a bar. This is not, in fact, the opening line of a twisted joke—it’s preparation for the biggest day of the year in Nancy, an elegant city in France’s Lorraine region.

St. Nicholas Day is celebrated across many European countries on December 6 or the weekend following it. Each evening in Nancy from late November till early January, a lights display projects a story onto the opulent façade of the Hôtel de Ville. The expectant crowd watches as three children knock on the door of a local butcher, only to be chopped up into little pieces and left to cure in a salting pot. Falling snowflakes are replaced with chunks of veal.

You might be wondering what this gruesome scene has to do with St. Nicholas, who is the predecessor of Santa Claus. Often throughout Europe, St. Nicholas is said to be accompanied by an evil nemesis designed to frighten children into good behaviour. Germany has Hans Trapp, Holland has Zwarte Piet, and Austria is best known for the Krampus, a horned beast that charges the crowd with threatening roars.

In the Lorraine region of France, St. Nicholas’s companion is called Père Fouettard, meaning Father Whipper or Father Flog. He has a bit of a kinky vagabond look, wearing ragged clothes, donning a straggly black beard, and carrying a whip and chain. He’s also a butcher, and he attempts to eat children.

How did St. Nicholas get paired with a whip-wielding cannibal? The answer starts over 1,500 years ago with the origin of Santa Claus and evolved over the centuries thanks to a miraculous medieval battle in France, a heavy sprinkle of rumours, and some extraordinary embellishments.

It’s widely believed that St. Nicholas was from present-day Türkiye. He was likely the bishop of Myra, born towards the end of the 4th century in Patara. It’s said he performed miracles as an infant and during his life. The bishop died on December 6, 343. It was believed his body produced an oil that held healing properties, which scientists think was actually water from the damp tomb. In the 11th century, merchants from Italy launched a quest to retrieve his body. They were successful: The bishop’s remains were exhumed and brought to Bari.

Word spread, and people all over Europe wanted a piece. During the first crusade (1096–99), a lord of Lorraine raided St. Nicholas’s tomb in Italy, severed the tip of his finger, brought it back to his French homeland, and built a church to house the relic in Saint-Nicolas-de-Port. The saint therefore became highly revered throughout Lorraine.

A few centuries later, St. Nicholas is thought to have saved the people of this region during battle. In 1476, Charles the Bold laid siege to the city of Nancy. Charles had been overtaking much of France, so it should have been an easy win. Food within the city was running out, and many citizens resorted to eating rats. “It’s thought many of the inhabitants turned to cannibalism during the siege, out of desperation,” adds Nadia Hardy, a historical guide in Nancy. But René II, Duke of Lorraine, prayed for victory over St. Nicholas’s severed phalange, now over a millennium old. Miraculously, Nancy won the battle. St. Nicholas became the hero of the story and the region’s patron saint.

But what of his whipping, child-eating nemesis? The story of Père Fouettard comes from another battle in Lorraine. In 1552, Charles V, King of Spain and Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, laid siege to the neighbouring city of Metz. Citizens created a grotesque effigy of Charles V, which they paraded through the streets before publicly burning it. Made by whip weidling tanners, the effigy became known as Père Fouettard (Father Whipper), an enemy of St. Nicholas.

At some point along the way, the figure gets mixed in with a sprinkle of cannibalism. Another legend tells of a butcher named Pierre Lenoir (or Peter Black), who chopped up three unfortunate children. He left them to marinate in a barrel for seven years before he received a knock at the door, and a surprise visitor: a hungry St. Nicholas, who the butcher recognised instantly. Loathe to feed human flesh to such a holy man, he claimed he had no food left. St. Nicholas placed three fingers on the salting barrel and resurrected the children, who, far from experiencing any profound trauma one might expect, felt as though they’d been awoken from a deep slumber.

“It’s likely that the stories of the butcher and Père Fouettard merged over time,” Hardy explains. Today in Nancy, the two characters are inextricably intertwined. Every December, not only is there, a projection of the tale, the townspeople also reenact the story.

“I’ve watched the St. Nicholas parades ever since I was a child,” says the man playing Père Fouettard this year. (The performer asked to remain anonymous “to preserve the magic,” as he says.) “I want my character to disgust people, not scare them.” The actor rubs dirt all over his face, attaches a long and dark beard, blackens out some of his teeth, and adorns a hooded brown cape. He makes a guttural growl like a dog and heads out to the festivities.

After the butcher, Père Fouettard, and St. Nicholas drink their pre-parade beverage (after all, it’s cold in Nancy in December), the event begins in town. During the reenactment, three local children visit the butcher and are depicted as being sliced, quartered, and salted. Salvation appears in the form of St. Nick astride a brightly lit carnival float, who resurrects the children. The butcher then morphs into Père Fouettard, doomed to follow St. Nicholas and dole out punishments to naughty children. He springs up in the crowd with his whip, giving out coal or sometimes turnips and potatoes.

St. Nicholas then climbs to the balcony of the Hôtel de Ville to greet the crowds. The mayor of Nancy presents him with a set of keys to the town, and the Christmas tree and Art Nouveau street lights crackle to life again. The butcher and Père Fouettard have both been overcome and must wait another year to scare the children of France into behaving.

Article thanks to Anna Richards for Atlas Obscura..

For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk