A day on 14 July
Le défilé, le bal, le feu d’artifice
Bastille Day remembers the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789 and the Fête de la Fédération a year later. Here is how the day unfolds.
- 10hluh day-fee-LAYthe military parade down the Champs-Élysées
- 13hluh peek-NEEKpicnics in parks and on the banks of the Seine
- 22hluh bal day pon-PYAYdances held in fire stations, open to all
- 23hluh fuh dar-tee-FEESSfireworks, with the Eiffel Tower in Paris
La galette des rois
La fève, le roi, la couronne
For Epiphany (6 January) and the weeks after it, families and offices share an almond pastry with a small charm, la fève, hidden inside. The ritual has fixed words.
1luh plü ZHUHN va soo la TABL
Le plus jeunethe youngestvagoessous la table.under the table
“The youngest goes under the table.”The youngest child calls out who gets each slice, so no one can cheat.
2say poor KEE
C’estit’spourforqui ?whom
“Who is this one for?”The adult points at each slice and asks.
3zhay la FEV
J’aiI-havela fève !the charm
“I’ve got the charm!”Once a dried bean, now a small porcelain figure.
4luh RWA may la koo-RON
Le roithe kingmetputs-onla couronne.the crown
“The king puts on the crown.”Every galette comes with a gold paper crown.
5eel shwa-ZEE sa REN
Ilhechoisitchoosessa reine.his queen
“He chooses his queen.”The king or queen picks a partner; in some families, they buy the next galette.
Faire le pont
Jeudi férié, vendredi de pont
A jour férié (public holiday) that falls mid-week leaves one working day stranded next to the weekend. Take it off and you “make the bridge”: faire le pont. Pick a holiday and the day it falls on to see what the French do.
Cette année, il tombe un…
lun.travail
mar.travail
mer.travail
jeu.férié
ven.le pont !
sam.week-end
dim.week-end
On fait le pont !la-son-SYON TOMB uhn zhuh-DEE, on fay luh PON von-druh-DEE · “Ascension Day falls on a Thursday, so we’re taking Friday off.”
L’AscensionAscension Daytombefallsun jeudi,on-a Thursdayonwefait le pontmake the bridgevendredi.Friday
4 joursThursday holiday + Friday off = a four-day weekend for one day of leave.
Two late-night feasts
Le réveillon de Noël, le réveillon du Nouvel An
Réveillon comes from réveiller (to wake): you stay up late. The two evenings have different traditions.
Le 24 décembreA family dinner: oysters, foie gras, a roast, and the Yule-log cake.
Le 31 décembreWith friends: champagne, a countdown, and a kiss under the mistletoe.
Keep going