7 Interesting Easter Traditions In France: How Easter is Celebrated in France

Want to know how Easter is celebrated in France? This post will show you all the interesting Easter Traditions in France that have been observed for decades!

Nothing feels more like spring than Easter, and if you’re lucky enough to be spending Easter in France, you’re in for a real treat!

Easter traditions in France are fun, colorful, and enjoyable, and involve a lot of authentic French food.

An important Christian festival, Easter, is referred to as Pâques in French, which comes from the Latin word ‘Pascua’ meaning Passover. So if you’re going to greet someone on Easter, you’d say Joyeuses Pâques!

Celebrating Easter is one of the best things to do in Paris in April

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When in France, you’ll get a chance to partake in various French Easter traditions that have been taking place for centuries, learn more about their historical significance, and gorge on specialty confectionery and chocolate while you’re at it.

You’ll also get to be surrounded by gorgeous spring flowers, hand-painted easter eggs, and other decorations that make some cities come alive!

Ready to find out how Easter is celebrated in France and how you can participate? Keep reading!

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7 Fun Easter Traditions in France

Here are some of the French Easter facts (some myths) and traditions you probably didn’t know about.

1. Authentic Easter Food

Serving authentic Easter Food is one of the Easter traditions in France

Food is a big part of any festival worldwide, and it’s no different in France on Easter.

For decades, it’s been a tradition to have an authentic French meal with the family, which usually involves a Lamb dish in light of the spring season or in some places brioche bread in the shape of a lamb, sprinkled with icing sugar called Lamala or Lammele.

Other Easter foods in France include a cheeseboard and signature desserts which are primarily chocolate-based.

Besides chocolate, a dessert called “Elephant ears,” which are cinnamon palmiers, is also often loved during Easter time.

2. Easter Egg hunt

*Going for an Easter Egg hunt is one of the French Easter traditions*

One of the most popular Easter traditions in France and worldwide is the Easter egg hunt!

Several towns, local villages, and organizations plan Easter egg hunts as a way of fulfilling the tradition which is super popular among children.

Historically, the eggs used to be hard-boiled and painted in various colors using any available items mainly reddish and onions, but in recent times, they have been switched to decorative chocolate eggs which become treats at the end of the hunt.

Though many places organize Egg hunts, the egg hunt at Château Vaux-le-Vicomte, a castle on the outskirts of Paris, is truly one of the best!

French families (usually those with kids) also prepare their own version of Egg hunts by hiding the decorated eggs in their backyard for the kids to find.

It’s a fun experience for the kids and the excitement they show when they discover the eggs is everything.

3. The Easter bells (Les Cloches De Pâques)

As a sign of respect to Christ and to mourn his death, the church bells are stopped on the Thursday before Easter and are not rung until Easter Sunday.

As to why the bells aren’t rung, the children are told a legend about how the bells fly over to Rome to get blessed by the Pope.

After getting the blessings, the bells would return to France, and on their way, they’d pick up Easter eggs which they scatter in the gardens.

Then to mark the resurrection of Christ, the church bells are rung again on Easter Sunday.

4. Easter Chocolates

Another essential part of French Easter traditions is chocolate! The patisseries and chocolatiers in France create egg-shaped chocolates with extreme detail, which are a work of art.

Besides eggs, they also sell chocolate shaped and decorated as Easter bunnies, bells, lamb, fish, and more.

If you visit France at Easter and pass by its chocolatiers, you’re sure to feel like lécher Les vitrine, (which translates to licking the windows) due to the perfectly crafted chocolates displayed.

Not only are the French skilled at making specialty chocolate art, but they also love consuming it. France is, in fact, one of the top ten chocolate-consuming countries across the globe.

5. The giant Easter omelet

The giant Easter omelet is one of the French Easter traditions

After a weekend of gorging on several delicacies and lots of leftovers, families in France (usually in Southwest France ) tend to cook omelets the Monday after Easter following the French Easter tradition that has persisted for decades.

It is believed that when Napoleon visited the town of Bessières in the South of France, he ate an omelet prepared by a local before he went to bed.

He loved it so much that he asked the people to collect all the eggs in the village and make a giant omelet for his army the next day!

The tradition stuck, and now the people of this town make a giant omelet using over 15,000 eggs, which the entire village eats. What could possibly be more fun than that?

6. Easter Egg Decoration

Decorating Easter eggs is one of the Easter Traditions in France

With chocolate being such a huge part of Easter in France traditions, from the story of the bells to the eggs hunts and chocolatiers gearing up to create pieces of art (that can be eaten), decorating Easter eggs has also become a popular custom!

An activity for the young and old alike, people get together with chocolate eggs and several confectionery items — M&M’s, edible glitter, sprinkles, chocolate chips, and more to fill the inside of an egg and make it look spectacular on the outside.

7. Specialty Easter Markets

The time of Easter also brings Easter markets in many towns across the country.

With bright colors of white, pink, yellow, green, and more lighting up the cities, Alsace, a region in the North of France, is well-known across the country for its Easter markets.

The region goes all out in terms of decoration during the Easter season.

Hand-painted eggs in handspun nests are adorned at the balcony ledges, spring flowers (particularly tulips) at every square, and the art and household wares are sold at these fairs. The Alsace region surely knows how to celebrate Easter in Frace.

Final Thoughts on the French Easter Traditions

Like any other time of year, spring and Easter weekend in France is truly an unbeatable experience.

Surrounded by so much color, several Easter traditions in France are a once-in-a-lifetime experience, especially if you love chocolate (who doesn’t?), egg hunting, or are simply looking for a reason to celebrate, eat French food, and shop at some artisanal markets!

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