Although France shares many Christmas traditions with its European neighbours, some customs are quintessentially French – like oysters on ice, the bûche de Noël (Christmas log cake) and a decided emphasis on Champagne. FRANCE 24 takes a look at some of the traditions you might encounter if celebrating the holiday à la française.
The Christmas season is a time of the year when the French set aside their treasured notion of being a staunchly secular country to revel in holiday traditions, many of them rooted in Christianity and – going back further – Roman and ancient Pagan rites.
