Category Archives: Holidays

Celebrating Easter (Paques) in Paris

Posted on by — Leave a reply
High-end chocolate Easter egg

Nominally Catholic—but in reality mostly secular—France does, indeed, celebrate Easter (called Paques in French) every year. But the celebrations in the City of Light are not nearly as Jesus-y for the faithful or as candy-filled for the non-church-going as are those for Americans. Yes, all of the churches throughout Paris will hold a series of masses on Easter Sunday. And yes, sweet treats are an integral part of Parisian Paques family traditions, including Easter eggs. But that’s where the similarities between Easter in the U.S. and Paques in France end. Continue Reading →

Turkey Day in Paris? Head to Thanksgiving

Posted on by — Leave a reply
Thanksgiving 2

Parisians don’t celebrate Thanksgiving. Nope, there’s no turkey. No stuffing. No candied yams. No cranberry sauce. No pumpkin pie. No, Thanksgiving is very much an American holiday, and with the exception of a few restaurants catering to U.S. tourists that offer a Thanksgiving Day meal, the holiday is virtually ignored in the City of Light. So, what do expats do when they want to cook up a big Turkey Day feast with all the trimmings? Or those visitors to Paris who are lucky enough to be in a rental apartment and who wish to prepare a scaled-down version of the grand holiday dinner? Those in the know head to Thanksgiving, a delightfully quirky Marais shop specializing in American foodstuffs. Continue Reading →