[Sponsored article] Here we are, at the end of August, and, with it, the bittersweet nostalgia of looking at summer. Some of us were even lucky enough to make new memories this year in France.
But let’s look on the bright side: This time of the year is perfect for preparing your next trip, and more precisely, your Christmas trip! Take advantage of planning ahead so that you can enjoy lower prices before prices start to climb in October and November. (It’s no secret that flight prices will definitely rise as we get closer to Christmas.)
If you have never experienced Christmas in France, French bee, the “smart cost” French airline, has given us three reasons to spend Christmas in France this year. We recommend you give it a try!
1. Christmas in France is the best period to eat loads of different and delicious food
Shoutout to all the foodies in our Frenchly community: Christmas is probably the best period for you to taste many different traditional French dishes. The most famous French Christmas dishes are foie gras, oysters, smoked salmon, dinde de Noël (Christmas turkey), and a delicious and sweet bûche de Noël (Yule log).
But these above are just an appetizer! There’s also an array of regional specialties you may or may not have heard of:
(Re)discover gingerbread as an entrée, originally from the Alsace area, or how about les huîtres aux crépinettes bordelaises (oysters with round and flat stuffed sausages) from Bordeaux? Maybe you would like to try boudin blanc (white pudding) or snails cooked in garlic and parsley with lots of delicious bread to sop up the sauce.
If you’ve got more of a sweet tooth, there’re also a lot of desserts and sweets for you to savor. Try a piece of Franc-Comtesse, a specialty of Franche-Comté (an area in eastern France), made with chocolate mousse, raspberry pulp, and vanilla cream. There’s also the Tarte Normande from Normandy, a delicious pie made with crème fraîche, sugar, caramelised apples and Calvados. In Provence, you’ll be able to enjoy the famous Treize Desserts, or “thirteen desserts”, associated with the twelve apostles who sat with Jesus during the Last Supper…But be prepared! The tradition is that each and everyone must taste every dessert. Finally, you’ll find a lot of cornets de marrons chaud (roasted chestnuts), especially in the Christmas markets.
Bon appétit !
2. Experience the magic of the marchés de Noël
Winter in France is usually very pleasant, with temperatures admittedly colder than the rest of the year, but not so cold that people can’t still go outside and enjoy walks. And the French love to walk!
You’ll often see families going for a walk together to enjoy the Christmas decorations and, above all, the marchés de Noël or Christmas markets. These markets are magical, softly perfumed by hot wine, chocolate, roasted chestnuts, and other delicacies. You will feel the Christmas magic while strolling around wood chalets, discovering local artisans and listening to traditional music.
There are marchés de Noël in pretty much every city, some bigger, some smaller, but there are also some markets that are known internationally: the marché de Noël in Strasbourg is the biggest and oldest one – it has been elected several times as the most beautiful Christmas market in Europe – but there’s also Colmar, Reims, Sarlat, Metz, Bordeaux, Lyon, Arras, Amiens…
3. For the mythical decorations of the Parisian department stores
When Christmas comes, the window displays of the biggest Parisian stores turn into enchanting sceneries. French people come from all over the country to admire these setups, sometimes created together with some of the best French haute-couture designers. The stores become genuine works of art that enthrall both children and grownups.
Among the most famously decorated stores, you’ll find Printemps Haussmann, Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, BHV Marais, Beaugrenelle Paris or Bon Marché Rive Gauche all in Paris.
There are also a lot of decorations and sceneries set up all over French cities. From North to South, you’ll be able to make the most of Christmas time and come back to the US starry-eyed and with your head full of memories from a wonderful Christmas season spent in France.
Fly to France with French bee
French bee is a French “smart cost” and long-haul airline, offering flights between France and the US at unbeatable prices. In the US, French bee operates in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and starting in December, Miami, too.
👉 one way New York EWR-Paris Orly from $250
👉 one way San Francisco SFO-Paris Orly from $384
👉 one way Los Angeles LAX-Paris Orly from $351
👉 one way Miami (MIA)-Paris Orly from $311
French bee recently joined forces with SNCF -France’s main rail company- to offer you additional destinations in France and allow you to combine your plane + train trip easily, benefit from a special rate on your train tickets, and have guarantees in case of the unusual delay or cancellation of your flight or train.
Stop worrying about your connection and your transfer. Let French bee deal with it! To see all the plane+train destinations, click here.
Ready to book your tickets today?
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Sponsored articles do not belong to the editorial team at Frenchly. They are provided or written at the request of the advertiser, who determines the content.
