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"Les poilus. In other words,the hairy men, as the French soldiers who fought on the Front during the First World War were affectionately and admiringly known. Why this nickname? Because they had courage...
We know at least the melody by heart, often the words, sometimes we find them kitsch, but very often, they inevitably bring back memories of the carols we hear once a year at Christmas time. With Monsieur de France, discover the origins and lyrics of some of France's Christmas carols.
The "galette des rois" marks the end of the festive season. A good puff pastry galette, traditionally filled with frangipane, into which we slip the famous bean that will designate the queen or king to whom we offer the pretty paper crown. It's even older than the famous Three Wise Men who gave it its name, and the recipe is easier than it looks. Maybe you can even make your own galette des rois by following our recipe...
We all know that Father Christmas comes down the chimney. And it's been a while since the chimney dates back to at least Roman times. For a very long time, the fireplace was the centre of the home, before becoming a decorative feature. Fireplaces can be found in many of France's châteaux and, contrary to what you might think, Versailles is not the place with the most of them. Would you like a little history of the fireplace in preparation for Santa's visit?
There are still just as many communes in France, even though they are increasingly being encouraged to merge. For a long time, there were more than 36,000 of them. There are now 34,945, and they continue to change every year. But the rate of change is slower than expected, proving that the French are attached to this first tier of democracy. It has to be said that communes were born with democracy in France. Discover their history. From the largest to the smallest, communes with or without church towers, discover some of France's most original communes.
Putting a nativity scene at the foot of the Christmas tree is a Christmas tradition for many French people. It has to be said that the religious tradition goes back a long way, to the Middle Ages. Some crib are spectacular in France, particularly in Provence. History and discovery with Monsieur de France.
It's traditional to give presents at Christmas. It's a very old tradition to give pleasure to loved ones at the end of the year. The Romans did it over 2,000 years ago. Santa Claus is even more recent. Before him, other people gave presents to children.
It's the emblem of the end-of-year festivities, and Christmas in particular: the Christmas tree. Every year, 6,700,000 of them are sold in France, of which almost 6,000,000 are natural. And yet the fir hasn't always been so popular. They flopped at Versailles in the 18th century, before becoming a festive icon in the 19th century. A surprising consequence of a war and the arrival of many Alsatians in the capital. Monsieur de France tells the story.
Tradition tells us that there were three wise men who offered gifts to the Christ Child a few days after Christmas. Why 3? What were the three kings called? What did they offer, and what do they symbolize? Monsieur de France's answers.
The Yule log is still an iconic part of the French festive season. Even if it's less emblematic, it's still with us, and pastry chefs regularly come up with original ways to bring it up to date. It's a very old tradition. From the real wooden log to grandma's log with buttercream, discover the history of the Yule log with Monsieur de France.
