Celebrating Easter in France

If you are organising household removals to France this year or next, with Easter just around the corner, you may be thinking about how the French mark the occasion. If you are moving house with children, the youngest members of the family will excitedly look forward to celebrating the event in their new surroundings. There are many similarities between Easter in France and Britain, and the good news is that you, and the children, won’t miss out on your chocolate treats!

Hamiltons Removals takes a brief look at how the French celebrate Easter so you know what to expect when you move.  Meanwhile, whether you are moving home or office to France, Hamiltons makes the whole process run smoothly as we are specialists in high quality removals to all areas of the country and further afield in Europe and worldwide. We provide household removals to France  to suit your requirements and whether you require packing services, unpacking, specialist removals, storage and/or cleaning of the property you have vacated, just click here to receive your free quotation and find out how much money you can save through Hamiltons.

Easter in France – What to Expect

Easter, which is called Pâques in France, is a major day, as it not only marks the resurrection of Christ, but also embraces spring. Just as in the UK, you will find a host of shop windows decorated with eggs, ribbons....and, more unusually, chocolate fish and bells - so you can stock up on your Easter surprises well in time for the big day. One major thing of note is that instead of a bunny, Easter in France is marked by a Fish, called Poission d’Avril, or Easter fish. And, anyone over the age of 18 years should remember to watch their back at this time, as one of the traditions is for children to stick paper fish on the back of as many adults as they can find!

Another fundamental difference about the festivities in France is that you won’t find any church bells ringing in the few days before Easter. Most of the population are Roman Catholic, and it is a tradition for the church bells to remain silent from Good Friday until Easter Sunday. The story behind this is that the chimes fly to the Vatican – taking the distress of Christ’s Crucifixion with them – and they return to towns and villages on Easter Day to mark the resurrection. The children are told that when the bells return, they bring eggs and goodies with them.

Easter Egg Hunts and Games

Just as in England, youngsters can expect to wake up to an array of delicious chocolate treats such as chocolate eggs, bells and fish; and they can also enjoy an egg hunt in their gardens, or around their homes. Some families make nests the night before and put them out in the garden, ready to receive the treats! There are also a variety of games played at Easter. One of the most common is an egg rolling competition; this is where children decorate raw eggs and roll them down a specially constructed gentle slope. The egg that survives, or rolls the furthest, is the winner. Another game is an egg throwing game, where children throw eggs into the air and catch them and the owner of the first egg that breaks loses the game.

On the lead up to Easter Day, on Palm Sunday, the children might carry decorative branches to church for the priest to bless them. This is to remember when Jesus rode into Jerusalem and people laid palm leaves on the ground before him. On Easter Day, many families will attend a church service, after which they will host a dinner for friends and family where traditionally a leg of lamb or lamb stew is served. Guests may also exchange gifts which may include Easter baskets of goodies for the children. 

Easter Festivals and Events

As it is a public holiday at this time, you will find all sorts of events and activities taking place across France including parades and carnivals, so it is well worth contacting your local Tourist Information Centre or browsing the local newspaper to find out what is going on in your area.

About Hamiltons Removals

For household removals to France, or office moves to France, Hamiltons Removals  are the people to call. We have 20 years of experience in UK, Europe wide and international removals and offer high standards of service at low prices. Just click on the above link to find out more about our services and what we can do for you.