STRANGE FRENCH TRADITIONS | French Culture and Traditions that Surprised Me!

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  • Опубліковано 10 січ 2025

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  • @clementineclement5757
    @clementineclement5757 2 роки тому +7

    Talking about traditions around our "sacred" bread, there's one you should never ignore : never, ever, turn a baguette or any other bread upside down. It would be an outcry, because it means very, very bad luck, even death. It dates back to the Middle Age : henchmen were respected but feared, so the baker always kept the henchman's bread upside down so that normal customer could spot it and avoid touching it at all means.

  • @foxymama2003
    @foxymama2003 2 роки тому +8

    When I was younger (I am 57), most couples got married in a church and had their wedding reception in another venue, so the cars would follow the couple to the reception venue honking obnoxiously. (I live in the Midwest US.) That tradition stopped with wedding photos of the couple being taken between the ceremony and reception and many couples opting for their ceremony and reception in the same venue.

  • @annaburch3200
    @annaburch3200 2 роки тому +9

    Fun video!! We have Kings Cake every year, but my family has it for Mardi Gras (my mother is originally from Mobile, Alabama - they argue it's the birth place of Mardi Gras in the USA, not New Orleans, but I digress). It's a sweet bread, usually with a praline filling and decorated with green, purple and gold. We hide a plastic baby inside AFTER it's baked (LOL! Melted plastic babies are not a good surprise).
    I also collect Santons. My host mother in Provence had rather large versions and was very proud of her collection. Mine are about six inches tall. Very special souvenirs of our last trip to Provence. ❤️

    • @osez111
      @osez111 2 роки тому +1

      Mobile was the capital of Louisiana before New Orleans (well, i know it's Baton Rouge but who knows Baton Rouge outside Baton Rouge ?????)

  • @itsLNK97
    @itsLNK97 2 роки тому +25

    not 25 yo me realizing that poisson d'avril is indeed a very french thing :'D . The cutest thing is kids sticking them to the teacher's back and the teacher pretends not to see and they end up walking around with dozens of them !

    • @charswellness
      @charswellness 2 роки тому +5

      It's called "Pesce d'aprile" in Italy too. So it's not just a French thing. They definitely have some shared history and traditions.

    • @mamaahu
      @mamaahu 2 роки тому +4

      I wonder if originally it was a Christian symbol? My guess it had to do with Lent when people couldn’t eat meat for 40 days, but could eat fish? I have no idea really, it just has that Lenten fish smell about it!

    • @hotmailemail1128
      @hotmailemail1128 2 роки тому +2

      @@mamaahu early Christians did use a fish symbol. I can't remember the exact reason why, I think there was some connection between the spelling of fish and Christ. This was done when Christians were being persecuted and was there secret way of recognizing safe places to worship. I've also noticed bumper stickers on cars belonging to Born Again Christians or some religious group.

  • @MichelBourgois
    @MichelBourgois 2 роки тому +3

    I'm a Frenchman from Marseille. When I visited Paris, a long time ago (1988), I frequently saw on sale tee-shirts for pregnant women showing a washing machine door, and it was written on it "Fabrique de bébés". It may not be of the best taste to compare a pregnant woman to a washing machine, but I tell you the story like I lived it.
    Santons are specifically a Provencal tradition. I was born in the outskirts of Paris before moving to Marseille when I was 7. At that time, a creche only featured Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the Biblical Magi, the ox, the mule, and that's it. It was only when I came to Marseille that I saw the Provencal version of the creche that features most of the characters of a typical Provencal village, the baker, the knife grinder, the blacksmith, etc. The biggest creches can feature hundreds of different characters, plus the Biblical ones I mentioned earlier of course.

  • @natasharoesch4470
    @natasharoesch4470 2 роки тому +6

    Love to see you again❤️Did you write the story about why French ladies never look sloppy. 😊”it’s not nice for the baker.” A lesson for me!

  • @oneeyejack2
    @oneeyejack2 2 роки тому +9

    when I was young I remember having an argument with my friends at camping, because I went to buy baguette for breakfast and I ate half of it on the way 😂

  • @knitalongalan
    @knitalongalan 2 роки тому +4

    Coucou, super vidéo! Petite erreur le père Fouettard n'est pas associé au Père Noel mais à Saint Nicolas. C'est un Saint homme qui sauve 3 petits enfants kidnappés et enfermés dans le saloir du boucher.... C'est une fête plutôt du nord/est de la France ! Petit, on apprend pas mal de petites chansons à ce sujet à l'école. Bonne journée!

  • @stucumins8511
    @stucumins8511 2 роки тому +2

    You are looking fabulous! Great content as always. Bon Voyage to both of you…..have a wonderful time.😀👍🏾Deb

  • @pheerleet
    @pheerleet 2 роки тому +27

    Very minor erratum, but Père Fouettard isn't actually following Santa Claus, he's a companion of Saint Nicholas who is being celebrated a couple of weeks before Christmas (6th of Dec), mostly in northern and north-eastern parts of France. In those regions, Saint Nicholas was historically even more celebrated than Christmas and is still very big to this day!
    Saint Nicholas acts as the benevolent saint rewarding the well behaved children while Père Fouettard punishes those who weren't nice during the year.
    Funny enough it is very common to have adults disguised as Saint Nicholas and Père Fouettard visiting primary schools on Saint Nicholas day to distribute sweets (or "whips"!) to kids - and yeeep Père Fouettard is deeply feared by children haha, I can surely vouch for that! 😬

    • @juliamathis1328
      @juliamathis1328 2 роки тому

      Père Fouettard is also a concept in Austria. He is called Krampus. ua-cam.com/video/VbkGuCozc9M/v-deo.html

    • @mariebambelle7361
      @mariebambelle7361 2 роки тому +5

      "Santa Claus" is actually a deformation of "Saint Nicholas". In the anglophone world, they make no difference between the "Père-Noël" and "Saint Nicolas". Even wikipedia says "The modern character of Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa is based on folklore traditions surrounding Saint Nicholas"

    • @Tahia213
      @Tahia213 2 роки тому +1

      Hey I am from the north, I confirm 👌

    • @anneoboyle8447
      @anneoboyle8447 2 роки тому +1

      We are of French 🇲🇫🗽🗼 & Belgian descent & have always celebrated St. Nicholas Day here in the American Midwest/Illinois and Wisconsin 🧀🍻🍎 & for the "naughty" kids here they would find a lump of coal & straw or hay in their stocking 🧦 & chocolate 🍫 & an orange 🍊 if they were good! 😊💕

  • @Tamar-sz8ox
    @Tamar-sz8ox 2 роки тому

    Have a safe & enjoyable trip ! Can’t wait ! 🇫🇷

  • @jeremy6398
    @jeremy6398 2 роки тому +1

    One thing related to Pere Fouettard, and that's probably disappeared now is "le martinet", which is a whip intended for naughty children. We had one hung in the kitchen as a warning. It was never used, but it was just there as a threat!

  • @Rachel-rs7jn
    @Rachel-rs7jn 2 роки тому +3

    Oh my gosh, your hair looks gorgeous!! That color is stunning on you.
    P.S. You must be loving the freaking hot weather we have right now in France!

    • @mgparis
      @mgparis 2 роки тому

      @@NotEvenFrench I love your hair also! Enjoy Provence and eat allll the viennoiseries :)

  • @claudiohuttick9425
    @claudiohuttick9425 2 роки тому +3

    Kings cake is extremely popular is the USA in New Orleans, Louisiana

  • @mamaahu
    @mamaahu 2 роки тому +1

    The scary guy at Christmas is a very old tradition throughout Northern Europe. (In Germany he is called the Krampus. )He accompanies St. Nicholas but probably is a much older tradition.
    He is truly scary.

  • @elizabeth5985
    @elizabeth5985 2 роки тому

    Your hair looks GORGEOUS this deep color, just wanted to say! It really suits you!

  • @Tahia213
    @Tahia213 2 роки тому +1

    Also, we celebrate Mardi Gras / carnival
    And Les Feux de la Saints Jean.
    2 évents from the top of my head that I thought were majors 😅

  • @charswellness
    @charswellness 2 роки тому +8

    Italy and France seem to definitely have some shared history and traditions. It's called "Pesce d'aprile" in Italy too. So it's not just a French thing. And as for the creepy dude punishing naughty children, in Italy it's a witch "la befana". The loud wedding car horn procession is the norm in Italy too.

    • @nicolasmartinez7741
      @nicolasmartinez7741 2 роки тому

      It's actually a really old tradition connected to the fish being a symbol of the Christianism and used for satire and jokes since Roman antiquity.

    • @jfrancobelge
      @jfrancobelge 2 роки тому +1

      France and Italy actually have pretty similar cultures by many aspects. And Italian is the language closest to French - together with Catalan.

  • @thomasbjurstrom6480
    @thomasbjurstrom6480 2 роки тому +1

    In Sweden at April's fool day. When you have pranked somebody you say : April, April din dumma sill! April , April you silly herring! I have often wondered where the sill= fish came from. It's only in France I have also found the reference to a fish.

    • @mamaahu
      @mamaahu 2 роки тому +1

      Cute! Those herring were so important!

  • @elizabeth5985
    @elizabeth5985 2 роки тому +1

    A way to meet single firemen???? J'arrive!! 😍😍

  • @aliceaurelia594
    @aliceaurelia594 2 роки тому +1

    When I was a child in NYC, loud, persistent car horns filled the streets after weddings. Much like the video you shared. This stopped when noise pollution laws came into being.

  • @JaimeMesChiens
    @JaimeMesChiens 2 роки тому

    Hello Rosie,
    I am a new-ish sub.
    I am home sick with, my second time again, covid.
    I am quarantined because I have family with me in my home, and marathon watching your videos.
    I seem now to find myself commenting, yet again, on how you look. I am sorry that I seem superficial.
    I am not really, but want to make mention that your hair looks like something you have changed, and it’s a lovely style or new colour.
    Your videos are fun to watch.

  • @jaimehanlon2425
    @jaimehanlon2425 2 роки тому

    Great video!! Would love to have a video of the best (in your and the hubby’s opinion) chocolate/macarons/bakery shops. I guess any food recommendations in general haha. I look forward to the upcoming content ☺️

    • @isagrace4260
      @isagrace4260 2 роки тому

      Pierre Herme is my favorite macaron!

  • @f22217
    @f22217 2 роки тому +2

    You just made want to go to New Zealand. I can't stand the current heat and just want the winter to come back 🥵

  • @sams3015
    @sams3015 2 роки тому +1

    Looking forward to seeing your trip. Here in Ireland we have a ring in brack bread for halloween, that’s more or less the same idea

  • @juliengrange1638
    @juliengrange1638 2 роки тому +4

    French words in subtitles were so funny, hopefully english parts of the subtitles were quite good

  • @spartz007
    @spartz007 2 роки тому +1

    The bread in France...
    Always have some for every meal.
    The crust is allowed to be eaten outside of any meal.
    Don't put the bread upside down, it brings bad luck.
    At meal, never cut your bread with a knife, you have to break it with hand.
    Don't push the food with the knife, use piece of bread.
    Don't spread cheese on the bread, it must be eaten in pieces placed on it, like foie gras.
    Don't eat bread before the starter meal, don't eat it after dessert too.
    Don't play with the bread, like making small puppets with the crumb... it's food. 😅

  • @cheryld.3616
    @cheryld.3616 2 роки тому +1

    King's Cake is a very popular tradition in the south United States, especially New Orleans

  • @rosehale7228
    @rosehale7228 2 роки тому

    Wow, that top looks beautiful on you!

  • @divineangelic2727
    @divineangelic2727 2 роки тому

    Hi Rosie oh yes does sound very unusual
    When you go to France oh how wonderful to have your experiences getting your masters the jobs career you had getting to live in Paris even with Alll the inconveniences. Do you think you'll move back to Paris or one of those wonderful medieval town

  • @jamesswindley9599
    @jamesswindley9599 2 роки тому

    Love your channel! 😊❤️😊❤️🇬🇧

  • @a.x.4101
    @a.x.4101 2 роки тому

    Good afternoon. Please note that the poisson d’avril is quite spread throughout Europe and in the UK (April fool’s day) . By the way, I like your accent, it is so refreshingly colonial and lilting.

  • @61romeo
    @61romeo Рік тому

    About the galette des rois
    there are several different traditions in france mostly a north south division
    In the south we don't eat a galette but a brioche with fruits confits. typically in provence
    And as a person form marseille i'm always shocked that in the north the fève is not a feve but a figurine. you come to marseille the fève is an atual fava bean

  • @jrr3558
    @jrr3558 2 роки тому +1

    Horns on the weddings is not a pure French tradition : it has been imported by the people escaping from Algeria after their independence in the early 60's. Chic weddings do not horn.

  • @hidroxttv4238
    @hidroxttv4238 2 роки тому

    Please to see u back in France

  • @gerardpetitpas2618
    @gerardpetitpas2618 2 роки тому +2

    salut rosie, dans mon enfance (années 1950 et 1960), le père Noël ou Santa Clauss en Anglais était inconnu en France. Seul Saint Nicolas était fêté le 6 décembre. Il était . accompagné du père fouettard pour les enfants ne méritants pas de cadeaux. Saint Nicolas était un personnage légendaire inspiré des évêques lyciens Nicolas de Myre et Nicolas de Sion, dont les traditions hagiographiques se confondent depuis le Xᵉ siècle. Cependant dans les années 1950 et 1960 nous ne fêtions pas Noël et nous n'avions pas de jouet. Le 6 décembre, Saint Nicolas passait la nuit pour distribuer les gâteaux et sucreries destinés aux enfants sages.

    • @jrr3558
      @jrr3558 2 роки тому

      Hello. Bizarre, je suis né en 1957 à Paris et j'ai toujours connu le Père Noël et jamais entendu parler de Saint Nicolas ( étant enfant s'entend).

  • @polapoliczkiewicz7590
    @polapoliczkiewicz7590 2 роки тому

    Oh yes, in Poland we also have funny moment in April, it's called "prima aprilis" and we all day long make jokes to each other.

  • @Charles25192
    @Charles25192 2 роки тому

    Saint Nicolas is celebrated in eastern france on december 6. Père Noël comes on Christmas day in all the country. Although both have the same origin they are now two different characters. Père fouettard comes with saint Nicolas, not with Père Noël.

  • @petersmith2040
    @petersmith2040 2 роки тому

    Merci pour cette vidéo, Même Pas Français !

  • @camillaguidi9060
    @camillaguidi9060 2 роки тому +3

    Sorry, but as an Italian I can't agree on the "apéro" point... aperitivo is way more sacred 😜😅
    (btw, we also have both the poisson d'avril, the santons and the "marriage cars' noise" traditions 😊)

  • @rachelbrondel5858
    @rachelbrondel5858 2 роки тому +1

    Je veux savoir si tu aimerais retourner vivre en France après ces 3 mois. Ça fait 20 ans que nous sommes revenus en NZ et je veux toujours retourner vivre en France !

  • @metalprophet58
    @metalprophet58 2 роки тому +1

    Ta beauté n'a d'égal que l'amour que tu portes pour la France... merci pour tes vidéos et profites bien de tes 3 prochains mois dans l'hexagone ;)

  • @caciliawhy5195
    @caciliawhy5195 2 роки тому +1

    Purple is a good color on you.

  • @AJIN0071981
    @AJIN0071981 2 роки тому +2

    First video -French culturally and in general changed before the pandemic and before you left last time.. It would be good contrast... You can also make another video about a change of prices for food items and whether any food items is no longer available.. 3rd video - Corporate culture and the job market in France - compared to the last time you visited.

  • @jean-marcb8746
    @jean-marcb8746 2 роки тому +3

    Nice video. Just one thing concerning the expression 'avoir un polichinelle dans le tiroir', it was a very RUDE and disparaging expression to imply a woman was expecting a kid without being married. Nowadays, having a baby out of wedlock is no big deal, but I grew up in the 70's and back then it was no pick nick. You can relate this expression to the English 'bun in the oven' or 'jack in the box', both rather nasty as well. Sorry ladies.

    • @mamaahu
      @mamaahu 2 роки тому

      Hmm. In the US, “ Bun in the oven” is old-fashioned but not rude. Never heard Jack in the box that sounds rude

  • @Gigifrancetexas
    @Gigifrancetexas 2 роки тому +1

    Just don’t bite the end of the baguette you must tear or be chastised

  • @ralentir169
    @ralentir169 2 роки тому

    Ouah i wasn't expecting a flander's company picture

  • @celineriphitt5633
    @celineriphitt5633 2 роки тому

    Weddings you formation that we are shouting VIVE LES MARIES !

  • @mouchuss
    @mouchuss 2 роки тому +2

    Apéro !!!

  • @snehabiswas2504
    @snehabiswas2504 2 роки тому

    I want to study in paris , can you help me 🙏🙏 I need your help please.....

  • @yvesdelavignette2676
    @yvesdelavignette2676 2 роки тому

    According to google, about the April's fool, It seems that only in Belgium do we include one fake news in every news outlet on April's fool. Every television channel, every radio, every newspaper has to have one innocent, funny fake news that day. And sometimes celebrities or even politicians play along.
    Is it really only in Belgium?
    Do you, as we do, wait that day, listen to radios try to identify the April Fool's news of the day?

  • @ybreton6593
    @ybreton6593 2 роки тому +1

    nous disons "c'est un secret de polichinelle " traduction : chut ; c'est un secret mais tout le monde le connait ou bien ; ce n'est secret pour personnes

  • @08taw94
    @08taw94 Рік тому

    For my own, "avoir un polichinelle dans le tiroir" is not very polite ... it displays the pregnancy wasn't welcome, it's more like an insult or judgement toward the mother. .

  • @forgotten_abominations7780
    @forgotten_abominations7780 2 роки тому

    BRING. ON. THE. F&#!ING. HERRING.

  • @christopheferraux2864
    @christopheferraux2864 2 роки тому

    bonjour le pere fouetard est une tradition lorraine ou il est associé a Saint Nicolas dans cette région c'est ce saint qui donne les cadeaux aux enfant le 6 décembre jour de sa fête

  • @shuaaalotaibi8101
    @shuaaalotaibi8101 2 роки тому +2

    Why do you sound different?

    • @perthfanny3017
      @perthfanny3017 2 роки тому

      I feel like she is talking faster. She seems more hyper. She used to be more chill (speed wise)

  • @clivereynolds6633
    @clivereynolds6633 2 роки тому +1

    Interesting Videos,but I wish you could slow your speech a little. You are difficult to follow, You remind me of an auctioneer.

  • @christianc9894
    @christianc9894 2 роки тому +3

    Les "fêtes prénatales", ce truc importé des USA à des fins mercantiles (comme Halloween) est peut-être la grande mode des bobos et snobinardes parisiennes mais pas en province.
    The "prenatal parties", this thing imported from the USA for mercantile purposes (like Halloween) is perhaps the big fashion for bobos and snobby women Parisians but not in the provinces.

    • @camillef9471
      @camillef9471 2 роки тому +3

      Oh nooon! Moi qui pensait qu'on échappait pour l'instant a cette fête à la con 😅

    • @Flaura2710
      @Flaura2710 2 роки тому

      Faux ! Tout le monde autour de moi fait des baby showers et on vit pas à Paris hein ! 😅

    • @christianc9894
      @christianc9894 2 роки тому

      @@Flaura2710 Les bobos ne vivent pas qu'à Paris.

    • @Charles25192
      @Charles25192 2 роки тому

      Bien dit. J'en ai souvent entendu parler à la télé mais je n'en ai jamais vu autour De moi.

  • @jacquelinehardy7507
    @jacquelinehardy7507 2 роки тому +3

    Bonjour
    Concernant les mariages et les klaxons....c'est interdit
    Bon séjour en France

    • @celineriphitt5633
      @celineriphitt5633 2 роки тому +3

      Interdit mais c est la tradition a un mariage et j adore quand un mariage passe dans mon village en klaxonnant et les gens sont si heureux ?

    • @Leopold_van_Aubel
      @Leopold_van_Aubel 2 роки тому

      @@celineriphitt5633 Je déteste ça avec chaque cellule de mon corps.

    • @jrr3558
      @jrr3558 2 роки тому

      Oui mais les racailles ne s'en privent pas.

    • @Leopold_van_Aubel
      @Leopold_van_Aubel 2 роки тому +1

      @@jrr3558 C'est toujours eux de toutes façon. Après ils s'étonnent que tout le monde les déteste.

  • @michaelwilliams2337
    @michaelwilliams2337 2 роки тому +1

    This video is just an advert - got to about 3 minutes in and gave up!

    • @charswellness
      @charswellness 2 роки тому +7

      If you're that impatient to get to the content and not interested in the ads (for tools that are very useful for those of us studying other languages and cultures) then you can double tap/click on the right side of the video to skip ahead by 10 seconds at a time. This also works on the left side to go back 10 seconds if you missed something or want to hear something again.

  • @bernardbouzon5499
    @bernardbouzon5499 2 роки тому +3

    Est ce que vous pourriez faire une vidéo sur votre voyage des antipodes jusqu'en Europe ?

    • @Rachel-rs7jn
      @Rachel-rs7jn 2 роки тому

      Oui, ça m'intéresserait aussi.

    • @mamaahu
      @mamaahu 2 роки тому +1

      So amusing to realize that in France, NZ and Australia are “les antipodes”. Every country sees itself as the point of reference!
      In Asia, they don’t see themselves as “Oriental” for example! It is only “Eastern “ if you are a European. It always struck me as weird since “the Orient/ the Eastern land” was due west of California! And definitely north of NZ or the antipodes! No need to remind me that I am a geek!!🥰
      Or