celebrations | A French Collection

May Day or La Fete du Travail – A National Holiday

May Day is Labour Day in France

May Day or La Fete du Travail is a national holiday in France celebrating the rights of workers and as the French workers often protest to protect their rights, this can be a day of demonstrations and strikes. This particular French national holiday is taken very seriously and it's a good holiday to mark in your calendar when planning a trip to France around this time of year. It's also one of the loveliest days of the year with fragrant bunches of Lily of the Valley for sale everywhere. Keep reading to find out more about this day of celebration.

Calendar of French Public Holidays and National Celebration Days

French Public Holidays and National Celebration Days

There are lots of public holidays and national celebration days in France. Some dates are fixed and celebrated the same date each year and others vary depending on the celebration and what is being celebrated.

If you are travelling in France it is important to know these dates as they can affect your travel plans. Public holidays see loads of people on public transport and accommodation more heavily booked. Traffic can be busy either side of these dates with the French often adding days either side of their public holidays.

Annette Charlton

Annette lives with her family between their homes in France and Australia. She’s been featured in International magazines including French Property News, on numerous blogs and travel websites and appeared on ABC National Radio. You can connect on Instagram or Facebook.

www.afrenchcollection.com

All Saints’ Day in France – La Toussaint – A French Tradition

All Saints’ Day is a traditional day in France

All Saints’ Day in France is locally known as “Toussaint” which is the contraction of “Tous les Saints”, meaning “All The Saints” in English. All Saints’ Day is a Catholic tradition of honouring the dead. This solemn event that stops the national takes place in Autumn on the 1st of November and is a national public holiday. All Saints’ Day officially starts at sundown the evening before, which is called All Hallow’s Eve.

Annette Charlton

www.afrenchcollection.com

Mother’s Day 2018 French Inspired Gift Guide

2018 French Inspired Mother’s Day Gift Guide

With Mother’s Day just around the corner here in Australia and celebrated a bit later in France it is time to find that perfect gift and spoil your special mum.

This post has been updated as some products are no longer available.

Whether your mum is a Francophile, has travelled to France or dreams of a trip to the City of Romance, you will love the wonderful collection of French inspired gifts we have put together.

Annette Charlton

www.afrenchcollection.com

Happy Fathers Day

Wishing all dads, grandfathers and carers a fabulous fun filled day from us at A French Collection.

Annette Charlton

www.afrenchcollection.com

Wishing Madame Eiffel Tower Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Madame Eiffel Tower

Gustave Eiffel’s tower was completed on 31 March 1889 and the tower celebrates its birthday on the completion date of 31 March each year. The tower has taken on the female gender and is affectionately referred to as Madame Eiffel Tower or The Iron Lady.

Here’s some photos and more posts on the Tower you might like to read to celebrate her birthday.

Annette Charlton

www.afrenchcollection.com

National Croissant Day

What is crescent shaped, made from layer upon layer of flakey pastry, loads of butter and tastes like heaven? You got it… it’s a croissant, and the croissant has its own national celebration day in France called National Croissant Day.

Marie Antoinette brings the Croissant to France

This iconic french pastry is celebrated on the 30th of January each year and is linked with Marie Antoinette the famous Austrian queen who lived at Versailles. Marie Antoinette is given the fame of introducing the pastry to France over 200 years ago.

“She was sent to France at the age of fourteen to marry the future King Louis XVI. The lonely young girl missed her homeland and asked the court bakers to make her the kipferl that she remembered from home. She introduced it to the court along with other little pastries from her homeland. Collectively, they became known as viennoiserie.” History of the French Croissant by Margo Lestz

Annette Charlton

www.afrenchcollection.com

A French Collection Celebrates Bastille Day

Celebrating Bastille Day in Australia

Every July 14th, France celebrates Bastille Day (La Fête de la Bastille or La Fête Nationale) which marks the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789 and the first major event of the French Revolution of 1789.

The destruction of the Bastille prison in central Paris was chosen as a symbol of France’s first stirrings of democracy, though it would take several reinstated monarchies and bloody revolutions to establish an enduring Republic.

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Annette Charlton