Apart from the well known Mardi Gras, the nearest French equivalent to Pancake Day is the ‘Fête de la Chandeleur’ (Candlemas) on 2nd February.
This French tradition of serving a frangipane filled tart known as the ‘galette des rois’ (or the ‘gateau des rois’ in the South of France) on, or around the 6th January, (the first Sunday of each New Year) actually dates back to the 14th century.
I’ve just got back from lunch-time Collioure on New Year’s day where the sun shone from a china-blue sky, festive holiday crowds bustled, families and their dogs promenaded….
Coming from the French word terre for “soil,” the word terroir originally described the special characteristics of a region, or piece of land, which gave different varieties of wine, coffee and tea their individuality. (Soil, climate, position, regional traditions….)
Starting Friday 15th December and running through until Sunday 7th January, Canet en Roussillon invites you to join them for a festive programme bursting with merriment and good cheer.
He is the ‘Père Noel du Secours Populaire’ and his job is not to hand out presents but to collect them.
These pooey Catalan traditions may shed some light on the popular Catalan saying
“menja bé, caga fort i no tinguis por a la mort!” (Eat well, poo strong and don’t be afraid of death!)
The official opening of the majority of ski resorts in the PO is usually around the first weekend of December, depending of course on the snow forecast.
This French Christmas character, the ‘whipping father’, said to accompany Santa on his rounds on 6th December, is fortunately no longer heard of much in French tradition.
A popular and much loved Catalan Christmas figure, this small statue, originally of a pooping peasant wearing traditional floppy red Catalan cap (barretina), crouches with trousers half down, in a ‘toilet’ position, making his small contribution to the land. He might be smoking a pipe or reading a newspaper to better pass the time!