Halloween in France

Have you ever wondered how Halloween is celebrated in France?

You may have heard that Halloween isn’t a big deal in France, or at least that it wasn’t a big deal until interest in this spooky celebration increased due to the influence of American culture in France in the late 20th century.

This is mostly true. But the actual celebration of Halloween can be traced back to a Celtic tradition which celebrated the first day of the ‘darker half’ of the year, on 31st October. (For the Celts, the year was split into two ‘lighter’ and ‘darker’ halves). Known as Samhain in Ireland, or Kalan Goañv where it was practised in Brittany - now a region of France - it was generally believed that on this day the worlds of the living and the dead became one. Festivities included visits to cemeteries and divination rituals, as well as less macabre activities like apple-bobbing, lighting bonfires, decorating with autumnal produce and dressing up in costumes to represent the spirits of the dead.

With the arrival of Christianity in the Celtic lands of northwestern Europe, many of these traditions fell by the wayside, or were subsumed into Christian traditions as Paganism became replaced by Christianity, since Samhain fell on the eve of All Saints Day (1st November) - or ‘Hallowe’en’ - and shared the theme of mortality with that feast day. For this reason, in Ireland, and to a lesser degree in Wales and Scotland, 31st October continued to be the main day (and night) of celebration. It was largely due to Irish immigration to America in the 19th century, and America’s subsequent cultural influence on the wider world - that Halloween became the global phenomenon that it is today.

In France, however, All Hallows Day - or La Toussaint - became a far more prominent day of celebration than All Hallows Eve, and it remains so to this day. Indeed, La Toussaint is one of France’s eleven national public holidays, and it coincides with a school holiday. Celebrations typically include a family get-together, and many will attend a special All Saints’ Mass at church and visit the graves of deceased relatives. It is common practice to lay chrysanthemums at graves during this time, which is why you might see many of these colourful flowers being sold in shops or laid in cemeteries if you visit France in the early autumn.

The recent international resurgence of Halloween means that most Halloween activities in France will probably seem familiar. Pumpkin carving, wearing scary costumes and trick-or-treating have all become common activities in the lead-up to 31st October (although not nearly as common as in the English-speaking world). But in parts of the country, the French have also developed some of their own traditions.

Limoges has become famous for its Halloween street parade, for example, while many of France’s 45,000 castles lean into their spookier side and put on terrifying displays for intrepid visitors. Disneyland Paris has also become famous for its Halloween celebrations, during which the theme park is decked out in scary decor and kids can get the chance to meet the villains from their favourite films.

Along with All Saints Day and Halloween, Diwali often falls around this time. You can expect to see fireworks in some major cities, especially in Paris, Lyons and Marseille, which have the largest Indian communities in the country.

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