Easter Getaway in France: Top Destinations for UK Travelers

February 12, 2024

France is a beautiful country with many things to offer visitors all year round. However, visiting during Easter provides a special experience you won’t find at other times. From world-famous sites like the Eiffel Tower to quaint countryside villages, France has something for every holidaymaker that wishes to celebrate Easter in France. With a valid France Visa, you can visit France with your family and celebrate Easter Sunday in France.

Easter in France 2024 – Easter Traditions & Ways to Celebrate Easter Holidays

When is Easter 2024?

Easter Sunday in 2024 falls on March 31st. This means the Easter weekend and school holiday will take place from March 29th to April 1st. The weather in France around this time is mild, with average temperatures around 15°C making sightseeing comfortable.

History of Easter in France

Easter is one of the most important religious celebrations in French. Traditions like egg hunting, Easter meals, and church services have been practiced for centuries. Unique regional customs also emerged over time.

The week leading up to Easter Sunday is called “Holy Week” and includes Good Friday when Christians commemorate Jesus’ crucifixion. Easter Monday in France is also a national holiday giving most people a 4-day weekend to celebrate.

Easter Weekend 2024 – Everything You Need to Know

In 2024, Good Friday falls on March 29th, Holy Saturday is March 30th, and Easter Sunday is March 31st. Easter Monday is April 1st making it a 4-day holiday weekend perfect for a spring getaway.

Activities happening around French Easter 2024 weekend include:

• Special Easter mass services
• Chocolate festivals and markets selling Easter treats
• Easter Egg hunts and other family events
• Spring flower shows and gardens in bloom
• Parades and carnivals

No matter where you visit, there will be festive celebrations all through the Easter weekend in France.

If you have plans of celebrating Easter in France with your family, apply for France Visa from UK beforehand to avoid any end-time hassle.

French Traditions for Easter

The French have developed some unique Easter traditions over the years. As Easter is drawing near, holidaymakers from around the world are materializing their France Visa Appointment to ensure their France tour. Let us take a look at some of the most prominent Easter Celebrations in France that you can be a part of:

How Do They Celebrate Easter in France

• Church bells – Bells across fall silent between Good Friday and Easter Sunday representing Jesus’ death. On Easter morning, they ring loudly celebrating his resurrection.
• Easter egg trees – Decorated branches with colorful egg shells are gifted as a symbol of life.
• Easter fires – Bonfires are lit on Easter Sunday representing purification and light returning.

Easter Gifts

• Chocolate bells and eggs – Intricately designed chocolate in Easter shapes.
• Flying bells – Small toy bells that “fly” back to the ringer on a rubber string.
• Floral bouquets – Bright spring flowers, roses, lilies.
• French Easter Basket
• Chocolate eggs and bunnies
• Special French Easter Candy like sugar almonds
• Fruits – especially red ones like strawberries

Other Prominent Easter Gifts in France

• Hot Cross Buns in France: Hot cross buns came to France from the UK. They are sweet, spiced buns marked with icing crosses. Bakeries make and sell them around Easter time following the tradition.

• Easter Eggs: Giving and decorating eggs have been a tradition since Medieval France to celebrate new life in spring. Today chocolate eggs wrapped in brightly colored foil are most common.

• French Easter Chocolates: Artisan French chocolatiers create unique Easter sweets from dark, milk or white chocolate. Popular shapes include eggs, nests, bells, fish, shells and crosses. Many contain pralines or liqueurs.

• Easter Egg Hunt in France: French children hunt for chocolate eggs and treats in gardens, parks or indoors. Parents or the Easter Bunny (Cloches de Pâques) hide them the night before. The game represents the boulder being rolled aside from Jesus’ tomb.

• Happy Easter in French Language
  Here are some French greetings to wish people Happy Easter:

1. Joyeuses Pâques!
2. Bonnes Pâques!
3. Pâques Heureuses!

Reply happy easter in France with:

Merci, bonne Pâques à vous aussi (Thanks, Happy Easter to you too).

Top Places to Visit on France Easter Holiday

No matter what part of France you visit over Easter, every village, town and city come alive with unique traditions and events. Here are some top destinations and activities happening during Festival in France:

1). Paris: Paris dazzles during Easter time with spring flowers blooming and seasonal treats. Key attractions like the Eiffel Tower often have shorter lines too. Don’t miss sights on while celebrating Easter in Paris 2024:

• Notre Dame Cathedral
• Champs Elysées
• Luxembourg Gardens
• Easter Egg Hunt at Jardin des Tuileries

2). Provence: Provence hosts vibrant Easter parades and carnivals. The blooming purple lavender fields and quaint hilltop villages create a magical atmosphere during Easter French holiday. Top destinations include:

• Roman ruins at Palais des Papes
• Open-air markets in Aix-en-Provence
• Lavender Museum at Coustellet

3). Alsace: Alsace features beautiful flower parades and Easter markets selling decorated eggs, chocolates and crafts. Popular sites to see during Easter Sunday in France, Alsace are:

• Strasbourg Cathedral
• Colmar old town
• Magical towns like Riquewihr and Ribeauville

What Do French Eat During Easter?

Special Easter meals and treats are an integral part of the French celebration. Traditional main meal dishes include:

• Roast lamb with garlic and herbs
• Baked ham glazed with honey
• Fish, especially cod
• Spring salads and asparagus
• Hot cross buns

Main Desserts Relished in France in Easter

• Chocolate bells filled with cream
• Brightly decorated Easter egg made of chocolate or sugar
• Chocolate Easter bunnies and chicks
• Macarons, chocolates, pralines
• Mousse au Chocolate
• Fruit tarts

So, what are you waiting for? Book your French Visa Appointment to get started on your Easter trip!

Read our Old Easter blogs:

• Experience Happy Easter in French tradition with loved ones
• The specialty of Good Friday and Easter in France
• Valentine’S Day 2024 In Spain – Most Romantic Things To Do

What Makes Easter Monday France Special?

Easter Monday is an important holiday in France called Lundy de Piques. Traditionally, it was the day people returned to work or school after the 4-day Easter weekend.

Now Easter Monday in France gives almost everyone a long weekend to relax, join family meals and parades or attend other holiday activities. Certain festivities only happen on Lundy de Piques keeping the Easter holiday celebration going like:

• Flying egg competitions
• More elaborate Easter egg hunts
• Special shows and concerts

It’s also common for holiday destinations and tourist sites to be less crowded on Easter Monday. So it’s a good opportunity to travel and spend Easter day in France.

With two long weekends for Easter weekend and Easter Monday, you can really make the most of a France spring getaway.

Conclusion

A trip to France over Easter weekend 2024 provides a one-of-a-kind cultural and travel experience. You can immerse yourself in age-old springtime traditions, savour seasonal culinary treats and explore the countryside blooming with new life. From the excitement of Paris to the quaint villages of Provence and Alsace, France has something for everyone.

With so many family-friendly events, celebratory masses, parades and concerts happening around the Easter holidays, it is truly a magical time to visit France. Start planning your spring 2024 getaway today by filling French Visa Application online. Doing so will help you to get you French Visa London prior your travel for an easy-peasy Easter vacation. 

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