A Traditional French Christmas Menu (2024)

As a French food writer and passionate French home cook, one of the questions I get asked the most is what does a typical French meal look like? And since the Holidays are upon us, I wanted to share with you today the rituals and courses of a traditional French Christmas menu, known as “Le Repas de Noël,”

  1. Facts about the French Christmas Feast
  2. First Course: Small bites and Bubbles
  3. Second Course: Starters and Soups
  4. Third Course: Main Courses
  5. Fourth Course: Cheese and Salad
  6. Fifth Course: Desserts
  7. Sixth Course: Cookies and Treats

Facts about the French Christmas feast

In France, the main celebratory Christmas meal is enjoyed on Christmas Eve (December 24th) – not Christmas Day. It is in fact called “Le Réveillon” – which translates to the idea of staying up all night for the arrival of the “Père Noël” (Santa Claus).

In comparison to other countries, a French Christmas really is about the food – and less about decorations and gifts. Of course, French people do buy and decorate a Christmas tree, add a few festive garlands or wreaths inside their house and exchange gifts at midnight. But we don’t really put as much effort into it as you often see in North America.

Instead, the French will go all-out for the food. A traditional French Christmas menu is a festive and elaborate affair, often featuring a multi-course meal with a focus on quality ingredients and flavors. The emphasis is on sharing a delicious and convivial meal with loved ones during the holiday season.

The French We start to think and prepare weeks ahead about which table set up we will use and what we will serve on the menu. And for the latter, the French aren’t afraid to splurge at Christmas to buy good-quality products (ie. foie gras, smoked salmon, cheeses, Champagne, etc.) to feed their guests and create great memories around the table.

A typical French Christmas is homecooked, but not always or not entirely. French people do love to cook in general and will happily spend a whole day in the kitchen to prepare a Christmas feast for their friends and family. But purchasing pre-made or frozen starters or small bites is completely acceptable. Picard, a frozen food chain, is highly popular in France and many people turn to them for a little help when hosting.

First Course: Small bites and bubbles, aka. ‘l’apéro’

If you are familiar with French food culture, you likely already know the importance of the French “Apéro” (short for apéritif). This pre-dinner tradition of small bites and drinks is a cherished moment of the day, when people first gather – and Christmas dinner is no exception to this tradition.

On Christmas Eve, Champagne is often served to “cheers” (“Santé!” in French) and kick start the festivities. Kir Royale (crème de cassis topped with champagne) or Kir Breton in my home region of Brittany (crème de cassis topped with cider) are also very popular. Kids are often served apple juice or “Champomy” – a popular French brand of non-alcoholic champagne made for kids.

A Traditional French Christmas Menu (1)

Salmon Rillettes

Typical small bites served during the Apéro include smoked salmon served on blinis with lemon and crème fraiche (fun fact: the French love blinis!), Prunes wrapped in bacon, Gougères (baked cheese puffs), Gruyère Cheese Twists andRillettes of all kinds (pork, salmon or sardines). Vérrines, which are layered dips served in small thick-wall glasses) are also mainstays. So are canapés, consisting of small slices of bread or puff pastry topped with some savory food (charcuteries, cheeses, etc).

French Apéro bites are very small (one-bite) and meant to whet your appetite.

French Christmas Small Bites:

  • French Cheese Puffs (Gougères)
  • Gruyère Cheese Twists
  • Classic French Salmon Rillettes
  • Brie en Croûte with nuts, cranberries and thyme
  • Roasted Red Pepper Dip

A Traditional French Christmas Menu (2)

French Cheese Puffs (Gougères)

Second Course: Starters and Soups

After the Apéro, which is often enjoyed in the living room, guests relocate to the dining room and sit around the table to officially start their meal.

Without any doubt, Foie gras is by far the most served starter over Christmas. It often comes to the table in slices and guests enjoy it over toasts of baguette or Pain d’épices (Classic French Spiced Bread).

A good French etiquette to know is that you shouldn’t spread the foie gras, but instead place it gently on the toast. Foie gras is sometimes accompanied by Winter fruit preserves (such as fig or persimmon) but most people like to eat it as is.

A Traditional French Christmas Menu (3)

creamy chestnut soup

EscargotswithPersilladeButter, Pâté en Croûte and Chestnut Soup are also staples. For those living along the coastlines, like in Brittany where I grew up, oysters, langoustines and scallops are very popular.

A Brittany starter I particularly love is “Coquilles Saint-Jacques”: scallops in a creamy sauce, often baked with breadcrumbs and cheese in their shell.

Against clichés, caviar and lobster aren’t mainstays and are reserved for wealthy families.

A Traditional French Christmas Menu (4)

Salade Lyonnaise

French Christmas Starters and Soups:

  • Roasted Carrot Soup
  • Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup
  • Chestnut Soup
  • Butternut Squash Soup
  • Split Pea Bacon Soup (Potage Saint Germain)
  • Radicchio Orange Pecan Salad
  • Lyonnaise Salad

A Traditional French Christmas Menu (5)

Radicchio Orange Pecan Salad

Third Course: Main courses

Just like turkey is to Thanksgiving, a French Christmas main dish is almost always a large roasted “dinde” (turkey). A French Christmas turkey is traditionally made with a chestnut stuffing, and served with roasted potatoes, chestnuts and sometimes cooked apples around it.

You can also find side dishes including Gratin Dauphinois and Green Beans Almondine. The beloved gravy boat is also here, but you won’t find any cranberry sauce in a France.

A Traditional French Christmas Menu (6)

Gratin Dauphinois

For smaller tables, a “chapon” (capon), “caille” (quail) or “poularde” (fattened hen) are the common choices.

While poultry is by far the most traditional French main, some regions adopt other traditions. In the Alsace region of eastern France, a “oie” (goose) is often served for Christmas. In Périgord (the current Dordogne department) locals enjoy duck, and a roasted ham is served in the French Antilles. Some families also prefer braised rabbit with prunes.

A Traditional French Christmas Menu (7)

French Roasted Chicken

French Christmas Mains:

  • French Roasted Chicken
  • Braised Rabbit with Prunes
  • Classic French Coq Au Vin Rouge
  • Stuffed Rabbit saddle with mushrooms
  • Classic French Hunter’s Chicken
  • Clementine Roast Chicken with Fennel

French Christmas Sides:

  • Classic French Gratin Dauphinois
  • Green Beans Almondine
  • French-style Glazed Carrots
  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts Gratin

A Traditional French Christmas Menu (8)

Coq Au Vin Rouge

Fourth Course: Cheese and Salad

A large cheese platter served before dessert is a must during any French dinner, and Christmas is no exception. The cheese platter served over Christmas isn’t much different than for other occasions, although people do splurge a bit more to offer several cheese varieties.

If you are interested, I have an Instagram reel with suggestions on how to build a classic French cheese board.

Cheese platters in France, even for Christmas, aren’t usually spruced up with dried fruits, nuts or grapes. Cheeses are served as is and enjoyed with slices of baguette, country bread or pain d’épices.

The cheese course is often served along a very simple lettuce or frisée salad tossed in a classic French vinaigrette.

A Traditional French Christmas Menu (9)

Pain d’épices

Fifth Course: Desserts

Finally, a French Christmas dinner wouldn’t be complete without a traditional Bûche de Noël. This wooden log look-a-like cake, traditionally made of a rolled-up Génoise cake frosted with Chocolate buttercream, is part of the official conclusion to a Christmas feast. A holiday ritual no one will pass on – even with an overfilled belly. You can read more about the festive origins of this dessert in this previous post.

Here again, not every French has the skills or time to pull off a French Bûche de Noël in their own kitchen. But with all the great bakeries around every street corner in France, most people actually go to their “boulangerie” (bakery) a few days prior to Christmas Eve and order a Bûche that they will pick up the day of.

A Traditional French Christmas Menu (10)

Chocolate Bûche de Nöel

Aside from the quintessential Bûche de Noël, every region has adopted their own desserts to wrap up the Christmas meal. In Provence, the Christmas meal often ends with the “thirteen desserts”, representing the Twelve Apostles and the Messiah. The dessert selections can vary but often include an assortment of fresh, dried and candied fruits, nuts, nougats and a “Pompe à l’Huile” (sweet olive oil bread: you can find this recipe in my cookbook!).

A Traditional French Christmas Menu (11)

Winter fruit salad

In Alsace, “bredeles” (Christmas cookies) and Kougelhopf are highly popular. In Northern France, people enjoy “Merveilleux” (Meringue and Chocolate Cream Sandwich Pastries) and in Catalogne, “Bras de Gitan” rolled cake… and so on.

French Christmas Desserts:

  • Classic Chocolate Bûche de Noël
  • RaspberryBûche de Noël
  • Merveilleux
  • Queen of Sheba Chocolate Cake
  • Chestnut Cream Cake (Gâteau Ardéchois)
  • French Walnut Coffee Cake (Gâteau Grenoblois)
  • Classic French Chocolate Mousse
  • Winter Fruit Salad
  • Classic French Chocolate Moelleux Cake

A Traditional French Christmas Menu (12)

Chocolate Moelleux Cake

Sixth Course: Cookies and Treats

After dessert, you will often find a few cookies, a box of chocolates, chocolate truffles and/or a bowl of clementines or lychees lingering on the table for guests to pick at throughout the rest of the night.

A Traditional French Christmas Menu (13)

Cocoa and Almond Thumbprint Cookies

French Christmas Cookies and Treats:

  • Classic French Chocolate Truffles
  • Classic French Spiced Bread
  • Cocoa and Almond Thumbprint Cookies from Alsace (Linzele)
  • Thin Spiced Almond Cookies (Pains d’Amandes)
After the meal, coffee is often served along with various digestifs, such as brandy, cognac, or liqueurs.
Don’t hesitate to leave a comment to share your traditional Christmas menu! Also make sure to check my menu section of best recipes to make for the Holidays. If you do make a recipe, don’t forget to tag me onInstagram.

Happy Holidays!

christmasHolidaysmenu

A Traditional French Christmas Menu (14)

Audrey

Bonjour ! I'm Audrey Le Goff, a French cookery writer, photographer, creator of the blog Pardon your French, and cookbook author of Rustic French Cooking Made Easy.

A Traditional French Christmas Menu (2024)

FAQs

A Traditional French Christmas Menu? ›

What's a typical Christmas menu in France? Fresh oysters, smoked salmon, foie gras with brioche toasts, Turkey stuffed with chestnuts or a ham or roast, a “buche de noel” for dessert and of course lots of good wine and champagne to accompany each course!

What do they eat at Le Reveillon de Noel? ›

While the food tradition varies from region to region, the meal is full of lavish delicacies including oysters, foie gras, escargot, and roasted fowl. The Le Réveillon feast is traditionally accompanied by wines such as Anjou, Champagne, Muscadet, and Sauternes.

What is the traditional Christmas meal in France? ›

Poultry or game usually features as the centerpiece on a French Christmas table, surrounded by an array of delicious sides. While many households will celebrate with a stuffed turkey, different traditions are adopted across the regions. For example, in Alsace, goose is often served up, and duck is enjoyed in Périgord.

What is the French term for the meal that is celebrated on Christmas Eve December 24th? ›

Le Réveillon

This is the name of the French Christmas Eve meal, which is a big and long feast. The name comes from the verb réveiller, to wake up or revive.

What do the French eat for breakfast on Christmas Day? ›

The possibilities are endless: beautiful breads, freshly-pressed juices, colourful winter fruit salads, quiches, and eggs in a million and one different ways. Wonderful! Here is one of my favourite Christmas breakfast in France recipes.

What is a Réveillon menu? ›

A typical early Reveillon menu looked very much like breakfast — with egg dishes, breads and puddings, but could also include turtle soup, oysters and grillades of veal. Naturally, families accompanied these rich repasts with wines, cordials and other fortified drinks.

What is the dessert that the French eat at Christmas? ›

Bûche de Noël is a traditional French Christmas dessert shaped and decorated like a log. This recipe takes some time, but we promise it's worth it.

What do the French drink at Christmas? ›

Families usually kick things off by opening a bottle of fine Champagne, like the Champagne Paul Michel. Others may choose to begin with a traditional method French Crémant from the Loire, Limoux or Burgundy and bring out the Champagne later in the meal.

Do French eat smoked salmon? ›

As well as mixed seafood, smoked salmon is definitely a favourite French festive dish. It can be presented on its own for individuals to serve themselves and eat as it is or with bread, or on prepared canapés with blinis or toast.

Do they eat Christmas pudding in France? ›

Classically, the meal will start with oysters and/or foie gras, continue with turkey – often with chestnut stuffing (get someone to send you sage and onion from Britain; the chestnut stuff is grim), cheese and then dessert. It is a mark of France's civilisation that the nation has never embraced the Christmas pudding.

What is the day after Christmas called in France? ›

Saint Stephen's Day — or Saint Etienne, as the day is known in France — is the French name for the day after Christmas, which is also a public holiday. It is named after Saint Etienne (Stephen is his English name), who was one of the first Christian martyrs.

What is a traditional French xmas dinner? ›

Réveillon: The French Christmas Feast

It is the main French Christmas Meal and usually starts after the midnight mass, which can be as late as 2 am, but in modern times, families begin at 8 pm till after midnight. They gather for a late-night feast featuring oysters, foie gras, and perfectly roasted meats.

What food is eaten in France for Christmas? ›

Christmas main course

It can be meat like turkey, capon, duck, and guinea fowl. Meat is often served stuffed with foie gras or mushrooms or some other stuffing. Duck is a very traditional and popular dish for Christmas because there are various ways to cook it, and it is usually not very difficult.

What is a typical German Christmas dinner? ›

Treat guests to a traditional German Christmas dinner with classic dishes like roasted goose legs, braised red cabbage. and dumplings, and don't forget the mulled wine and platter of gorgeous, festive cookies.

What is the typical meat dish for Noël? ›

1. Turkey. Let's admit it, a whole turkey is the best and most traditional meat for Christmas dinners. Originally gracing our plates in the 16th century, popular history tells of King Henry VIII being the first English monarch to have turkey for Christmas.

What is the feast of Le Réveillon? ›

Le Réveillon de Noël is similar to Christmas Eve in other cultures. In France, they celebrate Le Réveillon… on the 24th December with family or close acquaintances in the form of a large meal. In Catholic traditions, there may also be a midnight mass.

What is a traditional Honduran Christmas dinner? ›

From Christmas Eve to Three Kings Day, you'll find a variety of fruits like apples and grapes on the dinner table. A traditional Christmas dinner includes an unlimited supply of nacatamales – a large corn tamale wrapped in banana leaves, steamed, and filled with meat and chopped vegetables seasoned to perfection.

What do people eat for Christmas dinner in Madagascar? ›

Malagasy families like to eat Christmas dinner together in large groups and dress up in the best (or new) clothes. The meal is normally Chicken or Pork with rice followed by a special cake. Some rich people go to restaurants for Christmas dinner, but most people stay at home with their families.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Gregorio Kreiger

Last Updated:

Views: 5952

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (77 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Gregorio Kreiger

Birthday: 1994-12-18

Address: 89212 Tracey Ramp, Sunside, MT 08453-0951

Phone: +9014805370218

Job: Customer Designer

Hobby: Mountain biking, Orienteering, Hiking, Sewing, Backpacking, Mushroom hunting, Backpacking

Introduction: My name is Gregorio Kreiger, I am a tender, brainy, enthusiastic, combative, agreeable, gentle, gentle person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.