It’s Holy Week in France, leading up to Pâques (Easter) on Sunday, and apparently that means chocolate — and lots of it. The grocery stores have bright displays of chocolate bunnies, eggs, hens, and bells (more on that in a minute), and the patisseries and chocolateries have filled their windows with elaborate seasonal delicacies.
While we’re seeing plenty of chocolate bunnies, the Easter Bunny as we know him in the U.S. doesn’t seem to spend much time in France. Instead, French kiddos get their Easter treats from church bells. Yes, church bells. Legend has it that all of the church bells in France fly to Rome in the days leading up to Easter, leaving the belfries silent until their return on Easter morning, dropping off treats for children along the way. It’s an interesting tradition, but I have a feeling the Easter Bunny may magically find his way to our place on Sunday.
At Oliver’s Catholic school, the Easter celebrations have a decidedly religious vibe. We’ll attend a little church service where the kids will sing a few songs on Friday morning and hear a sermon about humility. (As usual, we will have no idea what anyone is saying but we will enjoy the atmosphere of the ancient basilica.) Instead of an Easter party, the kids will be eating a bowl of rice for lunch. This is a tradition inspired by the Catholic practice of fasting on Good Friday, and is meant to show solidarity with those who are less fortunate. Hippity hop.
But! Easter is still something French kids look forward to. Many towns and some chateaux host a chasse aux oeufs (egg hunt). In some parts of the country, it’s traditional to roll or toss raw eggs in a sort of contest where the winner gets a lot of chocolate. We’ll be staying at a little cottage in the countryside for the weekend, and we’re planning to have our own egg hunt, but skipping anything involving raw eggs.
I’ll be honest — I’m missing parts of Easter back home. For the last few years, we’ve had some pretty epic egg hunts with neighbors, not to mention memorable meals with friends and family. What I don’t miss is the commercialism that now surrounds the holiday in the U.S. Easter is like a mini Christmas for many families, with kids getting piles of candy and presents. And you can’t go to Target without feeling the need to buy new table linens, dishes, throw pillows, and fanciful yard signs to mark the occasion. Let’s not even talk about the importance of finding the perfect Easter outfit (even if you don’t go to church). It's just another excuse to buy more stuff that you really don't need.
Here in France, like a lot of things, Easter just feels a little more simple than in the U.S. It’s about enjoying a good meal with family, having a day or two off from work and school to relax, and indulging in maybe a bit too much chocolate. Which is exactly how we plan to spend our first Easter in France.
Oh, and there’s also Easter Monday, a public holiday that’s evidently a holdover from when good Christians enjoyed taking off a full eight days around the holy day. This year, Easter Monday coincides with Poisson d'Avril, which is essentially April Fool’s Day in France. Pranks can be expected, including having a paper fish taped to your back. This is also why you’re likely to find chocolate fish floating around among the bunnies and chicks this time of year. Joyeuses Pâques !
