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France has many wonderful traditions. I am joined in this episode by our favourite French correspondent Sarah Zwick from Be My Guest Immersions in the Pays-Basque region of South West France. Sarah spends her time talking about France and connecting with francophiles every day through her online French classes. I can personally recommend her as a current French speaking teacher who is amazingly dedicated to her students! Including me!

Back to the traditions...
Easter in France is called Pâques. The French word Pâques comes from the Latin word “pascha”, meaning “Passover”, which comes from the Hebrew “Pesah” which is the Jewish name for the Passover celebration, that is celebrated on Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday, the Thursday before Easter Sunday. So Easter en français is Pâques!

France has a strong Catholic history and Easter is celebrated avec grand enthusiasm! Hear about the traditions that are particular to France and even to various regions including a festival that is almost 600 years old in Bayonne in South West France. 

1462 was the first year of the Foire au Jambon held near Bayonne in the Pay-Basque region near the Spanish border. Malheureusement it was cancelled in 2020 and in 2021 it has been postponed to later in the year due to COVID, the first time it has ever not been held in spring since it commenced. During the Pâques period, the festival would showcase local producers and they would offer their ham to be sampled and a vote would take place. 

Easter occurs in the spring in France and the spring holidays - vacances des printemps - are synonymous with Pâques. 

Take a quick trip to France with this immersion into one of the culture's oldest traditions.

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Louise Prichard is the host of the Loulabelle's FrancoFiles podcast.
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