What do they call Santa in France?

Last updated on September 20th, 2024 at 12:35 pm

Thinking of spending Christmas in France and want to know what they call Santa in French?

Look no further, because the French version of Santa’s name is just as festive as the man himself! But what do they call Santa in France?

Here in France, it’s not only about the name but also the traditions and tales surrounding him.

Having lived in France for 7+ years, it has always intrigued me how our cultures, although celebrating the same thing, have such different holiday traditions.

And although the shops are full of the usual Christmas decorations, lights and treats, the stories we tell are often quite different.

Continue reading, and by the end of this article, you’ll be well-versed in what the French call Santa, along with the magic that a French Christmas brings.

You never know, their traditions might even weave their way into your own holiday celebrations!

So what do they call Santa in France?

In France, the name for Santa is simply Père Noël, which translates to Father Christmas.

You might also hear the little ones calling him Papa Noël, but it all amounts to the same thing.

And although we don’t have the Coca-Cola advert here in France, the image of Père Noël is not so different, although with a little French flair thrown in.

What is the French pronunciation of Père Noël?

Without using audio, the easiest way to help you pronounce Père Noël is to say “pair no L”.

The History of Le Père Noël (Santa in French)

Père Noël was a relatively latecomer to the festive scene in France.

But Father Christmas, or Santa Claus, as he’s better known in many parts of the world, has deep historical roots. 

His origins go back to St. Nicholas, a 4th-century Christian bishop known for his generosity.

The Origins of Saint Nicholas

Apparently, instead of a sleigh drawn by reindeer, he used to emerge from the sky on a donkey using the chimney to enter each home, just like the modern-day Santa.

He’d then leave pressies for the well-behaved children, though not the amount we see today, more just one or two little gifts.

It was tradition for the children to fill their shoes, or clogs as they had then, with apples and carrots for Père Noël’s donkey. In return, they’d receive sweets in their clogs as a thank you from ‘Gui’ the donkey.

St Nicholas, however, only went to the houses where the children had been good.

If the children had been naughty, they might have had a visit from Father Whipper and received a punishment instead of gifts.

The Man with the Long White Beard

It wasn’t till the 1800s that a new style of Santa started to emerge based on a poem called ‘Old Santeclaus’.

This Santa had swapped the donkey for some reindeer pulling a sleigh. Then, in 1823, another poem called ‘The Night Before Christmas‘ portrayed Santa as a jolly man with a round belly, one who had names for all his reindeer.

This caught the eye of illustrator Thomas Nast, and he sketched a series of illustrations published in Harper’s Weekly and gave Santa a home at the North Pole.

Saint Nick and the United States

Things were then taken up a notch in 1931 when Coca-Cola stepped into the Christmas breach and asked their PR company to create a Christmas campaign for them that would pack a punch.

Something that they’d be able to call their own and use year after year, so it became a symbol of Christmas.

This was when Santa, in his big red, white fur-lined suit, red hat, and red-nosed reindeer became the image of the American Christmas. 

And now, I don’t know about you, but Christmas isn’t Christmas until I see the Christmas Coca-Cola truck.

Oh, and all the wonderful Christmas Ads that the UK does so well too. That’s the power of advertising.

The Legend of Santa Claus in France

It was this commercialised version of Father Christmas or Père Noël, that appeared in France after the Second World War, and it wasn’t welcomed by everyone. 

Something I’ve learned since living in France is that the French aren’t always welcoming of change. They’re proud of their traditions and don’t want to lose them to Americanised celebrations. 

In this case, it was the Catholic Church who weren’t impressed with the arrival of Père Noël, and they still had a big stronghold over the country.

Interestingly, in France, the church is separate from the state, and the state banned any type of religious symbols in schools.

But, of course, this didn’t apply to Père Noël as he wasn’t in any way, shape, or form a religious symbol.

The religious leaders were less than happy. How was it that nativity scenes weren’t allowed, but Christmas Trees and a jolly fat man in a red suit were?

It infuriated them. And it didn’t stop at a little huffing and puffing. In a typical French way, as they do when they aren’t happy with something, they let people know by demonstrating.

In Dijon, in 1951, crowds gathered in front of the cathedral and burnt an effigy of Père Noël to demonstrate their feelings in the only way the French could.

However, the man in the red suit was here to stay, and no amount of protesting was about to change that.

Santa Traditions in Different Parts of France

There are a few ways that the Christmas traditions surrounding Santa are different in France from the UK, the US, and other places such as Canada and Australia.

A glass of milk is substituted for wine

If you’ve lived in France, then you’ll know it’s not easy to find milk in the refrigerated sections of the supermarket. This is because the French don’t drink milk like we do in the UK or America. 

It wasn’t something they were given in the morning to drink as kids, so they don’t understand why you’d leave Père Noël a glass of milk.

They leave a glass of wine instead, and I know which one I’d prefer.

French children don’t hang stockings on the fireplace

Personally, I love watching the kids hang their stockings and seeing the look on their faces and the anticipation.

But in France, Christmas stockings aren’t a thing.

Instead, they leave shoes or slippers or Santa simply leaves the presents under the tree.

Presents are opened on Christmas Eve not on Christmas Morning

Unlike what I’m used to here in France, Christmas Eve is the big event for food, and not so much Christmas Day.

If you’ve never been to a French celebration on Christmas Eve, you’re missing out. They start around 6 pm and enjoy a six, or seven course meal that often stretches until midnight.

The presents are distributed either as part of the meal or after Midnight Mass.

France doesn’t celebrate Boxing Day

For a country that has more public holidays than you can shake a stick at, I was surprised to find out that Boxing Day isn’t a French tradition and doesn’t exist in France.

It’s business as usual on December 26th, and the French don’t get a day off.

However, they do have some other fun Christmas traditions such as Galette des Rois, an Ephinay tradition and La Chandeleur where they eat crepes.

Santa and the Post Office in France

Not far from where I live in the heart of the Bordeaux Wine Region is Libourne, the town that plays host to the Father Christmas Post Office.

Yes, you heard me correctly. Another lovely French Christmas Tradition was created in 1962 when the role of ‘Secretary of Father Christmas’ (Le Secrétariat du Père Noël) came into being.

At La Poste in Libourne, a team of 60  secretaries, or elves, answer the letters that come flooding in at Christmas time for Père Noël, written by children from all over France.

No matter how they’re addressed or whereabouts in France they come from, every letter must receive an answer, by law.

It’s such a lovely tradition, and although it has developed over the years from letters to emails, every single one receives an answer.

And whilst the interactive website has taken over somewhat from the handwritten letters, they still come in by their thousands.

They now receive around 1.3+ million letters and emails, which completely dwarfs other services like it.

Christmas Celebrations and French Traditions in Different Regions of France

Eastern France (Lorraine & Alsace

In this region, they celebrate Saint Nicolas. On December 6th, towns host parades, fireworks, and theatrical events in his honour.

The evil character, known as the “Hans Trapp” or “Le Père Fouettard”, accompanies Saint Nicholas and is the one who punishes naughty children.

Provence (South Eastern France)

The Nativity scene (crèche) in Provence has a myriad of characters, each representing different traditional professions in Provençal villages.

While Santa Claus isn’t the main focus, the emphasis is on the celebration of the community and its rich history during Christmastime.

Northern France

Here, children might place their shoes in front of the fireplace a bit earlier, on December 6th, Saint Nicholas’ Day, hoping for candies and small toys.

If they’ve been naughty, they fear the visit of “Père Fouettard”, who might leave twigs or coal. Or worse still, serve some form of punishment.

Brittany (North Western France)

In this Celtic-influenced region, there isn’t a strong emphasis on Santa Claus. Instead, during the festive season, you’ll hear tales of Ankou, a grim reaper-like figure, or the legend of Yule, a druidic midwinter festival.

Lyon (Central France)

The Festival of Lights (“Fête des Lumières”) in December is a major event where the city is illuminated.

The tradition began as a tribute to the Virgin Mary, sparing the city from the plague in 1643.

Important Christmas Vocabulary in France

• Merry Christmas! – Joyeux Noël!
• Happy New Year! – Bonne Année!
• Christmas tree – Sapin de Noël
• Christmas Eve – Réveillon de Noël
• Christmas Day – Jour de Noël
• Gift/ Present – Cadeau
• Santa Claus – Père Noël
• Christmas carol – Chant de Noël
• Snow – Neige
• Reindeer – Renne
• Sleigh – Traîneau
• Christmas decorations – Décorations de Noël
• Star – Étoile
• Yule Log – Bûche de noël
• Mistletoe – Gui

The BEST Place to Spend Christmas in France

If you want to really experience a French Christmas the best place to go is Strasbourg, as it’s known as ‘The Capital of Christmas’.

Not only does it have the oldest Christmas Market in France, but it’s incredibly beautiful at that time of year.

The half-timbered buildings, cobblestone streets and Christmas lights are magical.

There are plenty of places to stay, most of which have a tale to tell. Christmas is the busiest time of year for this little village, so remember to book early if you’re thinking of going.

FAQS about Père Noël or Santa in France

Final Thoughts: What do they call Santa in France?

Christmas in France, as in many countries, is a magical time of year with lots of wonderful Christmas spirit.

It’s certainly very different to the Christmases I’ve had over the years, but I love all the traditions and stories surrounding a French Christmas.

Père Noël, whilst being a latecomer to Christmas in France, has developed some wonderful traditions of its own.

My favourite is the Father Christmas Post Office, and I think a trip to Libourne will be on the cards this year so I can see it for myself.