How to Have a French Holiday Meal at Home

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In France, the holidays are about time honored traditions, show stopping decorations, and indulgent delicacies. These tips and recipes show you how to have a French holiday meal at home, wherever you are. Treat yourself – whether a celebration for one or many, on a modest budget or no expense spared. Celebrate the holidays this year with the joie de vivre we all deserve.

Left: A ribbon on a Christmas tree is seen before a merry-go-round in Paris' Hotel de Ville; Right: An incredibly tall Christmas tree inside Galeries Lafayette in Paris. — Top: Photo by Nicole Michalou Above: Photos by Florian Olivo & Bing Hao

French Holiday Meal: Christmas and New Year’s

Le Réveillon de Noël, or Christmas Eve dinner

Christmas Eve is the high point of French holiday festivities. The late-night feast usually takes place when families return from midnight mass. Presents are exchanged after dinner or the next morning, and the occasion usually centers around family. New Year’s Eve tends to be celebrated with friends. This being France, of course food is the highpoint for both occasions – lavish and luxurious.

Delicacies and decadence define this time of year. The French entertain in such a seemingly effortless way. One of the secrets is that they combine home-cooked foods with store-bought goods – whether from the traiteur, pâtisserie, or even (gasp!) Picard. The holidays are no exception.

French Christmas Dinner – ApPetizers: Foie Gras, Smoked Salmon, Caviar, Oysters

Foie Gras and Paté

Arguably, the pièce de resistance of French holiday meals are the starters. Foie gras on brioche and sauternes are synonymous with the holiday season in France. Pan-roasted foie gras is a show stopper, but why cook when the ready-to-eat foie gras is so exquisite?

For those on a budget or not able to access foie gras, a simple yet elegant paté – would fit the occasion. If you’re so inclined David Lebovitz has a wonderful homemade chicken liver paté recipe that is just as impressive.

A white plate topped with foie gras on top of a table. — photo by David Todd McCarty

Smoked Salmon and Cavier

Another common starter is smoked salmon and/or caviar with crème fraiche and blinis. While caviar is the ultimate in luxury, substitutes such as trout roe don’t break the bank and would be just as festive. Dorie Greenspan’s buckwheat blini recipe is our go-to.

If you can’t be bothered, Gwyneth Paltrow has the ultimate hack for caviar canapes (plus a few other easy appetizers). While not traditional, we may just give it a go this year.

Oysters

And of course, the holidays in France would not be the same without oysters. Served with shallot vinaigrette is the norm. If you want something lighter, but no less festive, this Jerusalem artichoke soup fits the bill (and is easy on the wallet!)

French Holiday Meal: Main and Sides

While sometimes the French will splurge on pricey seafood such as lobster, in many ways, the main course and sides share a lot in common with holiday meals in the US. Turkey with chestnut stuffing is typical, though other poultry like goose, capo n, or guinea hens are eaten too. Clotilde Dusoulier has a bunch of fabulous French recipes for the holidays, including a spatchcocked and salt-crusted chicken, as well as a show stopping chicken in a bread crust.

Sides could include green beans, brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, as well as something fresher like this endive and walnut salad.

Left: A dinner host serves a nicely roasted Turkey for dinner; Right: A candlelit Christmas dinner table for 6. — Photos by Nicole Michalou

French Holiday Meal: The Cheese Course and Dessert

Of course, it would not be a French meal without a cheese course, though if left to my own devices I might forgo it to leave room for desserts. The typical dessert is the bûche de Noël or Yule log. Most French people would buy this, but should you feel ambitious, you could try your hand at making one with this bûche de Noël recipe.

In Provence, the dinner concludes with a selection of thirteen desserts, representing Jesus and the twelve Apostles. These confections include dried fruits and nuts, pain d’épices, bûche de Noël, and calissons d’Aix.

Starting in late December and through the month of January, you’ll see the beloved galettes des rois everywhere in France. I’ve had them with family on New Year’s Eve though technically one eats them on Epiphany. With a ready-made puff pastry and David Lebovitz’s simple galette de rois recipe, you could easily make one yourself. Closeout this year and ring in the new one in true, effortless French style.

A dinner table for the holidays full of delicious dishes and winter decoration. — Photo by Nicole Michalou

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If you still need to get some shopping done, don’t miss our ultimate French holiday gift guide.
If you’re an antipode, here’s how to celebrate a winter Christmas in Paris
Looking for more French inspiration? Here are 30 books to transport you to France.

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HiP Paris

HiP Paris is a lifestyle website about everything Paris and beyond. We enlighten and entertain our community, and share tips and recommendations. We believe in respect for French culture, timeless luxury, being comfortable in your skin, and the simple beauty of French life. Started in 2008, HIP Paris has evolved into a hub for expats and Francophiles. We have been featured in the New York Times, Business Insider, Bloomberg, Buzzfeed, Eater, Bon Appetit, Refinery29 and many other publications.