SHARE
COPY LINK
For members

CHRISTMAS

Why do the French eat so much seafood at Christmas?

If you've spent time in France over Christmas one thing you're likely to have noticed is the amount of fish and seafood that is around, so what are the roots of this festive tradition?

Why do the French eat so much seafood at Christmas?
Raw oysters are often served up in France over Christmas. But how safe is this tradition? (Photo by Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP)

From piles of oysters at Christmas markets to the December 24th banquet, fish and seafood is big news in France over Christmas.

The December 25th meal varies quite a bit from region to region and many French families just eat whatever they like with no particular regard for tradition.

READ ALSO The 12 dishes that make up a classic French Christmas feast

But one thing that is still widely observed in France is the Reveillon de Noël banquet on December 24th and for that there is only one thing to serve – seafood and lots of it.

Tradition dictates that this is a late-night feast often running past midnight and into the early hours, or sometimes not even beginning until the whole family has returned from Midnight Mass.

These days, however many families – especially those with young children – find that tradition a bit cumbersome so just have their sumptuous spread of fish at a more usual dinner time.

Exactly what is on the platter varies according to taste but you will usually see prawns, mussels, cockles, clams, langoustines, maybe a dressed crab or a lobster if it has been a particularly good year – and definitely oysters.

Oysters are a big Christmas tradition in France and there will generally be at least one oyster stall at most Christmas markets for a festive snack.

The seafood platter is generally served with bread, slices of lemon and other seasoning and a good mayonnaise or aïoli and accompanied by white wine or champagne.

But where does this tradition come from?

Is it because throwing a few prawns onto a plate is a whole lot easier and more pleasant for the cook than slaving away for most of the day to produce an enormous roast dinner with all the trimmings? Well no, although that is an undeniable bonus if you are in charge of the catering.

In fact the tradition dates all the way back to the Middle Ages and is Biblical in origin.

In the Catholic Church it was traditional for people to ether fast or eat a simple meal before feast days and that meant eating no meat.

Since tofu was yet to be invented, people generally ate fish on no-meat days – which included Friday, the day before major festivals like Christmas and, for the more devout, the whole of the period of Lent before Easter.

Fish was widely seen as a second class foodstuff, and items like oysters were looked down upon as peasant food, a far cry from their status today as an expensive luxury item.

So while to modern eyes it might look like the sort of spread a monarch would sit down to, in fact your Christmas Eve fish feast represents a simple and humble meal. Just don’t expect that to be represented in the prices your fishmonger charges you.

Member comments

  1. Though my parents are now gone, my family and I have kept our culinary Christmas tradition. On Christmas Eve, dinner is always simple and after the Christmas mass, a good onion soup. On Christmas Day, at lunch a platter of oysters and other seafood will be served, as well as foie gras or smoked salmon, followed either by a leg of lamb or a roast goose (we are no fan of Turkey), accompanied by seasonal vegetables, or a Savoyard gratin (with cheese), then a salad and a cheese platter, all topped off with a Bûche de Noël preferably with moka cream, or a Charlotte with pears.

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

HEALTH

Do I need a prescription to get antibiotics in France?

A new law means that a prescription is not always required if you need antibiotics in France.

Do I need a prescription to get antibiotics in France?

In most cases, people in France requiring antibiotics will need a prescription (ordonnance) from a doctor.

However, there are two exceptions, according to a new decree published in France’s Journal Officiel on Tuesday.

The updated law allows French pharmacists to dispense antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription for two common infections; cystitis (UTIs) and tonsillitis/strep throat (angines in French), which can both be confirmed by a test at the pharmacy.

If you suspect you have either of these infections, you can go to the pharmacy to get a test, known as a Test Rapide d’Orientation Diagnostique or TROD.

If the test is positive, the pharmacist will be able to prescribe antibiotics without you having to visit a doctor. You can visit the pharmacy on a walk-in basis, with no need for an appointment, and at least one qualified pharmacist should be on the premises at all times.

The move comes after a relaxation on the rules around vaccines allowing pharmacists to give eight common vaccines without a doctor’s prescription – in addition to the Covid and seasonal flu vaccines which can already be accessed at a pharmacy without prescription. 

Pharmacists in France receive a minimum of six years of training and can offer medical advice for a range of conditions, as well as dispensing medication. 

READ MORE: More than prescriptions: 11 things you can do at a French pharmacy

What about prescriptions?

For all other types of conditions requiring antibiotics, a prescription will still be required.

In France, only doctors (both general practitioners and specialists), dental surgeons (chirurgiens-dentistes) and midwives (sages-femmes) are authorised to prescribe medicines.

As such, you would need an appointment with one of these professionals to get a prescription.

What if I’m just visiting France?

French residents would normally go to their registered doctor if they fall ill, but people who are either just visiting France or who are not registered in the French health system can access doctors too.

If you do have the carte vitale – the card confirming that you are registered in the French health system – you can still book an appointment with a doctor, although you won’t be entitled to any state reimbursement. You would have to either pay the costs yourself (€26 for a standard GP appointment, plus the cost of the prescription) or claim on your health or travel insurance if you have it.

Booking a GP appointment can be as simple as phoning a local doctor or using an online service such as Doctolib. You may also call up SOS Médecins if you want a home visit, but this costs more than a usual visit.

READ MORE: How to make a doctor’s appointment in France

SHOW COMMENTS