-
Why we are seeing so many food recalls in France
We review whether recall notices are actually increasing
-
How to determine if your French property tax bill is correctly calculated
Out of 1,351 client cases they reviewed 87% were paying €260 a year on average too much
-
UK shoe brand Clarks opens second Paris store as part of France expansion
France is central to the group's wider European growth plans
Chandeleur is 1st of 2 pancake days
This year France gets two pancake days in a week, Chandeleur on February 2 and Shrove Tuesday on February 9
FRANCE’S two pancake days fall a week apart this year, the first, Chandeleur, being tomorrow.
Unlike its movable Easter-linked compatriot Shrove Tuesday, which most Britons know as pancake day, Chandeleur is fixed on February 2, 40 days after Christmas.
Chandeleur (Candlemas) marks the presentation of the baby Jesus in the temple at Jerusalem.
In the fifth century Pope Gelasius I chose to mark the event by giving pancakes to the poor of Rome, their round shape symbolising the sun.
With the approach of lent they were often made with flour from the previous year to finish off stock ahead of fasting.
Flipping your crêpes with one hand while holding a gold coin in the other is supposed to ensure prosperity for your family for the year, although it does make it more difficult and gold coins rarely show up in your change.
Other proverbs say that if it rains on Chandeleur, it will continue for 40 days but if Chandeleur has clear skies then winter is behind us. (Which is bad news for most of France apart from PACA - the only place where rain is not forecast during the course of tomorrow).
This year, Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday, falls next week on February 9 to give you another chance to get those pancakes flipping.
Photo:Flickr/Laura D'Alessandro
