Halloween and La Toussaint
Nicola Blakemore 
The first thing to remember when celebrating Halloween in France is that you’re celebrating Halloween in France.
Despite having its roots in the Celtic cultures of Europe, Halloween in France is not a traditional holiday and actually came from North America in the 1990s. However, La Toussaint, also known in English as All Saints Day, is a widely celebrated national holiday in France.
This takes place the following day – November 1st – and traditionally sees the French honor the dead through flowers and special events. As the French are fiercely proud of their customs and heritage, Halloween is largely overshadowed by La Toussaint, which also coincides with two weeks of school vacations throughout the country.
One of the reasons the US-style Halloween celebration hasn’t quite taken off in France is simply because it’s too American. This alone has led much of French society to turn their nose up at the holiday. The locals see the celebration as being too commercialized – another reason for supermarkets and other stores to sell more candy, costumes, and alcohol.
Categories: : Things 'French.'