How the French Celebrate Halloween
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Ghosts’n’Goblins: The Origins of Halloween
Soon, children in many countries will be donning their déguisements (costumes) and at crépuscule (dusk) will be headed out the door to make the rounds of their neighbourhood to celebrate Halloween.
Mais d’où vient cette tradition (But where does this tradition come from)? What exactly is Halloween? And does France even celebrate it?
Image by Pedro Ferreira on Flickr
Halloween, also called Hallows’ Eve, has roots in l’histoire ancienne (ancient history). It can trace its lineage back to the Celtic calendar festival of Samhain (literally “end of summer” in Celtic) in Ireland and Britain.
November 1 was set apart as the day to commemorate la fin de l’été (the end of summer) and to celebrate les morts (the dead). The emphasis on the supernatural during Samhain gave the festival an aura of peur (fear) during which people made sacrifices to the Celtic gods who played tricks on them. Fires were lit to ward off spirits and disguises were often worn pour se cacher des fantômes (to hide from ghosts).
The Roman festivals of Feralia merged with the rituals of Samhain when the Romans conquered the Celts in the 1st century A.D., thus adding to the mystique and folklore of Halloween.
Six hundred years later, La Toussaint (literally “All Saints’” Day) was promulgated by Pope Boniface IV and was to be celebrated on May 13. Families would gather to pay respects to loved ones they had lost and to honor the saints. Durant le Moyen-Âge (During the Middle Ages) the Catholic Church was the most powerful institution and in the 8th century, Pope Gregory III changed the date of La Toussaint to November 1, possibly to overshadow the pagan holidays. October 31st of every year became a “hallowed evening” and thus the term “Halloween” came into being. Today, November 1st continues to remain un jour férié (public holiday) in France where schools, restaurants, post offices, banks and other businesses are all closed. A similar tradition to La Toussaint takes place au Mexique (in Mexico) between October 31st and November 2nd called Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) when those belonging to the Catholic faith visit les tombeaux (the graves) of their relatives to pay their respects.
Britain and Ireland continued celebrating Halloween as a secular holiday beyond the Middle Ages. British and Irish immigrants brought Halloween to the United States beginning in the mid-19th century and since then Halloween, much like Noël et Pâques (Christmas and Easter), has slowly morphed into a commercial “holiday” filled with costumes, trick-or-treating and copious amounts of bonbons (candy).
In France, Halloween has garnered little attention and is mostly a pretext for people to dress up and attend costume parties. Absent are the typical American costumes (superheroes) in favor of more macabre disguises (ghosts, zombies, etc.) typically associated with Halloween. Halloween remains an obscure holiday in France but you might find Jack-o’-lanterns and other decorations behind the windows of businesses and homes.
In honour of the holiday, a short 'scary' vocabulary list:
le déguisement, le costume – costume
se déguiser – to disguise oneself, dress up in a costume
une citrouille – pumpkin
la bougie – candle
les bonbons – candy
la peur – fear
avoir peur – to be scared
faire peur à quelqu’un – to scare someone
le sang – blood
les os – bones
le diable – the devil
le fantôme – ghost
l’épouvantail (m) – scarecrow
le sorcier/la sorcière – the sorcerer/the witch
l’araignée (f) – spider
la chauve-souris – bat
Will Halloween ever become a popular tradition in France?
It is doubtful. But the next time someone asks you about Halloween, you can impress them with your knowledge of its origins. If anything, it makes for good conversation.
Happy Halloween!
Blog submitted by: David at The French Property Network - Cle France.
This blog was originally posted on The French Language Blog pages.
Market Insight - 26th October 2026
- Details
Is The Correction Starting?...
Expect volatility in the coming days.
Wednesday sees the UK budget at around 12 noon.
The budget has historically caused big moves in exchange rates.
Today has already seen such a move for the Pound.
The market open reported a 0.33% drop for Sterling versus the Euro.
We are expecting more of the same throughout this week.
Here at Regency FX we are positioned to help our clients potentially mitigate exchange rate risk.
We would absolutely encourage all of our clients to reach out to us to discuss options.
On top of all that there's interest rate decisions from the US and the Eurozone.
Plenty to keep everyone occupied!
Economic calendar:
US: Wednesday 18:00 FED Interest Rate Decision
EUR: Thursday 13:15pm ECB Interest Rate Decision.
Get ahead of the game and read our Guide to Foreign Currency Exchange.
Download the Guide Here - with no obligation of course.
Kind regards,
David Evans
Co-Founder of Cle France.
- Great exchange rates
- Quick and easy transfers
- No transfer fees
- Expert help and guidance
- Authorised by the FCA
Current rates:
Monday 26th October 2026 at 12:30
£1.00 GBP = 1.1925 EUR
£1.00 GBP = 1.3355 USD
£1.00 GBP = 1.9000 AUD
£1.00 GBP = 2.3490 NZD
£1.00 GBP = 1.8710 CAD
£1.00 GBP = 1.1030 CHF
-
Want to Learn More?
- We have created a selection of Free PDF Guides for you to download covering many aspects of buying property abroad, visit our PDF Guides Page today or download our "Buying A Property in France" Guide PDF document.
-
- At Clé France / Regency FX, many of our customers have a need for currency exchange.
- We are pleased to offer our customers favourable exchange rates on international currency transfers.
- As a Clé France website visitor, you qualify for preferential exchange rates when you transact through Regency FX.
How to Save Money on your foreign currency transfers
- Regency FX can save you money by offering more competitive rates of exchange than your bank.
- Clients can typically save you 3-4% of the total transaction value, which can result in significant cost savings.
- All client funds are held in segregated accounts with top-tier banks keeping your money safe and secure.
- Cle France has partnered with Regency FX, a trusted and fully safeguarded currency exchange provider, to bring you even better service and exclusive benefits when transferring money internationally.
For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk
Market Insight - 21st October 2026
- Details
Pound pushing ever higher versus the Euro....
HANG ON TO YOUR HATS AS THE DOWNSIDE RISK JUMPS DRAMATICALLY
October has seen an absolutely meteoric rise for Sterling against the Euro.
Closing in on almost a 2.5% gain in a handful of weeks.
Bolstered by better than expected economic numbers in the UK and growing unrest in Europe.
The important note is how to protect yourself from potential downside risk.
With the UK budget looming, there's plenty of catalysts on the horizon for a possible retracement back to previous rates.
What are the options?
This is exactly the time to be speaking to your dedicated account manager here at Regency FX.
Based on your own unique circumstances your account manager can potentially offer solutions to enable you to "lock in" a rate of exchange.
Now could well be the time to take action.
Outside of this there's plenty of news at the end of the week that could stir markets.
Global services and manufacturing data gets released throughout the day on Friday.
Historically this has sometimes made exchange rates shift dramatically.
Next week is equally lively with US, Canadian and Eurozone interest rate decisions being reported.
Hang on to your hats.
Economic calendar:
Global: Friday Manufacturing and Services Data.
Get ahead of the game and read our Guide to Foreign Currency Exchange.
Download the Guide Here - with no obligation of course.
Kind regards,
David Evans
Co-Founder of Cle France.
- Great exchange rates
- Quick and easy transfers
- No transfer fees
- Expert help and guidance
- Authorised by the FCA
Current rates:
Wednesday 21st October 2026 at 11:15
£1.00 GBP = 1.1940 EUR
£1.00 GBP = 1.3395 USD
£1.00 GBP = 1.9070 AUD
£1.00 GBP = 2.3555 NZD
£1.00 GBP = 1.8825 CAD
£1.00 GBP = 1.1060 CHF
-
Want to Learn More?
- We have created a selection of Free PDF Guides for you to download covering many aspects of buying property abroad, visit our PDF Guides Page today or download our "Buying A Property in France" Guide PDF document.
-
- At Clé France / Regency FX, many of our customers have a need for currency exchange.
- We are pleased to offer our customers favourable exchange rates on international currency transfers.
- As a Clé France website visitor, you qualify for preferential exchange rates when you transact through Regency FX.
How to Save Money on your foreign currency transfers
- Regency FX can save you money by offering more competitive rates of exchange than your bank.
- Clients can typically save you 3-4% of the total transaction value, which can result in significant cost savings.
- All client funds are held in segregated accounts with top-tier banks keeping your money safe and secure.
- Cle France has partnered with Regency FX, a trusted and fully safeguarded currency exchange provider, to bring you even better service and exclusive benefits when transferring money internationally.
For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk
Market Insight - 19th October 2026
- Details
Sterling Strengthens: Act Now Before the Budget...
Sterling has strengthened in recent weeks, but the 28th October Budget could change the picture.
Investors will be watching closely for measures to address government borrowing and the UK’s public finances.
If the Budget disappoints markets, sterling could weaken, reducing the amount you receive for your pounds.
If you have an upcoming international payment, now is the time to review your options.
Speak to your Regency FX account manager today to discuss current rates and whether securing an exchange rate now could help protect your position to ensure your money goes further.
Don’t leave your next currency transfer to chance. Get in touch today.
Don’t wait. Contact us now.
Get ahead of the game and read our Guide to Foreign Currency Exchange.
Download the Guide Here - with no obligation of course.
Kind regards,
David Evans
Co-Founder of Cle France.
- Great exchange rates
- Quick and easy transfers
- No transfer fees
- Expert help and guidance
- Authorised by the FCA
Current rates:
Monday 19th October 2026 at 12:45
£1.00 GBP = 1.1880 EUR
£1.00 GBP = 1.3335 USD
£1.00 GBP = 1.9085 AUD
£1.00 GBP = 2.3520 NZD
£1.00 GBP = 1.8770 CAD
£1.00 GBP = 1.1000 CHF
-
Want to Learn More?
- We have created a selection of Free PDF Guides for you to download covering many aspects of buying property abroad, visit our PDF Guides Page today or download our "Buying A Property in France" Guide PDF document.
-
- At Clé France / Regency FX, many of our customers have a need for currency exchange.
- We are pleased to offer our customers favourable exchange rates on international currency transfers.
- As a Clé France website visitor, you qualify for preferential exchange rates when you transact through Regency FX.
How to Save Money on your foreign currency transfers
- Regency FX can save you money by offering more competitive rates of exchange than your bank.
- Clients can typically save you 3-4% of the total transaction value, which can result in significant cost savings.
- All client funds are held in segregated accounts with top-tier banks keeping your money safe and secure.
- Cle France has partnered with Regency FX, a trusted and fully safeguarded currency exchange provider, to bring you even better service and exclusive benefits when transferring money internationally.
For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk
Market Insight - 8th September 2026
- Details
A quick look at this weeks activity...
All Eyes On The FED...
Inflation numbers drive interest rate decisions.
The big question is what effect the Iran conflict is having on global prices.
With oil touching above 90 bucks a barrel, what's the knock on effect?
Seemingly not as extensive as first feared.
Combined with tariff troubles being somewhat muted, there's a fairly wide range of inflation predictions from economists.
Relatively standard fare for anyone following global economic stories.
Friday this week sees the US's confirmed inflation rate, but all the explosive activity is next week.
Most major interest rate decisions come out in the same week, and that's what's coming down the tracks.
There is a big one in store imminently, however, as the ECB is expected to hike on 25 points on Thursday this week.
How we can help you...
Here at Regency FX we keep a close eye on all financial news and signpost what could cause volatility.
Whilst no one has a crystal ball, and often these news stories end up being a storm in a teacup, it's often useful to know when avoidable potential risks are looming on the horizon.
Sometimes timing constraints or a fixed chain of events means no preliminary action can be taken.
However, in some situations, potential risk can be mitigated.
Our team of dedicated account managers is always on hand to discuss methods of minimising those risks.
Key dates for your calendar:
CHN: Wednesday 2:30am Inflation Report
EUR: Thursday 1:15pm ECB Interest Rate Decision
EUR: Thursday 1:45pm ECB Press Conference
USA: Friday 1:30pm Inflation Report
So what next, what should you do?
As ever we look forward to keeping you in the loop and look out for our next update.
Our friendly currency experts are here to assist you and guide you through the markets, we offer a first-class service and even an online platform so you can monitor your transaction in real time.
Our business ethos is based on bank beating rates and fantastic customer service, click the link below for a no obligation quotation and see the savings for yourself.
Don’t wait. Contact us now.
Or to find out our latest rates, click below.
Get ahead of the game and read our Guide to Foreign Currency Exchange.
Download the Guide Here - with no obligation of course.
Kind regards,
David Evans
Co-Founder of Cle France.
- Great exchange rates
- Quick and easy transfers
- No transfer fees
- Expert help and guidance
- Authorised by the FCA
Current rates:
Tuesday 8th September 2026 at 08:45
£1.00 GBP = 1.1650 EUR
£1.00 GBP = 1.3530 USD
£1.00 GBP = 1.8760 AUD
£1.00 GBP = 2.3155 NZD
£1.00 GBP = 1.8665 CAD
£1.00 GBP = 1.0970 CHF
-
Want to Learn More?
- We have created a selection of Free PDF Guides for you to download covering many aspects of buying property abroad, visit our PDF Guides Page today or download our "Buying A Property in France" Guide PDF document.
-
- At Clé France / Regency FX, many of our customers have a need for currency exchange.
- We are pleased to offer our customers favourable exchange rates on international currency transfers.
- As a Clé France website visitor, you qualify for preferential exchange rates when you transact through Regency FX.
How to Save Money on your foreign currency transfers
- Regency FX can save you money by offering more competitive rates of exchange than your bank.
- Clients can typically save you 3-4% of the total transaction value, which can result in significant cost savings.
- All client funds are held in segregated accounts with top-tier banks keeping your money safe and secure.
- Cle France has partnered with Regency FX, a trusted and fully safeguarded currency exchange provider, to bring you even better service and exclusive benefits when transferring money internationally.
For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk
