Do you have the Christmas spirit? If you need some Christmas songs to get into the snowy season, keep reading. We chose 6 French Christmas songs you’ll be able to sing during the end of the year.
French Christmas Songs to Get Into the Christmas Spirit
Petit Papa Noël, Tino Rossi
Let’s begin with a classic among the French Christmas songs: Petit Papa Noël. Originally, this song (with different lyrics) was sung by Xavier Lemercier in 1944. Tino Rossi, a French singer looking for a Christmas song for a movie, loved it and changed the lyrics to erase everything about war and violence. Petit Papa Noël appeared in the movie Destins.
Since the French government wanted to remove religious songs promoted during the Vichy regime, this song became extremely popular. Since then, the song has been covered by many singers like Dorothée, Henri Dès, Dalida, Mireille Mathieu, Claude François, Céline Dion, Roch Voisine and Mary J. Blige.
Vive le Vent
Well, this one isn’t really a French song, but rather a French song adapted from an American Christmas song, Jingle Bells. It was adapted in French by Francis Blanche in 1948 with different lyrics. It quickly became popular and was covered by many French singers like Henri Dès, Mireille Mathieu and Mika.
Noël Blanc, Eddy Mitchell
Another American song adapted for the French ears! Created in the 1940s by Irving Berlin, Noël Blanc was adapted by Francis Blanche and reprised by Eddy Mitchell in 1981. Fun fact, this same year, Céline Dion released a Christmas album reprising Noël Blanc in it!
Mon Plus Beau Noël, Johnny Hallyday
Released in 2005, this song was created by Fred Blondin and sung by Johnny Hallyday. The song is about the adoption of his daughter Jade and the joy she brings him. Jade can even be heard when she babbles during the last seconds of the song.
During the tribute ceremony for Johnny Hallyday’s death, Line Renaud used an excerpt from the song’s lyrics during her speech.
Bons Baisers de Fort-de-France, La Compagnie Créole
La Compagnie Créole is a French pop band from French Guiana and the French Antilles who started in the 1980s. They released plenty of Christmas songs, but this one is perfect to use if you spend Christmas in a warm country.
Noël Ensemble
In 2000, an artist’s collective released a charity album sold for the benefit of AIDS research. In the main song, called Noël Ensemble, you can hear plenty of popular French singers like Johnny Hallyday, Francis Cabrel, Maurane, Garou, Hélène Ségara, Pascal Obispo, Jean-Jacques Goldman, Zazie, Elsa, Patrick Fiori, Axelle Red, Ophélie Winter, Émile et Images, Larusso, Florent Pagny, Lara Fabian, Patricia Kaas, Roch Voisine, Lââm…
Now that you’ve heard some French Christmas songs, do you think you’re more into classic Christmas songs or modern ones? If you create your own playlist for Christmas, you could add these French Christmas songs and surprise your friends. Don’t forget to check out our article about popular French songs from the 2000s!
