Some of these French Christmas songs are adaptations of English songs, but I have tried to also include traditional songs that are popular in schools in France. Many of these I learnt myself at school or my kids performed in their school.
There is something for everyone. Just be warned some of these may become addictive. Petit Papa Noël is on repeat for much of December in my house.
French Christmas songs
1. Noël en Forêt
This is a popular song in our family. Both my children learnt it as kindergarten.
You Tube - lyrics - Spotify
2. Mon beau sapin
A French version of the original German O Tannenbaum.
You Tube - lyrics - Spotify
3. Douce nuit
Another translation, it is a fun one to sing as there are versions in many languages.
You Tube - lyrics - Spotify
4. Petit Papa Noël
This is THE Christmas song for kids in France. You hear it everywhere and everyone knows it. It is old (1946) but there are many different versions. I have linked to a children's version. The original is from Tino Rossi but a little old-fashioned to be appealing to young ears.
You Tube - lyrics - Spotify
5. Grand Saint Nicolas
This one is not really about Christmas but St Nicholas which is celebrated in some regions of France and Germany. Anne Sylvestre, the singer, used to be really popular when I was a child. She may be less so now but her songs have become classics.
You Tube - lyrics - Spotify
6. Vive le Vent
An adaptation of the English classic Jingle Bells, originally from Mireille Mathieu. There are many versions of this song.
You Tube - lyrics - Spotify
7. Petit garçon
One of my favourite songs by Henri Dès, the loveliest French singer (well, he is actually Swiss but very popular in France). The whole album entitled C'est le Père Noël is really lovely.
You Tube - lyrics - Spotify
8. Voici le Père Noël
This was a new song to me but my children listened to it at kindergarten.
You Tube - lyrics - Spotify
9. Noël au bout du monde
A singer from my childhood with a multicultural twist on Christmas.
You Tube - lyrics - Spotify
10. C'est le Père Noël
Another song by my favourite French singer for kids: Henri Dès. This is a really fun one to sing along to.
You Tube - lyrics - Spotify
If you use Spotify, you can find our children's Christmas song list over here. You will find a few other songs in other languages too as we are a multilingual family.
Have you got any French Christmas songs? Please share them in the comments so we can listen too!
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Loved this! For years I’ve been trying to find a carol I was taught at a French-speaking nursery school in Cambridge, MA, Le Jardin d’Enfants. The carol is along the lines of “le Pere Noel et arrive, en un trainneu something something. C’est le noel le tous petits, ce’st le noel le grands aussi, ah, ah ah i’l vraiment, c’est le noel le grans et l’enfants. Next section is le pere noel a une grand barb, and there are more. My attempts at reconstruction are all phonetic, and based on memories of French, so please excuse spelling and other erros. I also leared Le Beau Sapin, what I was told was Minuit Cretiens, plus others lost to time. Can anyone help me find Le Pere Noel lyrics?
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