French school lunches are famously high quality, and I’ve written about them in detail here and here. But if there’s one moment when the entire country leans most fully into its food culture, it’s the holiday season. The French school lunch Christmas menu is the highlight of the year — a miniature version of the festive meals French families prepare at home.
Time and time again, I come back to the same idea: France’s exceptional school meals exist because of cultural norms. Food matters deeply here. And nothing captures that better than December, when families plan their holiday menus with almost ceremonial devotion. Think oysters, foie gras, scallops, capon, elegant cheese platters, champagne (naturally), and the Bûche de Noël that appears in every bakery window by early December.
Schools follow suit. Across the country, cafeterias prepare Le Repas de Noël — the Christmas Meal — during the final week before the holiday break. It’s the one menu children talk about all month.
For a complete overview of the French school lunch system, see → French School Lunches: How They Work Today.
Below is the actual Christmas school lunch menu served in a Parisian elementary school in 2022. And yes, every course includes a thoughtful vegetarian alternative.
For an everyday menu, have a look here → French School Lunch Menu.
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What French Schools Serve For Christmas
First Course
Salmon rillettes on Swedish bread
Vegetarian: Camembert on a green salad
Main Course
Turkey with chestnut sauce
with potatoes, green beans, and mushrooms
Vegetarian: Bulgur with chickpeas, figs, nuts, and a butternut–mushroom sauce
Dessert
Bûche de Noël glacée (ice cream Yule log cake)
A Final Note
Even in a simple school cafeteria, this meal reflects the values at the heart of French food culture: seasonality, celebration, and the belief that children deserve good food too. When I first saw this menu in 2022, it struck me as a beautiful snapshot of how France treats food as culture — even on an ordinary school day in December.
The French also believe school lunches are more than just good food → 5 Reasons French School Lunches Are Important (And It’s Not the Food).
More From France
If you’re curious about how France nurtures healthier habits — from school lunches to everyday food, movement, and wellbeing — I share practical tips and stories each month. Sign up for the free newsletter below and receive my guide, The French Guide to Everyday Wellbeing, straight to your inbox. Merci!
