Carnival in France

Learn how Carnival is Celebrated in France 
Le Carnaval = Carnival
KS2/3 French Practice:
Video,  Online Quiz +  Worksheet

On + Verbs in the 3rd person
On = One, you, we, it … (On is impersonal)

Verbs

faire  – on fait
We make

préparer – on prépare
We prepare

défiler  – on défile
We parade

chanter  – on chante
We sing

marcher  – on marche
We walk

retourner – on retourne
We return

manger – on mange
We eat

brûler  – on brûle
We burn

oublier  – on oublie
We forget

se déguiser – on se déguise
We get dressed up, put on fancy dress

How/Where is carnival is celebrated in France?
How do children celebrate carnival at school?

Le Carnaval

  is celebrated all over France.
French nursery schools (écoles maternelles) organise carnival processions and festivities for the children, and there are big city and town celebrations too.
Internationally famous French carnivals include:
Nice,  Albi,  Douarnenez,  Annecy …

Carnival season begins on 6th January (Epiphany) and ends on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent:
Mardi Gras   =  Shrove Tuesday
Le Carême    =  Lent

Gras = Fat
Mardi Gras =  Fat Tuesday …
A good name because it is Pancake Day and time for a feast before many still try to give up favourite treats for 40 days until Easter Sunday.
Mardi Gras = Shrove Tuesday = Pancake Day
Une crêpe(f)   =   A pancake

Carnival Celebrations in Schools:
Le Carnaval is a time when children, parents and teachers get involved in making costumes, preparing a feast, organising a procession (un défilé) for all the children, and then returning to burn Monsieur Carnaval before feasting on crêpes and other treats.

What/Who is Monsieur Carnaval?

Monsieur Carnaval is a figure that is made and then burnt to help people to move on from winter, bad behaviour and negative thought, and so look forward to Spring and better times.
Sometimes children write down the negative things that they are going to try not to do or think anymore, and these notes are burnt alongside Monsieur Carnaval.

Video

Printable Worksheet – Le Carnaval

Online Quiz

This quiz is also available on its own separate page here:
Online Quiz

 

#1. We make a Mr Carnival.

On voit un Monsieur Carnaval.

On fait un Monsieur Carnaval.

On a un Monsieur Carnaval.

#2. We prepare the celebration.

On va à la fête.

On a une fête.

On prépare la fête.

#3. We march through the streets.

On défile dans les rues.

On marche dans les rues.

On danse dans les rues.

#4. We sing. We make a noise.

On chante. On fait des bêtises.

On parle. On fait du bruit.

On chante. On fait du bruit.

#5. We walk a lot.

On va très loin.

On marche beaucoup.

On court beaucoup.

#6. We go back to school.

On reste à l'école.

On va à l'école.

On retourne à l'école.

#7. We have a party!

On va à la fête!

On fait la fête!

Il y a une fête!

#8. We eat pancakes.

On mange des crêpes.

On a des crêpes.

On fait des crêpes.

#9. We burn our bad thoughts with Mr Carnival.

On brûle l'hiver et nos mauvaises pensées.

On oublie Monsieur Carnaval et nos mauvaises pensées.

On brûle nos mauvaises pensées avec Monsieur Carnaval.

#10. We forget winter.

On oublie l'hiver.

On dit bonjour au printemps.

On dit au revoir à l'hiver.

Previous

Finish

Results

Très bien!

 

Have another go.

Do this practice first:
Carnival at School in France

Video Transcript

Que fait-on?
On fait un Monsieur Carnaval.
On prépare la fête.
On se déguise.
On défile dans les rues.
On chante.  On fait du bruit.
On marche beaucoup.
On retourne à l’école.
On fait la fête!
On mange des crêpes!
Et Monsieur Carnaval?
On brûle Monsieur Carnaval.
On brûle Monsieur Carnaval avec toutes nos mauvaises pensées.
On oublie l’hiver.
Le printemps arrive!

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