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French Expression of the Day: Noël au balcon

The Local France
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French Expression of the Day: Noël au balcon
Photo: Annie Spratt/Unsplash/Nicolas Raymond

You're likely to hear this uttered this year.

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Why do I need to know Noël au balcon?

Because you might want to pack your suitcase differently if someone tells you that Christmas this year will be of this variety.

What does it mean?

Noël au balcon roughly no-ell oh bal-kohn – translates directly to “Christmas on the balcony.”

If your French friend tells you that this year it will be “Noël au balcon” they are not informing you that the Christmas tree and all the gifts under it will be physically transported to the balcony and opened there.

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 It is more a phrase used to indicate the weather - so if it looks like the temperature will be warm, or there is little chance of snow or ice, then a French person might call it a Noël au balcon - or a Christmas where you can go out on the balcony.

It doesn't matter whether you actually have a balcony or not - this is half of a French idiom - Noël au balcon, Pâques au tison - which means 'Christmas on the balcony, Easter round the fire' - suggesting that an unusually mild Christmas will be followed by a cold spring.

But it's not uncommon to hear only the first half if you're looking at a mild Christmas.

There are also several other Christmas-themed French expressions. You can find the list HERE.

Use it like this

Moi, je préférerais la niege à Noël  mais je pense que nous aurons un Noël au balcon. – As for me, I would prefer a White Christmas, but I think it will be warm

Avec le changement climatique, de plus en plus de villes situées dans des endroits auparavant froids connaissent des Noëls au balcon.  – With climate change, more and more cities in cold areas are experiencing warm Christmases.

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Anonymous 2022/12/23 18:32
Thank you so much for the french expression of the day, today it was perfect. I read it at lunchtime, then this afternoon over coffee my french neighbour used the same phrase, I was very pleased with myself as was he as I understood
  • Emma Pearson 2022/12/27 16:26
    Brilliant! So pleased that it came in handy

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