All Saints' Day is one of several Catholic festivals which are also public holidays in France. Why does the secular French Republic honour Christian festivals? Er, well, because it just does, OK . . .
Unfortunately this year, November 1st falls on a Saturday, so most workers will lose the day off, although you might find that banks that normally open on Saturday morning will be closed.
Even when Toussaint falls on a weekday it doesn't have as much of an impact as some of the other public holidays in France - although it is normal for offices and government buildings to close for the day.
It doesn't have any big parades or fireworks displays either - unlike the Fête nationale on July 14th.
Local churches will likely hold a special mass on the day, but the main Toussaint tradition in France involves visiting cemeteries. Many French people visit the graves of loved ones on Toussaint, often taking chrysanthemums with them, to decorate the graves. You’ll probably notice flower shops and supermarkets stocking up on the plants in the run-up to the day itself.
These visits are quiet, private affairs however - don't expect any Mexican 'Day of the Dead' style celebrations.
As an aside, no matter how pretty you think they look, don’t buy chrysanthemums for living French friends or relatives - the connotation with death and deceased family members is strong.
As for the choice of flowers, there’s some dispute over why the chrysanthemum was chosen.
One story has it that Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau called on the French to place flowers on the graves of soldiers killed in World War I on the occasion of the first anniversary of the Armistice in 1919. President Raymond Poincaré placed flowers on graves at Père-Lachaise.
The flowers were chrysanthemums because they bloom late in the year and can withstand frosts.
But the fact is that the French had been placing the flowers on graves since at least the 19th century, and you'll see a lot of them in shops around Toussaint.
For Brits and Americans, it may be the day before Toussaint that is more important - All Hallows Eve, aka Halloween.
Although Halloween is marked by some people in Franc,e it's not a deep-seated tradition - the idea of trick-or-treating is a relatively recent import from the US, although it's growing in popularity among French kids, for obvious reasons.
Although Toussaint is one of the more restrained public holidays, it does mean that you always get the day off after Halloween, if you happen to have a hangover from a ghoulish party.
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