Every year, on 2 February, all of France gets out its crêpe pans: it's Chandeleur (Candlemas). In 2027, it falls on a Tuesday. But where does this celebration come from, and why crêpes?

A festival of light

Chandeleur is first and foremost a Christian feast: the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, celebrated forty days after Christmas. Its name comes from the Latin festa candelarum, the "feast of candles": on that day, candles were blessed and the faithful took them home to protect the house.

The feast probably took the place of older celebrations: the Roman Lupercalia, in mid-February, and the Celtic festival of Imbolc, on 1 February, which celebrated purification and the gradual return of the light.

Why do we eat crêpes?

Several explanations circulate. Pope Gelasius I, at the end of the 5th century, is credited with handing out crêpes to pilgrims arriving in Rome. The tradition is also linked to offerings of galettes made with wheat from the previous harvest, to bring about a good harvest. And of course, with their round, golden shape, crêpes evoke the sun returning after winter.

The gold coin in your hand

This is the best-known tradition: flip the first crêpe with your right hand while holding a gold coin in your left hand. If the crêpe lands neatly back in the pan, prosperity is guaranteed for the year. The coin was then wrapped in the crêpe, which was stored on top of the wardrobe until the following year.

Chandeleur proverbs

Chandeleur was also a day for predicting the weather and the harvest:

« À la Chandeleur, l'hiver se meurt ou prend vigueur. » — "At Candlemas, winter either dies or grows stronger."
« À la Chandeleur, les jours rallongent de la longueur d'une chandelle. » — "At Candlemas, the days grow longer by the length of a candle."
« Quand il pleut pour la Chandeleur, il pleut pendant quarante jours. » — "When it rains at Candlemas, it rains for forty days."
« Qui mange des crêpes quand la Chandeleur est arrivée, est sûr d'avoir argent pendant l'année. » — "Whoever eats crêpes when Candlemas has come is sure to have money all year."

Celebrating Chandeleur in Mulhouse

Don't feel like doing the washing-up? Come and celebrate Chandeleur at the Crampous Mad crêperie, at 14 rue des Tondeurs. Buckwheat galettes, crêpes with sugar, with salted butter caramel or flambéed: there is something for every craving, served all day from 11:30 am. In 2027, Chandeleur falls on a Tuesday, when we are open: remember to book your table.

To find out more about what sets a galette apart from a crêpe, read our article Galette or crêpe: what's the difference?, or take a look at our menu.