10 Christmas Movies to dive into French language and traditions for the Holidays

🎄 Christmas is just around the corner! 🎄
There’s nothing better than curling up under a cozy blanket with a hot chocolate and watching a good Christmas movie. Holiday films are a big part of Christmas traditions: they warm our hearts, make us smile, and remind us of the importance of family, friendship, and… the magic of Christmas.

Did you know there’s a real difference between French Christmas movies and American Christmas movies? In France, Christmas films are often quirky comedies, usually centered around family life and awkward or funny situations. In the U.S. (especially Hallmark movies), Christmas is all about romantic comedies: chance encounters, falling snow, charming small towns… sometimes even set in France!

Here is my selection of 10 must-watch Christmas movies, perfect for practicing your French while staying fully immersed in the holiday spirit. 🎄🎬

🎅 🎬 Must-Watch French Christmas Movies 🎬 🎅

Le Père Noël est une ordure (1982)

A cult comedy set in Paris, hilarious and sometimes completely absurd. This is one of those timeless classics that every French person knows, and that many families watch every single year. Perfect if you enjoy over-the-top situations and dark humor at Christmas (just a warning: the language can be a bit crude!).
This is the movie to watch if you want to impress French people with your cultural knowledge at your next dinner party.

Joyeux Noël (2005)

Inspired by real events: the Christmas truce of 1914 on the front lines in France. This film is a powerful lesson in humanity and peace.
It is one of my all-time favorite movies—not just among Christmas films. Deeply moving and unforgettable.

Santa & Cie (2017)

Disaster strikes just before Christmas Eve: all 92,000 elves in charge of making children’s toys fall ill at the same time! Santa Claus has no choice—he must urgently travel to Earth with his reindeer.
A modern Christmas comedy set in Paris, full of elves, gifts, and laughter, written and directed by Alain Chabat, one of my favorite French comic actors and directors. If you don’t know him yet, this film is the perfect introduction to his wonderfully quirky humor.

La Bûche (1999)

We follow the chaotic lives of three sisters: Louba the singer, Sonia the bourgeois, and Milla the rebel. Their parents are just as colorful: Stanislas, a retired gypsy violinist, and Yvette, recently widowed for the second time.
A warm and funny family portrait, perfect for the holiday season, set in a snowy Paris.

Un conte de Noël (2008)

An emotional family drama set in Roubaix during Christmas. A different take on the holidays, far from comedy, starring the incredible Catherine Deneuve as Junon.
Get your tissues ready!

L’Apprenti Père Noël (2010)

Nicolas Barnsworth, a young orphan from Australia, is chosen to replace Santa Claus when he retires at the age of 168. Nicolas has fifteen years to learn everything about being Santa…
A French animated film for the whole family—perfect for children and for learning Christmas vocabulary in French.

🎅 🎬 American Christmas Movies Set in France (or Inspired by France) 🎬 🎅

Champagne Problems 🍾 (2025) - set in France

A young executive travels to France to finalize the acquisition of a champagne house before Christmas. Her plans are disrupted when she falls for a charming Parisian—who turns out to be the founder’s son.
A Hallmark romantic comedy set in the Champagne region, blending French traditions with American romance. Currently available on Netflix in France and the U.S.

Love Actually (2003) – partly set in France

Love is everywhere—unpredictable, inexplicable, unstoppable. On Christmas Eve in London, different lives and love stories intertwine, collide, and cross paths, proving that the most beautiful emotions can also lead to the messiest situations.
A British-American romantic comedy with part of the story set in France. Perfect for discovering France through a romantic lens. For a long time, this was my husband’s favorite movie!

An Alpine Holiday (2025) - set in France

A Swedish family spends a few precious vacation days together at a ski resort in the French Alps. The sun is shining, the slopes are perfect… until an avalanche during lunch at a mountain restaurant changes everything.
An American Christmas movie set in the French Alps—perfect for dreaming of snowy landscapes and gentle love stories. This one was recommended to me by one of my students (thank you, Cathy!).

Christmas in Paris (2018) - set in France

As Christmas approaches, Lucas Beaudin, a handsome French businessman, travels to the U.S. for an advertising collaboration. There, he meets Robin, a former model and the company’s creative director, who dreams of returning to Paris…
An American Christmas romance set in Paris, where holiday magic meets the lights of the French capital. ✨🗼

🎁 Why Watch These Movies to Learn French?

Watching Christmas movies in French is a fun and effective way to learn (you can also check out the full article on my 4-step method to improve your French with TV series):

• listening to natural, authentic dialogue

• learning vocabulary related to holidays and family life

• immersing yourself in French culture and traditions
  

And if you love the romantic Hallmark vibe, their France-based movies are also a great way to practice French while enjoying familiar storytelling. The perfect mix of language learning, culture, and Christmas magic!

So why not dive into the holiday spirit right now? Organize a Christmas movie marathon, grab a hot chocolate, and repeat lines out loud to improve your French while having fun. ❄️🎬☕

written by Estelle Materne