Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Poisson d'Avril - chut! (demain)



Do you know what tomorrow is?
In the USA it is April Fools Day and we play pranks like, 
"Look out!  There's a spider on your shoulder!" 

The tradition in France includes poisson d'avril, attempting to attach a paper fish to the victim's back without being noticed.  There is an interesting history of this holiday of foolishness, and it originated in France in the 16th century.  You can read about it here.

Today in France, people who are fooled on April 1 are called poisson d'avril, which literally means the "April Fish," because a young naive fish is easily caught.  
So, are you going to play a little prank tomorrow?






Marché d'Aligre et le Baron Rouge
75012, Paris

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8 comments:

  1. Betty CarlsonMarch 31, 2015 at 2:39 AM

    I find the "poisson" prank childishly hilarious. I have also heard people refer to the pranks or jokes themselves as "des poissons d'avril." Not planning on doing any myself, though...

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  2. JoeMarch 31, 2015 at 4:24 AM

    I must prepare a paper fish for tomorrow. It sounds like a great way to celebrate the day.

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  3. KateMarch 31, 2015 at 8:10 AM

    Sounds like a pretty fishy tale to me!

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  4. William KendallMarch 31, 2015 at 11:54 AM

    I think that's the first I've heard of that April First tradition.

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  5. AimeecakesMarch 31, 2015 at 12:14 PM

    Ha! Maybe I'll need to try this tomorrow

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  6. JeanieMarch 31, 2015 at 12:16 PM

    I might try to put a fish on Rick's back and see if he notices it! I wonder if he'll get the French reference?

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  7. Genie -- Paris and BeyondMarch 31, 2015 at 2:56 PM

    I love April 1st and it goes back to my childhood as the oldest of six girls. Our parents enjoyed the spirit of the day and once fixed our dessert of toasted pound cake, whipped cream, and a canned peach-half assembled to look like a fried egg on toast. Remember, that was long before ideas on Pinterest and the like. Our usual joke was to tell our dad that there was a spider on his shoulder. Even though he knew better, he played along with the younger ones.

    I have always played little pranks or verbal jokes on my family. Last year I helped a second grade class study France with stories, photos, and songs. We had the paper fish for April Fools. They cut out hundreds of them to "place" when they got home. How fun to share a French tradition that will be repeated here by 8-year-olds.

    Now, off to cook up my little pranks for tomorrow....

    Bises,
    Genie

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  8. RandyMarch 31, 2015 at 11:20 PM

    Gross looking fish.

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Merci for your comments!