Halloween was originally a Celtic festival known as Samhain which took place on the 31st of October. It marked the end of the harvest where, in preparation for winter, farm animals were slain and their bones burnt on bonfires. It was thought that the dead reappeared to the living on this night. Therefore, as well as lighting bonfires, costumes were worn to guard against the evil spirits of the dead. All Saints Day, also known as All Hallows Day, was originally celebrated in May. It was moved to its current date, the 1st of November, in the 8th Century by Pope Gregory the Third. As a result the 31st of October became known as All Hallows Eve(n). Over time this became shortened to Hallowe'en.
While Halloween may have originated in Europe it is most often associated with Hollywood horror films, and American children "trick or treating". Over the years the festival of Halloween died out in most Celtic countries, including France, but it remains strong in Ireland. Halloween was brought to America in the 19th Century by Irish immigrants who moved to the United States in the wake of the Potato Famine. Over time the festival grew and now it is usually recognised as an American holiday.
During the 1990s Halloween started to become popular in Europe again. This was mostly due to mass commercialisation of American products and a series of Hollywood horror films based around the holiday. Although trick or treating is not yet standard practice in France it is slowly becoming more and more popular. There is no exact translation of the phrase but French children will commonly use expressions along the lines of "Un bonbon ou un sort" (which translates to a sweet or a spell) or "Des bonbons ou une farce" (which translates to a sweet or a joke).
In 1996 the Halloween festival was formally introduced into the Limoges calendar. The festival is marked by an annual street parade and story-telling events. It is extremely popular and typically attracts somewhere in the region of thirty to fifty thousand spectators. The street parade takes place in the centre of town; however, the route is altered every year. The parade is fancy dress but spectators are unlikely to see any cartoon characters or superheroes running around. Instead the costumes are far more traditional and the parade is simply made up of ghosts, ghouls and goblins wielding candle-lit carved out pumpkins.
However, the festivities do not end here. The local 'marchands' or shop keepers also play a part in the organisation of the festival. This means that there are plenty of parties and events in the shops and eateries of Limoges. Therefore, after the parade, spectators would be well advised to go for a stroll through the town and sample the local French cuisine alternatives to Halloween treats.
Although Halloween has only recently re-entered French culture, All Saints Day (Toussaint) has never disappeared. Halloween may have become a national holiday in America, but in France it still marks the eve of a holiday. The 1st of November is a bank holiday and conventionally shops will be closed out of respect for the dead. Traditionally All Saints Day is the day that most people visit the graves of family and friends to lay down flowers.