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FEBRUARY 2 IS THE TRADITIONAL DAY TO EAT CRÊPES IN FRANCE Today (Friday February 2) is _La Chandeleur_ (Candlemas in English), a celebration traditionally held on the 40th day of the

Christmas-Epiphany season. It is widely regarded as the national day of crêpes in France with families all over the country making, or eating, the pancake-like dish. Although crêpes are a

popular in France throughout the year, especially in Brittany, they have a strong association with _La Chandeleur_. READ MORE: LA CHANDELEUR: FEBRUARY 2 IS FRANCE’S NATIONAL CRÊPE DAY There

are many regional crêpe variations based on local ingredients - here are five popular variations from across the country. LA CRÊPE: THE ORIGINAL FROM BRITTANY _Crêpes_ in France date to

around the thirteenth century. A popular myth is that when buckwheat was first introduced to the Brittany area around this time, a housewife accidentally made the first crêpe by spilling

some buckwheat porridge onto her flat stove. Today in Brittany, buckwheat pancakes (_galettes_) are usually served up as a savoury dish whilst wheat pancakes (_crêpes_) are the sweet treat.

Both are traditionally served with local cider in a _bolée_ (clay cup). LE BOURRIOL: THE AUVERGNE PANCAKE _Le bourriol_ is a very regional dish that is eaten all year round. So regional, in

fact, that it is not particularly well-known in France outside Auvergne. _Bourriol_ was the food of Auvergne farmers who ate it plain with a dab of butter and for a long time instead of

bread due to its thickness. It is made from very few ingredients, with the big difference between _bourriol_ and other crêpe recipes is that it has whey as an ingredient. Today, _bourriol_

is often filled with jam for a sweet kick or garnished with meat, such as local ham. LA SOCCA: FROM NICE WITH CHICKPEAS Originally, _socca_ was a dish for the poor and morning workers such

as the Nice fishermen thanks to it being a very ‘snackable’ dish and cheap to make. This south of France crêpe is made from chickpea flour and olive oil and is best eaten hot. _Socca_ is

often served at _apéro_ and is a popular dish at markets as it is considered a healthy snack thanks to the nutritional chickpeas. L’EIERKÜECHE: AN ALSACIAN CRÊPE _L’eierküeche_ is a thick

and crispy pancake that is most popularly served as a savoury and hearty dish with sautéed potatoes and a green salad. Traditionally, _l’eierküeche_ used to be served on Fridays as a small,

meat-free meal on “Friday Fast”. LA FICELLE PICARDE: A NORTH OF FRANCE SPECIALITY _La ficelle picarde_ was created in Amiens in the 1950s. Chef Marcel Lefebvre prepared a new crêpe dish to

impress local aristocracy at an exhibition fair lunch and it has been a regional speciality ever since. The traditional _ficelle picarde_ is a baked pancake, stuffed with mushrooms, cream

and ham. Many variations now exist, a béchamel sauce often replaces the fresh cream for example, served up alongside the original. RELATED STORIES WHY BRITTANY IS A CRÊPE HOTSPOT TRAVEL

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