Les fêtes

Poisson d'avril: France's April Fools' Day, with paper fish

Poisson d'avril means April fish. On 1 April, French children try to stick a paper fish on someone's back without being caught, then shout Poisson d'avril ! when it's found. It's the French April Fools' Day, and bakeries fill with chocolate fish.

Poisson d'avril !

April fish! (April fool!)

Say it pwa-son da-VREEL

Eight phrases for 1 April

  • On fait des poissons ? Shall we make some fish? Say it on fay day pwa-SON
  • Tu découpes ? Will you cut it out? Say it too day-KOOP
  • Chut ! C'est un secret. Shh! It's a secret. Say it SHOOT, say-tuhn suh-KRAY
  • Doucement, sur le dos de papa. Gently, on Daddy's back. Say it doos-MAHN, soor luh DOH duh pa-PA
  • Il n'a rien vu ! He didn't see a thing! Say it eel na ree-AN VOO
  • Poisson d'avril ! April fool! Say it pwa-son da-VREEL
  • C'est une blague. It's a joke. Say it say-toon BLAG
  • Je t'ai eu ! Got you! Say it zhuh tay OO

How to play

  1. Draw a fish on paper and colour it in. Big, so it’s easy to spot later.
  2. Cut it out and put a loop of tape on the back.
  3. Stick it on someone’s back without them noticing. Grandparents and the family dog are the classic targets.
  4. When they find it, everyone shouts Poisson d’avril !

Why a fish?

Nobody knows for sure. One story links it to France moving the start of the year to 1 January in the sixteenth century, with people who missed the change teased on the old date. Another points to the fishing season. None is proven. The paper fish is the part every French child knows.

Not only for children

French newspapers and radio still run a fake story on 1 April, also called un poisson d’avril. If a headline sounds too good that morning, it probably is.

One thing to do tonight

Cut out one fish tonight and hide it for the morning. Half the fun is the waiting.

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Free bedtime script

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Ten bedtime phrases, each with a say-it guide, on one page for the bedroom door.

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Questions parents ask

What does poisson d'avril mean?

April fish. It's the French name for April Fools' Day, and for the joke itself.

What do French children do on 1 April?

They stick paper fish on people's backs without being caught, then shout poisson d'avril when the fish is found.

Why is it a fish?

Nobody knows for sure. Several stories exist, including one about the French calendar changing in the sixteenth century, and none has been proven.

Is poisson d'avril the same as April Fools' Day?

Yes: the same day, 1 April, with a French twist, the paper fish.

Keep going

The whole French year →

Updated 16 October 2026