Noël
French Christmas songs for children
French children's favourites are Petit Papa Noël and Vive le vent, the French Jingle Bells. Both are still in copyright, so they're named here, not printed. Below are two traditional carols that are free to print: Il est né le divin enfant and Les anges dans nos campagnes.
Il est né le divin enfant
A traditional French carol, sung at Christmas Mass and at family gatherings. The chorus is the part small children pick up.
Chorus
- Il est né, le divin Enfant, He is born, the holy child,
- Jouez hautbois, résonnez musettes ! play, oboes; sound out, bagpipes!
- Il est né, le divin Enfant, He is born, the holy child,
- Chantons tous son avènement ! let us all sing of his coming!
Verse 1
- Depuis plus de quatre mille ans, For more than four thousand years,
- Nous le promettaient les prophètes, the prophets promised him to us,
- Depuis plus de quatre mille ans, for more than four thousand years,
- Nous attendions cet heureux temps. we waited for this happy time.
Les anges dans nos campagnes
You already know the tune: this is the French carol behind Angels We Have Heard on High. Children love the long Gloria.
Verse 1
- Les anges dans nos campagnes The angels in our countryside
- Ont entonné l'hymne des cieux, have struck up the hymn of heaven,
- Et l'écho de nos montagnes and the echo of our mountains
- Redit ce chant mélodieux : sings this sweet song again:
- Gloria in excelsis Deo ! Glory to God in the highest! (in Latin)
Say the tricky lines first
- Il est né, le divin Enfant He is born, the holy child Say it eel ay NAY, luh dee-vee-nahn-FAHN
- Jouez hautbois, résonnez musettes Play, oboes; sound out, bagpipes Say it zhoo-ay oh-BWA, ray-zo-nay moo-ZET
- Les anges dans nos campagnes The angels in our countryside Say it lay ZAHNZH dahn noh kahm-PAN-yuh
The famous ones, and why their words aren’t here
- Petit Papa Noël (1946): the one French children sing most, a child asking Father Christmas not to forget their present. Still in copyright.
- Vive le vent (1948): French words to the tune of Jingle Bells, about the winter wind and a happy new year. Still in copyright.
- Mon beau sapin: the French O Christmas Tree. The tune is old; we couldn’t confirm who wrote the French words, so we leave them out.
- Douce nuit: the French Silent Night. Same story.
Your music app has licensed recordings of all four. Sing along to those, and print the two traditional carols above.
Singing with a toddler
Sing the chorus only. Four lines, repeated, is a whole song to a two-year-old. Clap on Il est né, hum the verse, then come back in for the chorus, louder.
You don’t need to sing well. Your child is listening to your voice, not your pitch.
One thing to do this week
Sing the first line of Il est né in the bath. It echoes, which helps.
Free bedtime script
Sing the carol, then say goodnight
After the last Gloria, the Le Dodo script takes it from the doorway to lights out.
Ten bedtime phrases, each with a say-it guide, on one page for the bedroom door.
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Download it now (PDF)Questions parents ask
What is the most famous French Christmas song?
For children, Petit Papa Noël, first recorded by Tino Rossi in 1946. It's still in copyright, so learn it from a licensed recording.
What is Jingle Bells in French?
Vive le vent. It has the same tune with new French words, written in 1948 and still in copyright.
What is Angels We Have Heard on High in French?
Les anges dans nos campagnes, the traditional French carol the English version was translated from.
What is Silent Night in French?
Douce nuit, sainte nuit. Several French versions exist, and we haven't confirmed who wrote them, so we don't print the words.
Why aren't the words of Petit Papa Noël here?
Because they're still in copyright. Your music app has licensed recordings to sing along with.
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Updated 16 October 2026