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Étranger Things: Mardi Gras in Aix — The Day I Asked for Beignets and Got Chouquettes

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Mardi Gras in Aix: no beads, no beignets—just chouquettes. 

There are days in France when I expect a scene—confetti, costumes, sugar on my sleeves, and at least one stranger yelling something poetic like “Vive la crème pâtissière!”

And then there’s my Mardi Gras in Aix-en-Provence: I walked down the Cours Mirabeau, went to class, did my best impression of a functioning adult… and saw absolutely nothing that screamed “FAT TUESDAY.” No parade. No feather boa. Not even a rogue accordion trying to emotionally manipulate me into buying a donut.

So I did what any reasonable person would do: I tried to outsource joy to a bakery.

I walked into my boulangerie and asked (confidently, heroically, and possibly with an accent that sounded like a printer error):

“Vous avez des bengiets…?”

They looked at me the way you look at someone who just asked if the Poste sells sushi.

No beignets.
“Non… seulement des chouquettes.”

Reader, I left with chouquettes—because I’m not made of stone—and because France will always feed you, even when it refuses to party on your schedule.

Why Mardi Gras can feel… weirdly normal in Aix

Here’s the little twist I didn’t fully get until now: in France, the big public “carnival energy” isn’t always pinned to Mardi Gras itself (the Tuesday). A lot of the action happens on a weekend, often with a specific city-run Carnaval—very family-friendly, very organized, very “we printed a program and we will be sticking to it.”

In Aix, the big “dress-up, music, spectacle” moment this year is:

🎭 Carnaval d’Aix 2026 (yes, it’s a real thing!)

  • Date: Saturday 28 February 2026

  • Theme: Moby Dick (which is honestly iconic—Aix said “we’re doing literature, but make it chaotic.”)

  • Makeup & craft stands: from 15:00 (Place Jeanne d’Arc + Place des Prêcheurs; plus mask/hat-making on Place des Prêcheurs)

  • Parade start: 18:00, Place des Prêcheurs → toward La Rotonde

  • Cost: Free (Mairie d'Aix-en-Provence)

That explains my “just another day on Cours Mirabeau” feeling. I was looking for Mardi Gras, but Aix is saving its sparkle for the Carnaval date.

If you want a second, very different flavor of Mardi Gras (more New Orleans vibes than Provençal family parade), there’s also a themed night event advertised in Aix:

  • “Soirée Mardi Gras – New Orleans Music & Cuisine” on 7 March 2026 at Mas d’Entremont (HelloAsso)

That’s your two-step: quiet Tuesday, big Carnaval Saturday, optional jazzy encore in March.

Beignets? Crêpes? Why my bakery said “chouquettes only”

Crêpes

In France, crêpes are the headline for La Chandeleur (February 2)—that’s the classic “everyone makes crêpes” moment. (Wikipedia)
So if you’re craving crêpes on Mardi Gras, you absolutely can… but you won’t always see the city collectively acting like it’s crêpe o’clock.

Beignets (and their many aliases)

For Mardi Gras, the traditional sweet isn’t always called beignet depending on where you are. France loves regional vocabulary like it loves roundabouts: enthusiastically and with zero signage.

In Provence / Languedoc, you’ll often hear oreillettes—thin, crisp fried pastries (the name is… yes… “little ears”). (Français de nos régions)
Elsewhere you’ll hear bugnes, merveilles, ganses, and other regional variations. (tables-auberges.com)

So here’s my little revelation (delivered to me by a bag of chouquettes):
I was asking for an American-style “beignet moment,” but Aix may be living in an “oreillette ecosystem.”

Also: not every boulangerie wants to fry things. Frying means oil, timing, mess, and the kind of behind-the-counter stress that makes French staff suddenly remember they have “a meeting” and vanish.

What to say next time (so you don’t accidentally order chaos)

Here’s a small, curated set of phrases you can try in Aix in late February:

  • “Vous faites des oreillettes pour Mardi Gras ?” (Français de nos régions)

  • “Vous aurez des beignets cette semaine, ou plutôt samedi ?” (because many places do weekend production)

  • “C’est quel jour que vous faites les beignets ici ?” (my favorite: polite, curious, and very hard to mess up)

And if they say “non” again, you can recover instantly with:

  • “D’accord—je prends des chouquettes alors.”
    Say it like you’re choosing chouquettes (not like you’ve been emotionally outmaneuvered by pâte à choux).

One line I genuinely feel proud I can now say without panicking:

“Vous avez des oreillettes aujourd’hui, ou c’est plutôt pour le Carnaval ?” (Mairie d'Aix-en-Provence)

Mini language ladder (A1 → Advanced)

A1 (survival mode):

  • “Des beignets, s’il vous plaît.”

  • “Aujourd’hui ? Demain ?”

A2 (you = functioning local-ish):

  • “Vous faites des beignets / oreillettes cette semaine ?”

  • “Je n’en vois pas—c’est normal ?”

B1 (you = investigative journalist):

  • “C’est plutôt une tradition de Mardi Gras ici, ou pas vraiment à Aix ?”

  • “Vous conseillez quelle pâtisserie pour ça ?”

B2 (you = friendly interrogator with charm):

Advanced (you = poetic, dangerous):

  • “Je poursuis le beignet comme Achab poursuit la baleine… mais je finis toujours avec des chouquettes.” (Mairie d'Aix-en-Provence)
    (Please say this and report back. For science.)

If your Mardi Gras also felt quiet: you’re not alone

If you didn’t see much on the actual Tuesday, that doesn’t mean you “missed it.” It may just mean you’re in the part of France where the public celebration is packaged into the official Carnaval date, with the parade and stands and music all scheduled like a beloved municipal ritual. (Mairie d'Aix-en-Provence)

And honestly? There’s something very Aix about that:
even chaos is politely planned.

Your turn (comment section roll-call 🥳)

  1. Did you see anything Mardi Gras-y in Aix this year—at school, in your neighborhood, anywhere?

  2. Where can we actually buy oreillettes / bugnes / beignets in Aix centre-ville? Name names. Protect the people.

  3. Are you going to Carnaval d’Aix (Feb 28)? If yes: costume plans? If no: what snack will you be eating while others parade past you? (Mairie d'Aix-en-Provence)

Drop a comment with your best tip (or your funniest bakery fail). I will personally award you one imaginary golden chouquette.

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