Am I right in saying that Shrove Tuesday in France is called Mardi Gras?

[Overseasmom100]

FAT TUESDAY
In France, Shrove Tuesday is called Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday.

Just wondering if the following is correct...

"The name Fat Tuesday comes from the ancient custom of parading a fat ox through Paris on this day as a reminder that meat was not to be eaten during Lent. During the Mardi Gras festival, French children make and wear fantastic masks, colourful costumes and party in the streets. As well las crêpes waffles and beignets are also eaten"

It refers to eating up fatty foods before the start of Lent. Another reason why we eat pancakes.

They call it Mardi Gras in the USA too.

It is called Mardi Gras in France. I’d never heard the ox thing (went to a French school, hace family in France). I’d always understood the “fat” but to refer to eating up all the fatty and indulgent foods before abstaining over Lent.

It is also the last day of carnival in parts of Europe. Originally, it was a Pagan festival to scare away the last of the brutal winters and usher in Spring. It's also traditionally a time when the 'Fools' could challenge those in power. The Church have tried to reign it in and now it is followed by Ash Wednesday. If you do business with Germans, especially with those around Cologne, Mainz or Duesseldorf, avoid calling them during the Rose Monday and Tuesday. Oh, and on Hangover Wednesday

The ‘fat’ part is because you used up all the indulgent butter and eggs before you started your Lent fast, which in medieval times was quite severe. When I was growing up in the 1970s in Ireland, we all gave up sweets for Lent, so the last few days before tended to be a minor blow-out.

Yes & the French know how to party on Mardi Gras. We were skiing a few years ago when this date fell & there was face painting & all sorts. Awesome.

Yep.

I'd love to attend the New Orleans Mardi Gras! That looks a whole heap of fun.

Valetta in Malta puts on a pretty good Mardi Gras carnival

I live in Germany and it is carnival time - I've seen several people in fancy dress today

Even at the gym this morning and last night, people were dressed up in daft impressive costumes:

a women in an animal print outfit with huge dog bones attached to her hair and shoulders
a burly bloke with a halo on a wire above his head and little pink angel wings attached to his back, bless him.

BUT ... no pancakes !
Thanks, you've reminded me to make my own now 😀

We have Fastnachtskrapfen or Ballbäuschen. And yes, it was to use up all the fat, eggs and other stuff you couldn't eat and should not let go to waste.
Karneval is a mixture of scaring away winter, challenging class and power divides (Roman), challenging authorities (i. e. Prussian), using up stuff in prepartion for lent.
Regions that never were Roman (Westfalia) or are traditionally Lutheran (Berlin) do not celebrate Karneval.

Are the Lutherans a bit more hellfire and brimstone? Not into raucous occasions.

Yes, that's correct. I'm giving up bullshitters for lent.

@Phantology
No, they are down to earth and pragmatic. I did not use the word Protestants because this means something different in a GB / UK context.
anecdote:
When my DF was transferred from his place of work in Westfalia to another in Cologne, he actually tried to work on Rose Monday, but they took his desk away and but a buffet instead. He got used to it.

In Cologne, Rose Monday is among the most important day of the year! Akin to a religious Bank Holiday. Grown women I know, dream about being a Funkenmariechen.

It properly refers to the period between the epiphany and Ash Wednesday, start of Lenten fasting- so Shrovetide or Shrove Tuesday (Fat Tuesday) was the culmination of this period.