It's Mardi Gras in France and Louisiana. It's the last day of the Fat Week nobody never really remembers, just before entering Lent and Ash Wednesday, the carnival (meatless, in Latin) period. There is a traditional "carnival doughnut" in Alsace (beignet de carnaval, probably come from the same German fasnacht), Lyons (bugne, recipe video in French) and the South of France (the thin and crunchy oreillettes from Provence, or merveilles -marvels- from Bordeaux), but Mardi Gras is mostly known for its crèpes, an extra thin version of pancakes, you usually have them for breakfast and make a whole dinner of them on that day, with both savory and sweet versions.

Carnival doughnuts (no yeast or baking powder):

Oreillettes (earlobes, with the slightest amount of baker's yeast):

The NAT crèpes thread, with pictures and recipes.