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France Public Holidays

France observes a mix of public, national, and regional holidays throughout the year.

Overview

France observes a mix of public, national, and regional holidays throughout the year.

Some holidays are observed nationwide, while others may apply only to specific regions or communities.

Explore the holiday calendar for France by year below.

2026 holidays

A quick look at upcoming holidays in France.

DateDayHoliday
Jan 1ThursdayNew Year's Day
Apr 3FridayGood Friday
Apr 6MondayEaster Monday
Apr 27MondayAbolition of slavery
May 1FridayLabour Day
May 8FridayVictory Day
May 8FridayVictory in Europe Day
May 14ThursdayAscension Day
May 22FridayAbolition of slavery
May 25MondayPentecost Monday
May 25MondayWhit Monday
May 27WednesdayAbolition of slavery
Jun 10WednesdayAbolition of slavery
Jul 14TuesdayBastille Day
Jul 14TuesdayNational Day

Holiday calendar by year

Years are listed in ascending order.

About public holidays in France

HolidayCalendar lists public holidays for France by calendar year. From this hub you can open a full year view with every dated entry, or jump to individual holiday pages for more context.

Public holidays are official days when many workplaces, schools, and government offices close or operate on a reduced schedule. For how we separate public holidays from awareness observances on this site, see public holidays and country calendars.

Our France listing includes nationally observed public holidays and regional entries such as abolition of slavery commemorations in our dataset. Open a year calendar for the full dated list.

Major public holidays in 2026

These are widely recognized anchor holidays in our 2026 France calendar. Open each link for dates in other years and related calendar details.

Additional 2026 public holidays in our data include Good Friday, Easter Monday, Assumption Day, Armistice Day, and regional abolition of slavery entries. See the 2026 holiday table for exact dates.

  • New Year's Day1 January 2026. Opens the calendar year and is often used for short breaks after the winter holiday period.
  • Labour Day1 May 2026. International Workers' Day and a fixed spring public holiday.
  • Victory in Europe Day8 May 2026. Commemorates the end of World War II in Europe.
  • Ascension Day14 May 2026. A movable Christian public holiday, often used for long-weekend travel.
  • Whit Monday25 May 2026. Follows Pentecost and extends the late-spring holiday cluster for many workers.
  • Bastille Day14 July 2026. The French national day and a major summer public holiday.
  • All Saints' Day1 November 2026. A November public holiday often tied to family visits.
  • Christmas Day25 December 2026. The main year-end public holiday.

Planning around holidays

Use the year calendars on this hub when you schedule time off, travel, or staffing. Pick a year from the buttons above to see every dated public holiday.

  • Winter and spring: Early-year public holidays and the May cluster can create long weekends. Movable Christian holidays shift each year; check your chosen year calendar for exact dates.
  • Late spring: Labour Day, Victory Day, Ascension, and Whit Monday may fall within a few weeks. Compare months on a year calendar before booking travel.
  • Summer: The July national day is a fixed summer anchor and often drives domestic travel demand.
  • Year-end: All Saints' Day and Christmas-period public holidays can affect autumn and winter staffing. Regional entries may apply in overseas territories; confirm on the year view.

Plan Your Year Around FR Holidays

Calendar Tool

View France holidays in calendar mode

Explore public holidays in a visual calendar layout and plan ahead more easily.

Frequently asked questions