France Public & National Holidays (2026)

Tourism plays an important role in the French economy. About 30% of the tourism that France depends on is generated through ski holidays. Over the past years, France has noted a decline in tourism based on ski holidays in the spring. This has been a result of the spring holidays being scheduled for the end of April or the beginning of May.

All students and employees enjoy most bank holidays and public holidays in France. It has, however, divided the region into three different zones to make sure that tourism at the ski resort in the Alps, the Eiffel tower and tourist destinations like Nice, remains steady.

The spring breaks have been divided into three parts across the country to keep the business at the ski resort in the French Alps, operating continuously. Therefore, the zones help in creating holiday opportunities for one region when the others are hard at work. This has also helped to keep the problem of traffic in check.

When are National Holidays in France?

What are the school holidays in France?

University students and students in colleges and lycée are usually expected to attend classes five days a week. Along with national and bank holidays, some students may be granted additional regional holidays or school holidays in France according to the city. For example, students who study in educational institutions based in Alsace and the Moselle get two extra days of holidays on 30 March, Friday on the occasion of Good Friday and on 26 December, Wednesday to celebrate St. Stephen’s Day.

Zone 1 Mostly consists of the regions that fall under the central strip running horizontal across France. Regions: Besançon, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Dijon, Grenoble, Limoges, Lyon, Poitiers

Zone 2 Includes the northern region of France except for Paris, Versailles and Créteil. It also covers the south-western areas around Nice. Regions: Aix-Marseille, Amiens, Caen, Lille, Nancy-Metz, Nantes, Nice, Orléans-Tours, Reims, Rennes, Rouen, Strasbourg

Zone 3 is the smallest zone, existing in patches that include Paris, Versailles, Créteil and the southernmost tip of the country. Regions: Créteil, Montpellier, Paris, Toulouse, Versailles

School and University Term and Holidays in France

What are the Bank Holidays and Public Holidays in France?

New Year’s Eve or Jour de l’An
Marks the beginning of a new year as per the Gregorian calendar. This occasion is celebrated around the world.

Good Friday
It falls two days before Easter Sunday and is marked as the day in the New Testament when Jesus Christ had been crucified. It is considered as a holiday in some parts of France, namely in Alsace and Moselle. On this day, people attend a church service and some spend the day refraining from consuming meat or by fasting.

Easter Monday or Lundi de Pâques
Easter Sunday celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his crucifixion, according to the New Testament, a Christian Bible. Easter Monday is a follow-up to the same celebration. In the past Easter use to be celebrated through the week. Now, in some parts of the world, a public holiday is granted on the day after Easter Sunday, that is, Easter Monday. On this day, most shops and businesses are shut except for some in Paris, at the airport and the train stations. The railway and bus service schedule may also vary on Easter Monday.

Some families celebrate the occasion by having a family day out in public parks and hosting egg hunts for the young members of the family, while others choose to host private meals with close family members and friends. Some cities also organize parades on Easter Mondays, which may cause disruption in traffic.

The date for Easter Mondays fluctuates on a yearly basis.

Labor Day or Fête du Travail
This day is dedicated to appreciating and campaigning for workers’ rights. The event is an aftermath of the day when eight-hour work rule had officially been established in France on April 23, 1919, after which, May 1 came to be recognized as a public holiday for Fête du Travail. It is also celebrated in many other western countries.

On Labor Day friends and family present each other with a bunch of Lily-of-the-valley flowers, which are also known as the Dog Rose flowers.

VE Day or Fête de la Victoire 1945
This day is celebrated as the day France received its freedom from the Nazis. The former Prime Minister of France, Charles de Gaulle, declared World War II over on May 8, 1945. Ever since, schools in France, universities and other educational institutions dedicate the week before May 8 towards learning about the history of World War II and the importance of human rights in a modern-day society.

Parades are held all across the country on VE Day, which is also known as the WWII Victory Day. Most people celebrate Fête de la Victoire in a joyous manner, however, some families, especially veterans take time out to pay tribute to all those who sacrificed their lives fighting for the country’s freedom.

Ascension Day or l’Ascension
For people of Christian faith, this holiday is meant to signify the day Jesus Christ Rose to Heaven after his crucifixion and resurrection. It falls on the 40th day after Easter. Devoted Christians attend a church service on this day while others spend it with family members. Much like Good Friday and Easter Monday, Ascension Day, too, falls on a different date every year.

Whit Monday or Lundi de Pentecôte
Whit Monday is celebrated 42 days after Easter Monday and 2 days after Ascension Day. It is also called Pentecost Monday and is celebrated on the day after Pentecost. On Pentecost, Christians believe that the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples of Jesus Christ. For most people in France today, this day holds more value as a public holiday. This would mean that all government holidays and some businesses may be closed while others chose to remain open.

Bastille Day or Fête Nationale
It is one of the most significant days in the history of France. On this day in 1789, 14 July, military troops attacked Bastille that came to mark the French Revolution. At that time it meant the defeat of the Bourbon monarchy, which was cruel to the French people. The monarchy kept, tortured and killed people at the Fortress and Prison of Bastille that is located in Paris.

Many parades take place around France on Bastille Day, the main one being hosted in Paris where Military men Parade around the city along with civilians from all walks of life. Dance and music performances, grand communal meals, ball dancing events and indulging in other cultural activities native to France are some ways in which people celebrate Bastille Day.

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary or l’Assomption
In 1858 on 11 February, a little girl from a village, residing close to the Spanish borders in Lourdes claimed that a beautiful lady appeared to her in the Grotto of Massabielle. Many Christians belonging to the Catholic sect believed that the village girl had seen Mother Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. Ever since Catholics believe that Mother Mary’s spirit and body had risen to heaven on that day. The Grotto of Massabielle is now a popular center of Catholic Pilgrimage. Many Christians visit the Grotto on the day of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Families and churches across France host grand feasts on this day.

All Saints’ Day or La Toussaint
Families in France pay their tributes to deceased family members, friends and the saints on All Saints’ Day. People visit the graves of their loved ones and adorn them with flower garlands, wreaths and flower bouquets. Some even pack lunches and have a picnic at the graveyard around the graves of their family members; since it is a time in the Autumn when schools and universities in France are closed for a short-break many families take this opportunity to go on a brief vacation.

Armistice Day or Armistice 1918
This day is dedicated to paying tribute, mainly, to soldiers of World War I but also to others who have sacrificed their lives for the sake of the country. On Armistice Day, many influential personalities of France, including the president pay their respect their respects by laying wreaths, offering flowers and lighting candles at war memorials. Many wear dark colors as a form of mourning.

Christmas or Noël
Christians around the world celebrate Christmas as the day on which Jesus Christ was born. He is the central figure around whom Christianity as a religious faith has been established. On Christmas, families exchange gifts, decorate Christmas trees, indulge in lavish meals and many follow the tradition of singing Christmas carols. Most Christians attend a church service on Christmas Eve or in the morning.

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