French Public Holidays and National Celebration Days
There are lots of public holidays and national celebration days in France. Some dates are fixed and celebrated the same date each year and others vary depending on the celebration and what is being celebrated.
If you are travelling in France it is important to know these dates as they can affect your travel plans. Public holidays see loads of people on public transport and accommodation more heavily booked. Traffic can be busy either side of these dates with the French often adding days either side of their public holidays.
January in France
Jour de l’An (New Year’s Day) – 1 January
This is a fixed public holiday in France which is usually celebrated with family and friends. New Year’s Eve is similar in that it is also usually celebrated with family and friends.
Epiphanie: Fête des Rois (Ephiphany: Feast of the Kings) – 6 January
Fête des Rois is an anticipated celebration in France with the traditional cake called galette des rois a central part of the day. Galette des rois are baked with a hidden fève (a little porcelain figurine) and the person who finds the fève in their slice of cake is named the king or queen for the day and gets to wear the golden paper crown sold with the cake. Ephiphany is a fixed celebration. At our house we love eating this delicious cake and wearing the ‘royal’ crown asking others to do our chores for the day.
Read more: Galette des Rois – A French Tradition
February in France
La Chandeleur (Candlemas) – 2 February
La Chandeleur is also known as the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord Jesus. It commemorates the presentation of Jesus at the temple.
Throughout France the date is also considered to be the day of crêpes and it has some bizarre crepe making rituals. La Chandeleur is always celebrated on this date.
Read more: La Chandeleur or Candlemas
La Saint Valentin (Valentine’s Day) – 14 February
La Saint Valentin is not a public holiday in France but is a fixed and well recognised day of celebrating friendship and love. Cards, flowers and presents are often given to each other.
Related article: 5 Top Ideas for Valentine’s Day in Paris
April in France
Poisson d’Avril (April Fool’s Day) – 1 April
April Fool’s Day is a day of harmless teasing and pranks. Pranking is even done by major news channels and government officials in France. The phrase “Poisson d’avril” is chanted after a successful tease or prank. Paper cut out fish are also pinned on the backs of unsuspecting friends. April Fool’s Day is always on 1 April.
Related article: April Fools’ Day or April Fish Day in France
Pâques and Le lundi de Pâques (Easter Sunday and Easter Monday) – late March to April
Pâques or Easter Sunday celebrates the resurrection of Christ. Traditionally a dinner of lamb and dessert of chocolate is eaten.
Le lundi de Pâques or Easter Monday is a public holiday in France.
These dates change according to the calendar. If you are patient you will eat your chocolate this day, and if not, you’ll have already eaten it like me.
May in France
Fête du Travail (Labour Day and May Day) – 1 May
Fête du Travail is an unchangeable national public holiday. The date is also May Day on which it is customary to give a bunch of lilies of the valley to friends and loved ones. These flowers are said to bring good luck and happiness.
Read more: May Day or Fête du Travail
Jour de l’ Ascension (Day of Ascension) – April or May
The Day of Ascension marks the day of Christ’s ascension to heaven and is 40 days after Easter so the date changes each year along with Easter dates. Jour de l’ Ascension is a public holiday in France.
Fête de la Victoire (V Day) – 8 May
Fête de la Victoire or Victory in Europe Day marks the formal acceptance by the Allies of WWII of Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender and Charles de Gaulle’s announcement of the end of the war in France on May 8, 1945.
This day is a fixed public holiday.
Pentecôte and Le lundi de Pentecôte (Pentecost Sunday and Whit Monday) – May or June
Pentecost Sunday and Whit Monday changes with Easter dates each year as it’s held 50 days after Easter. Pentecost Sunday marks the descent of the holy spirit on the apostles.
Read more: Whit Sunday or Pentecost Sunday in France
Nuits des Musées (European Night of Museums) – May, Saturday nearest to the 18th
For one night a year thousands of museums across France allow free entry to the public. Museums and galleries often entice visitors to attend the museums with extra activities.
Fête des Mêres (Mother’s Day) – 30 May
Mothers, grandmothers and carer’s of children are celebrated and honoured on this day in France. Gifts are usually given and meals are often shared, with lots of mums getting a breakfast in bed. Typical gifts are handmade items from children, chocolates and flowers.
Read more: Mother’s Day in France
June in France
Fête des Pères (Father’s Day) – 20 June
Fathers, grandfathers and carer’s of children are celebrated and honoured on Father’s Day with gifts usually given.
Read more: Father’s Day in France
Fête de la Musique (Music Festival) – 21 June
This fun festival celebrates the first day of summer and the longest day of the year. Musicians entertain long into the night.
July in France
Fête Nationale (Bastille Day) – 14 July
Fête du Nationale celebrates the end of xxx and the storming of the Bastille at the end of the French Revolution. This national public holiday is celebrated throughout the entire country with parades and fireworks. Celebrations continue well into the night.
Read more: Bastille Day Traditions
August in France
L’ Assomption (Assumption of Virgin Mary) – 15 August
This commemorative day is a fixed public holiday which reveres Mary’s assumption into heaven.
September in France
Journées Européennes du Patrimonie (European Heritage Day) – September
European Heritage Day is the day when historical buildings, monuments and government sites are open to the public. Many of the buildings and sites that are open on this day normally do not allow visitors. My sticky beak nature loves this day and our kids have loved the mystique of going where they would normally not be allowed.
September Equinox – 21, 22, 23 or 24 September
This day celebrates the start of autumn in the northern hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere. Night and day are nearly the same length and the Sun appears to cross the celestial equator.
This day which is between the 21st and 24th day of September is not a public holiday.
Tous au Restaurant (France Gourmet Week) – late September to October
Restaurants throughout France participate in this celebration of food by offering the experience of dining in more expensive restaurants or trying new places with one free meal with each fully paid meal.
Special menus and this special deal are offered at lunch and dinner throughout the week.
October in France
Transhumance Festival – October
These festivals are held in mountainous villages which celebrate the coming down from the mountains of the local sheep flocks that will now spend the winter season in their winter paddocks. The sheep spend May to October in the hills.
Read more about this festival in book review of One Sip At A Time by part-time Frenchman Keith Van Sickle.
November in France
La Toussaint (All Saint’s Day) – 1 November
La Toussaint is a National public holiday and revered day on the French calendar. Often known as All Hallows’ Day this is a Christian celebration in honour of all the saints. Many observers of this holy day remember their deceased relatives and place flowers on their graves.
Read more: Toussaint Day
Jour l’ Armistice (Armistice Day 1918)
This important day on the French calendar celebrates the end of WWI in Europe. In France this commemorative day is called L ‘armistice de la Première Guerre Mondiale but in other countries it can be called Veterans Day or Remembrance Day.
Towns all over France will celebrate this day with commemorative services. The day marks the signing of the armistice between the Allies and Germany at Compiègne, France. This declaration ended the hostilities on the Western Front with World War I officially ending at 11 minutes past the 11th hour on 11 November 2018.
Black Friday – November
France has adopted the major trading sale event of the United States called Black Friday which is becoming more popular each year. The event is now supported across many of France’s retailers and since its adoption in 2013 the sales have offered huge discounts to buyers.
This date is flexible taking place the day after Thanksgiving in America.
Beaujolais Nouveau Day (New Wine Festival) – 3rdThursday of November
The new wine festival is a celebration of the new Beaujolais vintage. The wine is released at the stroke of midnight when it is drunk and compared against previous vintages. Wine can be purchased from midnight onwards.
Read more: New Beaujolais Festival – French Traditions
December in France
Noël (Christmas Day) – 25 December
Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus and is a national public holiday day. In France the celebration starts in earnest on Christmas Eve with a traditional meal that lasts well into the night.
For church going families they will attend mass at midnight and then come home for the traditional meal, that in some parts of France includes 13 different desserts.
Father Christmas, Santa Claus or as he is known in France, le Père Noel, visits during the night to leave presents under the Christmas tree.
Related article: The Year We Forgot Christmas
La Nuit de la Saint Sylvestre (New Year’s Eve) – 31 December
This is the last holiday in the French calendar and usually includes partying over food with family or friends at home or in a restaurant. Firework displays at midnight are part of the celebrations in most cities and larger towns. Many towns organise public parties with dancing, street food and music in the evening.
Related article: New Year’s Eve comes early – Our French Life
As you can see there are numerous French public holiday and national celebration days throughout the calendar year.
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