Dream Properties Dordogne

No matter what your reason is for visiting France - house hunting, holiday or just shopping then you will need to check on French public holidays as most shops and offices are closed on those days.

There are eleven or thirteen public holidays in France depending upon how you count them and where you are in France. Three departments (in Alsace and Lorraine) have two more days than the rest and some people count certain Sundays that are listed as public holidays and others do not. If that sounds confusing then do not worry, we list the days below and the specific dates for 2009 and 2010.

There is a government move to reduce the total number of public holidays in France by one over the next year or so. It will be interesting to see how this idea goes down with the French population.

With the exception of those associated with Easter, French public holidays remain fixed and do not follow (what the French consider) the odd UK custom of attaching most Bank Holidays to the nearest weekend. Having said that, when a public holiday falls on a Thursday or Tuesday many French people take the Friday or Monday off and make a good long week-end of it.

The French public holiday list

January 1 New Years Day
Good Friday (in Moselle, Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin only)
Easter Sunday
Easter Monday
Ascension Day (40 days after Easter Sunday)
Pentacost (Seventh Sunday after Easter)
Monday following Pentacost
May 1 Labour Day
May 8 Victory in Europe day
July 14 Bastille day
August 15 Assumption
November 1 All Saints day
November 11 Armistice Day
December 25 Christmas day
December 26 (in Moselle, Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin only)

Most offices, businesses and shops in France will close for a public holiday although the smaller supermarkets in many towns will open for a couple of hours in the morning (not Christmas day). Bakers will operate a limited morning service as on Sundays. Restaurants can be relied upon to respond to the market demand so opening will depend upon place and season. Book well in advance for Christmas day though.

French public holidays falling on a Sunday are celebrated on the following Monday unless they are supposed to fall on a Sunday.

French public holidays / national holidays in 2009

• Thursday 1 January - New Year's Day (Jour de l'An).

• Sunday 12 April - Easter (Pâques).

• Monday 13 April - Easter Monday (Lundi de Pâques).

• Friday 1 May - Labour Day (Fête du Travail).

• Friday 8 May - VE Day - WWII Victory Day (Fête de la Victoire 1945).

• Thursday 21 May - Ascension Day (Ascension catholique).

• Sunday 31 May - Whit Sunday (Pentecôte).

• Monday 1 June - Whit Monday (Lundi de Pentecôte).

• Tuesday 14 July - Bastille Day (Fête nationale).

• Saturday 15 August - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Assomption).

• Sunday 1 November - All Saints' Day (Toussaint).

• Wednesday 11 November - Armistice Day (Armistice 1918).

• Friday 25 December - Christmas Day (Noël).

French public holidays / national holidays in 2010

• Friday 1 January - New Year's Day (Jour de l'An).

• Sunday 4 April - Easter (Pâques).

• Monday 5 April - Easter Monday (Lundi de Pâques).

• Saturday 1 May - Labour Day (Fête du Travail)

• Saturday 8 May - VE Day - WWII Victory Day (Fête de la Victoire 1945).

• Thursday 13 May - Ascension Day (Ascension catholique).

• Sunday 23 May - Whit Sunday (Pentecôte).

• Monday 24 May - Whit Monday (Lundi de Pentecôte).

• Wednesday 14 July - Bastille Day (Fête nationale).

• Sunday 15 August - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Assomption).

• Monday 1 November - All Saints' Day (Toussaint).

• Thursday 11 November - Armistice Day (Armistice 1918).

• Saturday 25 December - Christmas Day (Noël).