Public Holidays in France 2021
Monday 11 January 2021
The 11 public holidays in France for 2021 to put in your diary, as well as school dates.
- Friday 1st January - New Year's Day (Jour de l'an)
- Monday 5th April - Easter Monday (Lundi de Pâques)
- Saturday 1st May - Labour Day (Fête du Travail)
- Saturday 8th May - VE Day - (Fête de la Victoire 1945)
- Thursday 13th May - Ascension Day (l'Ascension)
- Monday 24th May - Whit Monday (Lundi de Pentecôte)
- Wednesday 14th July - Bastille Day (Fête Nationale)
- Sunday 15th August - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Assomption)
- Monday 1st November - All Saints' Day (La Toussaint)
- Thursday 11th November - Armistice Day (Armistice 1918)
- Saturday 25th December - Christmas Day (Noël)
Where a public holiday falls over a weekend, by local agreement employees may be given an extra day paid holiday in lieu, but this is not obligatory.
Only May Day is classed as a statutory (paid) public holiday in France.
When a public holiday falls on a Tuesday or a Thursday many people make a 'bridge' holiday (faire le pont), creating a long weekend.
Alsace and Lorraine have two extra public holidays - 2nd April and 26th Dec.
In terms of school holidays, you can find the dates at French School Calendar 2021/22.
The public holidays in 2020 were:
- Wednesday 1st January - New Year's Day (Jour de l'An)
- Monday 13th April - Easter Monday (Lundi de Pâques)
- Friday 1st May - Labour Day (Fête du Travail)
- Friday 8th May - VE Day - (Fête de la Victoire 1945)
- Thursday 21st May - Ascension Day (l'Ascension)
- Monday 1st June - Whit Monday (Lundi de Pentecôte)
- Tuesday 14th July - Bastille Day (Fête Nationale)
- Saturday 15th August - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (l'Assomption)
- Sunday 1st November - All Saints' Day (La Toussaint)
- Wednesday 11th November - Armistice Day (Armistice 1918)
- Friday 25th December - Christmas Day (Noël)
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