France Holidays 2024 | Holidays to France | Travel Department (2024)

FAQs

How many public holidays are there in France in 2024? ›

Don't panic, in France we're lucky enough to have 11 public holidays, including Easter Monday, May 1st, May 8th,Ascension Day and July 14th. Sometimes, when the calendar is mild, these public holidays can even be used as bridging days. So, is the 2024 calendar conducive to long weekends? Find out what's in store!

Expect larger crowds, especially at popular attractions. 2024 Summer Olympics: Paris will host the 2024 Summer Olympics from July 26th to August 11th. This event might impact accommodation availability and pricing during that period.

Bastille Day is France's National Day, analogous to Independence Day in the U.S. Its formal French name is la Fête Nationale, and is celebrated every year on July 14.

Avoiding any disruption by the Olympic Games when you travel to France this summer means you need to plan your trip very carefully, and likely to avoid Paris at all from around June to end September.

If you're visiting the city for its impressive cultural attractions, fall or even winter could be the best time to visit Paris. On the other hand, if you'd rather avoid the worst of the Paris weather and enjoy your summer holidays in the city, the summer months are a better option.

Weather in Paris in May

The month of May is an excellent time to visit the City of Light. The days are longer, the terraces are lively, the sun is usually shining, and the intense heat and summer crowds have not yet arrived.

Why is everything closed on Monday in France? ›

The reason lies in France's enshrined labour code, the Code du Travail, which was first published in 1910. The Code du Travail used to say that it was illegal for anyone to work more that six days a week and that workers should have 35 consecutive hours of rest.

Holidays in France are spread throughout the year. But you'll have the most holidays in May. Besides these national holidays, many French people take their grandes vacances (grand vacations) in July or August, where they take a week or two off for summer break.

Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Occitanie and Hauts-de-France are some of the most affordable regions in France. Whether you're seeking picturesque countryside living or urban adventures, these regions have something for everyone.

About €100 a day is a reasonable figure. This may include a few small souvenirs, but if you do serious shopping, the figure can increase dramatically. This is also true if you eat meals at fancy restaurants, but this figure will cover ordinary meals at ordinary restaurants.

There are eleven official public holidays in France, of which four are movable days which always fall on a weekday. The Alsace region and the Moselle department observe two additional days.

There are 11 public holidays in France, but only Labour Day (May 1st) is a statutory paid holiday. However, most employers grant all public holidays as paid time off (part of the employment agreement or CBA).

All employees are entitled to paid leave of 2.5 days for each month of actual work. This gives 5 full weeks, resulting in 25 days annually. Nota Bene: By French calculation, this is actually 30 days of vacation, because Saturday is considered a working day in this calculation.

There is a total of 11 public holidays in France unless you live in the Alsace region or the Moselle department that has an additional 2 days: New Year's Day – 1st January. Good Friday – Varied date but always a Friday (Alsace and Moselle only)