France information > Public holidays
Public holidays in France
Dates of the public holidays in France
France has 14 Public Holidays during the year. Note that Whit Monday was abolished from 2005, in principle to raise extra funds for elderly and handicapped type causes, motivated by the thousands of elderly people who died during the earlier heatwave. This caused widespread strikes in the country.
Public Holidays
| Date | English name | Local name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year's Day | Jour de l'An | |
| 6 January | Epiphany | Fête des Rois | Not a public holiday |
| 2 February | Candlemas | La Chandeleur | Not a public holiday |
| moveable | Easter | Pâques | Sunday, date varies |
| moveable | Easter Monday | Monday after Easter | |
| 1 May | Labour Day | Fête du Travail | |
| 8 May | V-E Day | Victoire 1945 | End of WWII |
| varies | Ascension Day | Ascension | Thursday, 40 days after Easter |
| varies | Pentecost | Pentecôte | Seventh Sunday after Easter1 |
| 14 July | Bastille Day | Fête Nationale | National Day |
| 15 August | Assumption of Mary | Assomption | |
| 1 November | All Saints Day | Toussaint | |
| 11 November | Veterans Day Armistice Day Remembrance Day |
Armistice 1918 | End of WWI |
| 25 December | Christmas Day | Noël |
