Public holidays in France
There are 11 official public holidays in France.[1] The Alsace region and the Moselle department observe 2 additional days.[2] These holidays do not shift when they fall during a week-end,[3] which means that the average number of observed public holidays falling on weekdays is 8.7 and ranges from 7 to 10.[4] Most Asian countries and all North American countries observe between 2 and 10 more public holidays per year on weekdays.[5]
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Public holidays in France
Date | English name | Local name | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|
1 January | New Year's Day | Nouvel An | |
moveable | Good Friday | Vendredi saint | Friday before Easter Sunday. Alsace and Moselle only.[6] |
moveable | Easter Monday | Lundi de Pâques | Monday after Easter Sunday (one day after Easter Sunday) |
1 May | Labour Day | Fête du Travail | |
8 May | Victory Day | Fête de la Victoire | End of hostilities in Europe in World War II |
moveable | Ascension Day | Ascension | Thursday, 39 days after Easter Sunday |
moveable | Whit Monday | Lundi de Pentecôte | Monday after Pentecost (50 days after Easter), observed only in some businesses, see notes |
14 July | Bastille Day | Fête nationale française | French national day, commemorates the Feast of the Federation |
15 August | Assumption Day | Assomption | |
1 November | All Saints' Day | Toussaint | |
11 November | Armistice Day | Armistice | End of World War I.[7] |
25 December | Christmas Day | Noël | Newspapers are not published. Pubs, restaurants, shops, etc. closed all day by law. |
26 December | Saint Stephen's Day | Saint Etienne | Alsace and Moselle only.[6] |
Overseas territories
Guadeloupe
- Mi-Carême (mid-Lent); occurs on a Thursday, 22 days after Ash Wednesday; therefore, between 26 February and 1 April.[8]
- Good Friday (Vendredi saint)
- Abolition of slavery: May 27.[9]
French Guiana
- Abolition of slavery: June 10.[10][11]
Martinique
- Abolition of slavery: May 22.[12]
New Caledonia
- Citizenship Day (Fête de la citoyenneté): September 24.[13]
French Polynesia
- Missionary Day (Arrivée de l'Évangile): on March 5.[14]
- Internal Autonomy Day (Fête de l’autonomie): June 29.[15]
Saint Barthélemy
- Abolition of slavery: October 9.[17]
Saint Martin
- Abolition of slavery: May 28.[18]
Wallis and Futuna
- Feast of Saint Peter Chanel: April 28.[19]
- Festival of the territory (Fête du territoire): July 29.[20]
Notes
Note: French law dictates that work should stop, but be paid, only for the Fête du Travail (May Day, 1 May),[21] except in industries where it is infeasible to stop working.[22] The rest of the public holidays are listed in statute law,[23] but law does not dictate that work should stop; however a leave from work may be granted by the employer or by convention collective (agreement between employers' and employees' unions).
In 2005, French prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin removed Pentecost (Whit) Monday's status as a public holiday. This decision was eventually overruled by French courts in 2008. Employers are free to decide whether to make Whit Monday a day off or not.[24]
References
- French labor law, L3133-3
- French labor law, IDCC 1686
- French labor law, IDCC 1686
- French wikipédia
- Employee holiday entitlement around the world, Mercer
- "Jours fériés dans la fonction publique".
- "France Public Holidays in 2021 -". calendarific.com.
- "La mi-carême : une vieille tradition". Guadeloupe la 1ère.
- "Slavery Abolition Day". WebPlus.info — Holiday Calendar.
- Mohsin, Haroon (26 August 2022). "Slavery Abolition Day (French Guiana)". National Today.
- Ahmed, Hassan (10 June 2022). "French Guiana commemorates Abolition Day".
- "Celebrating the abolition of slavery". Société de plantation, histoire et mémoires de l’esclavage à La Réunion.
- "Fête de la citoyenneté". Gouvernement de la Nouvelle-Calédonie. 17 September 2019.
- "Arrivée de l'Evangile et de la première bible traduite en tahitien". Polynésie la 1ère.
- "Célébration de la Fête de l'Autonomie".
- "Fèt Kaf". Reunion Island.
- Mohsin, Haroon (26 August 2022). "Saint Barthélemy: Abolition Day". National Today.
- "St. Martin News Network - Abolition of Slavery in Saint-Martin: a 28th of May…". smn-news.com.
- Melton, J. Gordon (13 September 2011). "Religious Celebrations: An Encyclopedia of Holidays, Festivals, Solemn Observances, and Spiritual Commemorations [2 volumes]: An Encyclopedia of Holidays, Festivals, Solemn Observances, and Spiritual Commemorations". ABC-CLIO – via Google Books.
- "Fête du Territoire 29 juillet 2022 / Actualités / Accueil - les services de l'État à Wallis et Futuna".
- Code du Travail, L3133-4
- Code du Travail, L3133-6
- Code du Travail, L3133-1
- LOI n° 2008 – 351