Tuesday, January 18, 2022
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Festivals & Holidays in France

EuropeFranceFestivals & Holidays in France

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Holidays in France

French public holidays are based on the major Catholic holidays, with the exception of Good Friday, which is only celebrated in the prefecture of Alsace. Although most of them are movable, the Assumption of the Virgin Mary always falls on 15 August, All Saints’ Day on 1 November and Christmas on 25 December. Other public holidays include New Year’s Day (1 January), 1 May, Victory Day (8 May), Bastille Day (14 July) and Armistice Day (11 November).

It is advisable to plan your trip, especially during the French school holidays, which usually run from late October to early November, at Christmas, Easter, between 1 May and Victory Day, and in summer. Unlike its big neighbour to the east, France has a single date for the whole country when holidays begin and end. Naturally, on and around this date, the streets fill up and train and air fares skyrocket. If you can avoid travelling during these times, do so.

DateEnglish nameLocal nameComments
1 JanuaryNew Year’s DayNew Year / New Year’s Day / New Year’s Eve / New Year’s Day
mobileGood FridayGood FridayFriday before Easter Sunday (observed only in Alsace and on the Moselle).
mobileEaster MondayEaster MondayMonday after Easter Sunday (one day after Easter Sunday)
1 May1 May/Labour DayLabour Day / Workers’ Day
8 MayVictory Day in EuropeVictory DayEnd of hostilities in Europe
mobileAscension DayAscensionThursday, 39 days after Easter
mobileWhit MondayWhit MondayMonday after Pentecost (50 days after Easter), observed only in some companies, see
14 JulyBastille DayNational DayFrench National Day, commemoration
15 AugustMary’s Assumption into HeavenAcceptance
1 NovemberAll Saints’ DayToussaint
11 NovemberThe day of the ceasefireArmistice of 1918End of the First World War
25 DecemberChristmas DayChristmas
Boxing DaySaint Stephen’s DaySaint-ÉtienneOnly observed in Alsace and on the Moselle

How To Travel To France

By planeFlights to/from ParisThe main international airport, Roissy - Charles de Gaulle (IATA: CDG), is probably your point of entry if you arrive in France by plane from outside Europe. CDG is the headquarters of Air France (AF), the national airline, for most intercontinental flights. AF and the SkyTeam...

How To Travel Around France

By planeThe following airlines offer domestic flights in France:Air France has the largest domestic network in FranceHOP!, a subsidiary of Air France, operates domestic flights with smaller aircraft than Air France.easyJet, a low-cost airline, has the second largest domestic network in FranceRyanair, another low-cost airline, mainly serves secondary airports.Volotea...

Visa & Passport Requirements for France

Minimum validity of travel documents• EU, EEA and Swiss nationals, as well as third-country nationals who are exempt from the visa requirement (e.g. New Zealanders and Australians), only need to present a passport valid for the entire stay in France.• However, other nationals subject to visa requirements (e.g. South...

Tourism in France

France was visited by 84.7 million foreign tourists in 2013, making it the most popular destination in the world. Thanks to shorter stays, it ranks third in tourism receipts. 20% more tourists spent less than half of what they spent in the United States.France has 37 sites inscribed on...

Destinations in France

Regions in FranceMetropolitan FranceMetropolitan France" comprises the 12 administrative regions (French: régions) of the continent plus Corsica, i.e. the entire French territory in Europe. They are distinct from the country's overseas territories on the other continents, which are discussed below. For travel purposes, the 12 regions are best understood...

Weather & Climate in France

The climate in France is generally favourable to cultivation. Most of France is located in the southern part of the temperate zone, although the subtropical zone includes its southern edge. The whole of France is under the influence of oceanic influences, tempered by the North Atlantic drift in the...

Accommodation & Hotels in France

France is a diverse and colourful country and you will find everything from beautiful wooden chalets in the Alps to castles in the countryside to seaside villas on the Côte d'Azur - and everything in between!Hotels in FranceThe hotels are divided into 5 categories from 1 to 5 stars....

Things To See in France

When you think of France, you may picture the emblematic Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe or the famous smile of the Mona Lisa. You may think of drinking coffee in the lively Parisian cafés where great intellectuals once lingered, or eating croissants in a local bistro in a...

Things To Do in France

Going to the top of the Eiffel Tower in ParisStrolling the great Parisian boulevardsThe climb from Montmartre to ParisSee the Gothic buildings on the Île de la Cité, in particular the Sainte-Chapelle and Notre-DameYou can admire world-famous works of art at the Louvre or visit the equally impressive Musée...

Food & Drinks in France

Food in FranceWith its international reputation for gastronomy, few would be surprised to learn that French cuisine can be quite good. To prove it, France is joint first with Japan in the ranking of countries with the most Michelin-starred restaurants. Unfortunately, it can also be quite disappointing; many restaurants...

Money & Shopping in France

VacationsMany French people take their holidays in August. Therefore, outside the tourist areas, many small shops (butchers, bakeries...) will be closed for part of August. This applies to many businesses as well as doctors. In tourist areas, shops are naturally more likely to be open when tourists come, especially...

Internet & Communications in France

Phone numbersTo call a French number from abroad, dial: international dialling code + 33 + local number without the leading 0, for example: +33 2 47 66 41 18.All French numbers have 10 digits. The first two digits are:01 for Paris Region02 for the North West03 for the North-East04...

Language & Phrasebook in France

French is the official language of France as well as some of its neighbouring countries, is a working language of the United Nations and is the official language of some 270 million people worldwide. Any tourist who does not make a little effort to speak French is missing out...

Traditions & Customs in France

In the restaurantIn French restaurants, as in other parts of Europe, it is considered rude to put your elbows on the table, but it is also considered rude to leave food on your plate or to put your hand on your lap while eating. When consuming drinks such as...

Culture Of France

France has been a centre of Western cultural development for centuries. Many French artists were among the most famous of their time, and France is still known worldwide for its rich cultural tradition.Successive political regimes have always encouraged artistic creation, and the creation of the Ministry of Culture in...

History Of France

Prehistory (before the 6th century BC)The oldest traces of human life in what is now France date back about 1.8 million years, when humans were confronted with a harsh and changeable climate marked by several ice ages. The first homonids led a life as nomadic hunter-gatherers. In France there...

Stay Safe & Healthy in France

Stay safe in FranceCrimeCrime-related emergencies can be reported by calling the toll-free number 17 or 112 (European emergency number). The law enforcement agencies are the National Police in urban areas and the National Gendarmerie in rural areas, although some towns and villages also have a municipal police (Police Municipale)...

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