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Public Holidays
In France there are 10 public holidays. The 2009 calendar is as follows:
January 1 (New Year's Day)
April 13 (Easter Monday)
May 1 (Labor Day)
May 8 (celebration of the end of WWII in Europe)
May 21 (Ascension)
July 14 (French Independence Day- "Bastille Day")
August 15 (Assumption)
November 1 (All Saints' Day)
November 11 (Armistice)
December 25 (Christmas)
When planning your trip, please note:
Banks, administrative offices, and most stores and businesses are closed. However, most museums, monuments, and restaurants remain open or keep modified hours. Don't forget to take these special circumstances into account when putting together your itinerary. For example, make sure you have enough money for the day in the event that you're unable to access your account or change currency. Also, don't plan for any shopping excursions on these days.
For specific information or recommendations, ask your hotel concierge or local tourist office. You can also contact our public information hotline: "France-on-Call," 514-288-1904
School Holidays
French schoolchildren and teachers have five holidays a year: one week at the end of October, two weeks at Christmas, two more in February, two in spring, and all of July and August.
When planning your trip, please note:
During these vacation periods, roadways and tourist sites are often much busier than usual. Plan accordingly, as you will be faced with both French and foreign crowds!
Dates of school holidays 2007-2008, 2008-2009
Zone A : Caen, Clermont-Ferrand, Grenoble, Lyons, Montpellier, Nancy-Metz, Nantes, Rennes, Toulouse.
Zone B : Aix-Marseilles, Amiens, Besançon, Dijon, Lille, Limoges, Nice, Orléans-Tours, Poitiers, Reims, Rouen, Strasbourg.
Zone C : Bordeaux, Créteil, Paris, Versailles.
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