France's National Holidays

On national holidays, institutions and companies close while some major trade centers may work for several hours. With a holiday on Tuesday or Thursday, it can also cover Monday or Friday for companies except banks and institutions. Police stations and hospitals work non-stop.

Religious holidays normally fall on some week day, that is a different date every year which are Easter Sunday (Paques), Ascension Day, Good Friday (Vendredi Saint).

National Public Holidays in France 2011

• 1 January, Saturday - New Year's Day (Nouvel An)
• 24 April - Easter Sunday (Paques)
• 25 April - Easter Monday (Lundi de Paques)
• 1 May, Sunday - Labour Day (Fete du Travail)
• 8 May, Sunday - WWII Victory Day (Fete de la Victoire 1945)
• 2 June, Thursday - Ascension Day
• 12 June, Sunday - Whit Sunday (Pentecost)
• 13 June - Whit Monday (Le lundi de Pentecote)
• 14 July, Thursday - Bastille Day, France's national holiday
• 15 August, Monday - Assumption Day
• 1 November, Tuesday - All Saints' Day (Toussaint)
• 11 November, Friday - Armistice Day 1918
• 25 December, Sunday - Christmas Day (Noel)

Other holidays in France in 2011

• 22 April - Good Friday (Vendredi Saint) observed in Alsace and Moselle only
• 26 December, Monday - Second Christmas Day observed in Alsace and Moselle only