Jours fériés et non fériés
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There are a lot of holidays in France, but only 11 are public holidays (bank holidays). In French, these have several names:
- jours fériés
- jours chômés
- fêtes chômées
- fêtes légales
On these 11 days, public servants and many public sector employees typically have the day off from work, as do some private employees.
In addition, when the jour férié is on a Tuesday or Thursday, the French tend to faire le pont and take off from work the Monday or Friday in between the weekend and the jour férié. This results in several 4-day weekends over the course of the year.
These holidays are listed more or less in the order they occur during the year, but remember that the dates vary for some holidays.
Bold = jour férié.
Jour de l’An | New Year’s Day | 1 January | férié |
Épiphanie | Epiphany | 6 January | non férié |
Chandeleur | Candlemas / Crêpe Day | 2 February | non férié |
Saint-Valentin | Valentine’s Day | 14 Feburary | non férié |
Mardi gras | Mardi Gras | varies | non férié |
Fête des Grands-mères | Grandmother’s Day | varies | non férié |
Lundi de Pâques | Easter Monday | varies | férié |
Fête du Travail Fête du Muguet |
Labor Day Lily of the Valley Day |
1 May | férié |
8 mai 1945 | V-E Day | 8 May | férié |
Fête des Mères | Mother’s Day | varies | non férié |
Jeudi de l’Ascension | Ascension Thursday | varies | férié |
Lundi de Pentecôte | Pentecost | varies | férié |
Fête des Pères | Father’s Day | varies | non férié |
Fête de la Musique | Music Festival | 21 June | non férié |
Fête Nationale | Bastille Day | 14 July | férié |
Assomption de Marie | Assumption of Mary | 15 August | férié |
La Rentrée | Back to school / life | 1 September | * |
Fête des Grands-pères | Grandfather’s Day | varies | non férié |
Journées du Patrimoine | Heritage Days | varies | non férié |
Halloween | Halloween | 31 October | non férié |
La Toussaint | All Saints’ Day | 1 November | férié |
Fête des morts | All Souls’ Day | 2 November | non férié |
Armistice de 1918 | Armistice with Germany | 11 November | férié |
Hanoucca | Hanukkah | varies | non férié |
Noël | Christmas | 25 December | férié |
La Saint-Sylvestre | New Year’s Eve | 31 December | non férié |
* La Rentrée isn’t really a holiday at all – in fact, it’s just the opposite: it marks the official end to summer vacation and the return to school, work, and community activities. It’s a hugely important day / period in French society.
French for other holidays
Useful expressions
Related features
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