MyGoz2
(brellie@mygoz2.com)
On this page, check the France Calendar!
Plan for the national holidays and nearly year-round school vacations that can bring unexpected crowds and closings. Plan your trip around days and opening hours.
Calendar
School Holidays
Many French people vacation during the Exit MyGoz2→ School Holidays. Expect crowds in popular vacation destinations. Expect heavier traffic on the first and last days of the school holiday. School holidays are not national; they differ according to the particular region of France.
National Holidays and The Bridge
These dates stay the same each year: January 1 | May 1 | May 8 | July 14 | August 15 | November 1 | November 11 | December 25
These dates change depending when Easter falls each year: Easter Sunday | Easter Monday | Ascension | Pentecost | Whit Monday
Expect most places to be closed, including banks, government, most shops and businesses.
The Bridge (Le Pont) is a French custom of adding a holiday when the official holiday falls on either a Tuesday or a Thursday. If Tuesday, then the bridge is on Monday. If Thursday, then the bridge is on Friday. Expect similar closings on the day of the bridge as on the actual holiday.
During these holidays and vacation times, restaurants and lodging establishments often require advanced booking. Expect any hotels to require a minimum number of days to stay during this time.
Store Hours
Stores in France rarely open on Sunday, including supermarkets. A few supermarkets open on Sunday morning. Many stores observe a lunchtime closing of an hour or more. Stores are rarely open after 8 pm. Many stores close on national holidays and bridge days.
Days of the Week
The French calendar starts on Monday!
monday = lundi; tuesday = mardi; wednesday = mercredi; thursday = jeudi; friday = vendredi; saturday = samedi; sunday = dimanche