France Public Holidays 2027
France has 11 public holidays in 2027 across metropolitan France. Four fall on weekends — Labour Day and Victory Day both on Saturday May 1 and 8, Assumption on Sunday Aug 15, and Christmas on Saturday Dec 25 — with no substitute-day rule. Ascension (Thu May 6) still creates the classic four-day pont.
Public holidays
11
Lost to weekends
4 (May 1, May 8, Aug 15, Dec 25)
Longest break
Ascension pont · 4 days
May 1 (Labour Day)
Saturday — lost
2027 France calendar
01January
02February
03March
04April
05May
06June
07July
08August
09September
10October
11November
12December
France public holiday list
| Date | Day | Holiday | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2027 | Friday | New Year's DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| March 29, 2027 | Monday | Easter MondayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| May 1, 2027 | Saturday | Labour DayFalls on a Saturday — France has no substitute-day rule, so it is lost for Monday-to-Friday workers. May 1 is the only holiday where paid leave is legally mandatory for all employees.Public holiday | Public holiday |
| May 6, 2027 | Thursday | Ascension DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| May 8, 2027 | Saturday | Victory in Europe DayFalls on a Saturday — no substitute day.Public holiday | Public holiday |
| May 17, 2027 | Monday | Whit MondayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| July 14, 2027 | Wednesday | Bastille DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| August 15, 2027 | Sunday | Assumption DayFalls on a Sunday — no substitute day.Public holiday | Public holiday |
| November 1, 2027 | Monday | All Saints' DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| November 11, 2027 | Thursday | Armistice DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| December 25, 2027 | Saturday | Christmas DayFalls on a Saturday — no substitute day.Public holiday | Public holiday |
France long weekends in 2027
New Year
3 daysJan 1 – 3
New Year's Day falls on a Friday — a three-day break through the weekend.
Easter
3 daysMar 27 – 29
Easter Monday (Mar 29) gives a three-day break. Good Friday is not a public holiday in metropolitan France.
Ascension pont
4 daysMay 6 – 9
Ascension Day is always a Thursday. Friday May 7 is the classic pont — a vacation day, not a public holiday — turning one day off into four.
Whit Monday
3 daysMay 15 – 17
Whit Monday (May 17) brackets the weekend for a three-day break.
All Saints'
3 daysOct 30 – Nov 1
All Saints' Day falls on a Monday — a three-day break through the weekend.
Armistice pont
4 daysNov 11 – 14
Armistice Day falls on a Thursday. Friday Nov 12 is a popular pont for a four-day break.
11 nationwide holidays in metropolitan France
Metropolitan France (la Métropole) observes 11 public holidays set by the Labour Code. They apply nationwide — unlike Germany's state-level calendar — and Good Friday is not among them (only Alsace-Moselle adds Good Friday and Saint Stephen's Day).
May 1 (Labour Day) is unique: it is the only holiday where employers must grant paid leave to every employee, including those who normally work on other public holidays.
No substitute days when holidays fall on weekends
Unlike the UK or Japan, France has no substitute-day rule. When a public holiday falls on Saturday or Sunday, there is no weekday off in lieu — the holiday is simply lost for employees on a standard Monday-to-Friday week.
In 2027, four of the eleven holidays land on weekends: Labour Day and Victory Day both on Saturday (May 1 and 8), Assumption on Sunday Aug 15, and Christmas on Saturday Dec 25.
Pont: how the French turn one vacation day into four
A "pont" (bridge) is the working day between a holiday and the weekend, which French workers routinely take as vacation. Ascension Day always falls on a Thursday, so the Friday after it is the country's most popular pont — one vacation day turns into a four-day weekend.
In 2027 the classic ponts are Friday May 7 (after Ascension) and Friday Nov 12 (after Armistice Day). Trains and motorways empty out on those Fridays — book early if you are travelling.
Download & subscribe
Official sources & data
- Jours fériés en FranceVisit sourceService-Public.fr (Ministère de l'Intérieur)
Frequently asked questions
How many public holidays does France have in 2027?+
Eleven in metropolitan France. They are fixed by law and apply nationwide, unlike Germany's mix of federal and state days.
What happens when a French holiday falls on a weekend in 2027?+
Nothing — France has no substitute-day rule. In 2027, Labour Day (Sat May 1), Victory Day (Sat May 8), Assumption (Sun Aug 15) and Christmas (Sat Dec 25) are all lost for Monday-to-Friday workers.
Is Good Friday a public holiday in France?+
Not in metropolitan France. Good Friday is a public holiday only in Alsace-Moselle (Bas-Rhin, Haut-Rhin and Moselle). Everywhere else, Easter Monday is the only Easter-related public holiday.
What is a pont in France?+
A "pont" (bridge day) is a vacation day taken between a public holiday and the weekend. In 2027, Friday May 7 after Ascension and Friday Nov 12 after Armistice Day are the classic examples: one vacation day yields four days off.
When is Ascension Day in France in 2027?+
Thursday, May 6, 2027. It always falls on a Thursday, 39 days after Easter Sunday. Take Friday May 7 off for the classic four-day pont.
Is May 1 mandatory paid leave in France?+
Yes. May 1 is the only public holiday where paid leave is legally mandatory for all employees. In 2027 it falls on a Saturday, so there is no weekday off — but employers still owe the benefit to staff who would normally work that day.
