Guide to School and Public Bank Holiday Dates in France
Originally posted on & updated on 25th June, 2025
French schools have five holidays during the year: All Saints ‘autumn’ break, Christmas, winter break, spring holiday (Easter), and the summer holiday. These breaks are usually two weeks long, except for summer holidays which last eight weeks. This year, the summer school holiday in France will start on 5th July 2025.
School and Bank Holidays
What is a Jour Férié in France?
Jours fériés are the equivalent of Bank holidays in the UK, they start with le Nouvel An (New Years Day) on January 1st with the last one at the end of the year, Christmas Day or Jour de Nöel, naturally on December 25th.
Labour Day, celebrated on May 1st, is the only mandatory non-working day for all employees in France. Work is scheduled for that day only in certain establishments and services, such as hospitals and public transport, where work cannot be interrupted due to the nature of their activity. This day is reserved for rest and relaxation for most workers, and only those in critical industries continue to work. Professionals and employees are entitled Bank Holiday pay after one month’s employment.
Most companies and shops are shut on Bank holidays, if you are travelling or planning to eat out, plan carefully, especially if you have younger or older relatives with you. Check the traffic routes and note bank holidays are often used to create extended three or sometimes, four-day breaks. The French call it le Pont, or bridge, are the masters at creating extended weekends, it’s a national sport!
Official French Bank Holidays
There are eleven official Bank Holidays most of which are celebrated across the country, here’s the list of all the French ‘jours fériés’:
- New Year’s Day - January 1st
- Easter Monday
- Labour Day - May 1st
- VE Day Victory 1945 - May 8th
- Ascension - May 9th
- Pentecost Monday - May 21st
- National Day - July 14th (a Monday in 2025)
- Assumption - August 15th (a Friday in 2025)
- All Saints’ Day - November 1st (weekend)
- Armistice 1918 - November 11th (a Tuesday in 2025)
- Christmas - December 25th (a Thursday in 2025)
- There’s no Boxing Day in France, it’s a normal day
French School Holiday Dates
Autumn and Christmas School Holiday 2025
This year, school will break on 5th July (2025) for the summer holidays (typically eight weeks), after which children and pupils will return to the classrooms the first week of September (Monday 1/9 in 2025). The next break is the ‘autumn break’ called La Toussaint, All Saints, for 2 weeks, from end of October to the start of November (18th/10 to 3rd/11 in 2025). Followed by the ‘vacances de Noel’, or Christmas holidays with schools shutting on 20th of December 2025, to reopen in the New Year on Monday 5th Jan 2026.
Things get a little complicated for the next two holidays, the winter holidays (in February) and easter break (usually April), both for two weeks. To accommodate holiday makers in the cold months, and encourage access to the mountains and winter sports, the country gets split into three zones, to stagger the dates and help with road traffic.
Winter and Easter School Holiday Zones 2026
ZONE A : Lyon, Bordeaux, Besançon, Clermont-Ferrand, Dijon, Grenoble, Limoges and Poitiers. In 2026, the winter holidays are from 7th February until 23rd of February, and the Easter holidays are from 4th April until the 20th of April 2026.
ZONE B : Aix-Marseille, Lille, Nantes, Rennes, Strasbourg, Amiens, Normandie, Nancy-Metz, Nice, Orléans-Tours and Reims. In 2026, the winter holidays are 14th February until 2nd March and the Easter holidays are from 11th until the 27th of April 2026.
ZONE C : Paris, Créteil, Versailles, Montpellier and Toulouse. In 2026, the winter holidays are from 21st of February until the 9th of March, and the Easter holidays are from the 18th of April until the 4th May 2026.
Useful Information and Summer 2026
Next year, the summer school holidays will begin on Saturday, July 4th, 2026. The following year, school holiday will start on Saturday, July 3rd, 2027.
- The school holiday starts after classes on the indicated days.
- Classes resume on the morning of the indicated days
- The holiday begins on Friday after classes for students who do not have classes on Saturday.
- Students will not have classes on Friday, May 15th and Saturday, May 16th, 2026.
The school calendar for 2025-2026 was set by a decree published in the Official Journal on December 7th, 2022, for more information visit the service public website.
Who Takes the Most Time Off?
When it comes to work-life balance, France stands out as a leader in prioritising rest and leisure. Here’s how it compares to the UK and USA:
Holidays in France
11 public holidays + at least 25 paid vacation days per year (many employees receive even more). The French artfully maximise long weekends through ponts (bridging days), turning single holidays into extended breaks.
Holidays in the UK
8 public holidays (in England & Wales) + a minimum of 20 paid vacation days. Long weekends are more fixed, and bridging days are less common.
Holidays in the USA
10 federal holidays, but no legal right to paid time off, many workers receive only 10–15 days per year. Long weekends exist, but taking extra time off around them depends on employer policies. It’s no wonder we receive so much interest from Americans dreaming about a slice of the good life!
France Wins at Work-Life Balance
France doesn’t just offer more time off, it embraces a cultural mindset that values rest. While other countries might power through a lone Thursday holiday, the French step back, disconnect, and fully enjoy their time away. So, if you’re dreaming of a slower pace of life, France is just be the place to look for inspiration.
Read our comprehensive guides to learn about other aspects of living in France. If you are planning a trip to view properties, we’d like to invite you to learn about how to find, and buy your dream French property.
Search, Save and View