Public holidays in 2026 in France
| Date | Public holiday in France in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Thursday, January 1 , 2026 | New Year |
| Monday, April 6 , 2026 | Easter Monday |
| Friday, May 1 , 2026 | Labor Day |
| Friday, May 8 , 2026 | Allied victory in 1945 |
| Thursday, May 14, 2026 | Ascension Thursday |
| Monday, May 25, 2026 | Trinity Monday |
| Tuesday, July 14 , 2026 | National Day |
| Saturday, August 15 , 2026 | Assumption |
| Sunday, November 1 , 2026 | Hallowmas |
| Wednesday, November 11, 2026 | Armistice of 1918 |
| Friday, December 25 , 2026 | Christmas |
Additional public holidays in 2026 in Alsace-Lorraine (Haut-Rhin, Bas-Rhin and Moselle departments):
- Good Friday: Friday, April 3 , 2026
- Saint-Étienne: Saturday , December 26 , 2026
Public holidays in France
- New Year’s Day,
January 1. This is the first day of the year and a public holiday since 1810. - Easter Monday
is a public holiday with a variable date, which in itself has no significance, but occurs after Easter, that is, Easter Sunday. The week before this holiday is Holy Week. It has been a public holiday since 1886. - Labor Day
on May 1st was officially recognized as a holiday in 1946. Its origins date back to America, where workers received an 8-hour workday on May 1st, 1886. The first May 1st in France took place in 1890, and the 8-hour workday was established in 1919 to divide time between work, sleep, and rest. - Allied victory 1945. May 8,
1945 marked the end of fighting in Europe against Nazi Germany during World War II. Adolf Hitler committed suicide on April 30, and the Germans surrendered on the night of May 6–7, 1945, with fighting ceasing at 11:01 p.m. on May 8, 1945. - Ascension Day is
a public holiday with a variable date, observed 40 days after Easter (Easter is always Sunday, Ascension Day is always Thursday). This Christian holiday commemorates Jesus’ ascension into heaven after his resurrection and his final meeting with his disciples. - Trinity (Trinity) is
a public holiday with a movable date and a religious holiday celebrated by Christians and Jews on the fiftieth day after Easter and commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. It is the Monday after Pentecost, which is celebrated on the 7th Sunday after Easter. Trinity always falls between May 11 and June 14. - Bastille Day, July 14,
has been a national holiday since 1880. It commemorates the storming of the Bastille in Paris by the French people on July 14, 1789, which symbolized the end of the absolute monarchy. However, the official law does not mention the celebration of a specific event, but simply states: ” The Republic adopts July 14 as its annual national holiday .” In fact, Bastille Day derives more from the Federation Day than from the storming of the Bastille itself. This holiday was celebrated on July 14, 1790, on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, to commemorate the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, in a strong spirit of national unity. - Assumption Day, August 15,
celebrates the death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven of the Virgin Mary (the mother of Jesus). Assumption Day is an opportunity for many Christians to make a pilgrimage to places where the Virgin Mary appeared, such as Lourdes in France. It has been a public holiday since 1638. - All Saints’ Day, November
1 , is a Catholic holiday that, as the name suggests, honors all saints, known or unknown. November 2, “All Saints ‘ Day “, is celebrated the day after All Saints’ Day, which means that the French traditionally visit the graves of their loved ones in cemeteries on November 1. It has been a public holiday since 1801. - Armistice Day 1918. November 11
marks the surrender of Germany, which ended World War I on November 11, 1918, after four years of conflict (1914–1918). The armistice was signed at 5:15 a.m., and the ceasefire came into effect at 11:00 a.m. the same day. World War I officially ended on June 28, 1919, with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. November 11 became a public holiday in 1922. - Christmas on December 25
is a religious holiday commemorating the birth of Christ. It should be noted that although December 25 is a public holiday, it is not necessarily a day off; an employer may ask their employees to come to work on Christmas Day. Note that December 26 is a public holiday and a day off in Alsace-Moselle.
Public holidays specific to Alsace-Moselle
- Good Friday
is a public holiday with a variable date, it is the Friday before Easter, i.e. it falls 2 days before Easter. It is a legal public holiday in the departments of Moselle (57), Bas-Rhin (67) and Haut-Rhin (68), but only in municipalities with a mixed church or a Protestant church. To find out whether this day is a public holiday, you should consider the municipality where you work. - Saint Stephen is celebrated on December 26.
The memory of Saint Stephen is honored, who, according to the New Testament, is the firstMartyr of the Christian era. In 36 AD he was accused of blasphemy and sentenced to stoning.
This day has been a public holiday in France since 1892, when Alsace and Moselle were under German control. During the reunification, Alsace-Moselle refused to give up these privileges granted by the German authorities.