France Public Holidays 2027
France has 11 public holidays (jours fériés) in 2027. Ascension falls on Thursday 6 May, creating the year's most popular pont (bridge) weekend.
Last updated: 8 November 2026
| Date (2027) | Holiday | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 1 Jan | New Year's Day (Jour de l'an) | |
| Mon 29 Mar | Easter Monday (Lundi de Pâques) | |
| Sat 1 May | Labour Day (Fête du Travail) | Saturday |
| Thu 6 May | Ascension Day | |
| Sat 8 May | Victory in Europe Day | Saturday |
| Mon 17 May | Whit Monday (Lundi de Pentecôte) | Often a 'solidarity day' worked by employees |
| Wed 14 Jul | Bastille Day (Fête nationale) | |
| Sun 15 Aug | Assumption Day | Sunday |
| Mon 1 Nov | All Saints' Day (Toussaint) | |
| Thu 11 Nov | Armistice Day | |
| Sat 25 Dec | Christmas Day | Saturday |
How French holidays work
The Labour Code lists 11 public holidays, but only 1 May is a guaranteed paid day off for all employees; for the others it depends on collective agreements, although most offices close. There are no substitute days when a holiday falls on a weekend. Alsace and Moselle have two extra days — Good Friday and St Stephen's Day (26 December) — and overseas departments add days marking the abolition of slavery.
Whit Monday is often the journée de solidarité, an unpaid working day that funds care for older people, so check whether your employer works it.
Long weekends and travel in 2027
"Faire le pont" means taking a bridge day: in 2027, Friday 7 May after Ascension and Friday 12 November after Armistice Day each give four-day weekends. Bastille Day is a Wednesday. Roads leaving Paris are jammed on the first weekend of August.
Long weekends in France in 2027
- Fri 1 – Sun 3 Jan: 3 days off
- Sat 27 – Mon 29 Mar: 3 days off
- Sat 15 – Mon 17 May: 3 days off
- Sat 30 Oct – Mon 1 Nov: 3 days off
Best bridge days
- Take Friday 7 May off after Thu 6 May → 4 days off (Thu 6 – Sun 9 May)
- Take Friday 12 Nov off after Thu 11 Nov → 4 days off (Thu 11 – Sun 14 Nov)
Calculated from the national holidays above with a Saturday–Sunday weekend; regional holidays and company rules can add days.
Frequently asked questions
- How many public holidays does France have in 2027?
- Eleven (thirteen in Alsace-Moselle).
- Is Good Friday a holiday in France?
- Only in Alsace and Moselle.
- When is Ascension 2027 in France?
- Thursday 6 May 2027.
Sources: Service-Public.fr – Jours fériés · France.fr – official tourism site