{"id":27027,"date":"2026-07-24T06:22:30","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T18:22:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.publicholidaycalendar.com\/en\/?p=27027"},"modified":"2026-07-24T06:22:30","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T18:22:30","slug":"how-many-bank-holidays-do-the-french-get-a-complete-guide-to-french-public-holidays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.publicholidaycalendar.com\/zh\/how-many-bank-holidays-do-the-french-get-a-complete-guide-to-french-public-holidays\/","title":{"rendered":"How Many Bank Holidays Do the French Get? A Complete Guide to French Public Holidays"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.publicholidaycalendar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/pexels-photo-196648-2.jpeg\" alt=\"How Many Bank Holidays Do the French Get? A Complete Guide to French Public Holidays\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Hello everyone, I am your dedicated public holiday assistant. Recently, a little friend consulted me about the title of how many bank holidays do the French get. Now I will summarize the relevant problems, hoping to help the little friends who want to know.<\/p>\n<p>So, you\u2019re curious about how many bank holidays the French get, huh? Maybe you\u2019re planning a trip to France, thinking about moving there for work, or just wondering how their time off stacks up against what you\u2019re used to. It\u2019s a solid question because France is famous for its work-life balance\u2014people always talk about their long lunches, tons of vacation, and those cozy caf\u00e9 breaks. But when it comes to official public holidays, or \u201cjours f\u00e9ri\u00e9s\u201d as the French call them, there\u2019s a bit more to unpack than just a simple number. Let\u2019s break it down in plain American English so you get the full picture without any fancy jargon.<\/p>\n<p>First off, France officially has 11 national public holidays each year. That\u2019s the number that applies to pretty much everyone working in the country, regardless of region or industry. These are set by law, and most businesses, schools, and government offices shut down on these days. But here\u2019s the kicker: not all of them are mandatory days off for private-sector workers. Yeah, it\u2019s a little confusing, but I\u2019ll explain in a sec. The 11 holidays include New Year\u2019s Day (January 1), Easter Monday (moves around in March or April), Labor Day (May 1), Victory in Europe Day (May 8), Ascension Day (40 days after Easter), Whit Monday (Pentecost Monday, in May or June), Bastille Day (July 14), Assumption Day (August 15), All Saints\u2019 Day (November 1), Armistice Day (November 11), and Christmas Day (December 25). That\u2019s the core list\u2014no surprises there.<\/p>\n<p>But wait, there\u2019s more. Some regions in France, like Alsace and Moselle, get two extra holidays because of historical ties to Germany: Good Friday and St. Stephen\u2019s Day (December 26). So if you\u2019re in those areas, you\u2019re looking at 13 public holidays total. Also, May 1 (Labor Day) is super special\u2014it\u2019s the only holiday that\u2019s almost always a mandatory paid day off for everyone, even if you usually work on Sundays. Pretty cool, right?<\/p>\n<p>Now, here\u2019s where it gets tricky for workers. Unlike in the US where federal holidays are usually a guaranteed day off, in France, many public holidays are only required to be paid if you actually work that day (with overtime rates) or if they fall on a normal working day. If a holiday lands on a weekend? Too bad\u2014you don\u2019t get a replacement day off unless your contract or collective agreement says so. But French labor law is generous in other ways. On top of these 11 (or 13) bank holidays, full-time employees are legally entitled to five weeks of paid vacation per year. That\u2019s right, five weeks! Combine that with the holidays, and the French can easily get six, seven, or even eight weeks of total time off if they plan it smart. Plus, there\u2019s a tradition called \u201cfaire le pont\u201d (making a bridge)\u2014if a holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, many people take the Monday or Friday off to create a long weekend. It\u2019s not mandatory, but it\u2019s super common.<\/p>\n<p>So, to answer the big question directly: the French get 11 national bank holidays a year, with a couple of regional extras. But because of their hefty vacation allowance and the bridge habit, their total paid time off is way above what Americans typically get. If you\u2019re comparing to the US, where there are only 11 federal holidays and most people get just 10 to 15 vacation days, France easily doubles that. No wonder the French are known for their laid-back lifestyle\u2014they\u2019ve got the time to enjoy it!<\/p>\n<h2>Questions related to how many bank holidays do the French get<\/h2>\n<p>I know you might still have a few questions spinning around, so let me hit some of the most common ones people ask. First up: \u201cAre all French bank holidays paid?\u201d The short answer is no\u2014only May 1 is guaranteed paid for all workers. For others, it depends on your contract and whether you actually work that day. If you do work, you usually get extra pay or compensatory time off. Second: \u201cDo French schools close on bank holidays?\u201d Yes, all schools are closed on these days, and they also get the standard school breaks. Third: \u201cWhat happens when a bank holiday falls on a weekend?\u201d Typically, you don\u2019t get a make-up day unless your employer is super generous or it\u2019s stipulated in a union agreement. Fourth: \u201cDo part-time workers get the same number of bank holidays?\u201d Mostly, but it\u2019s prorated based on hours worked. And fifth: \u201cHow does this compare to other European countries?\u201d France is about average in Europe\u2014Germany also has 9 to 13 depending on region, and Spain has 12. So the French aren\u2019t the extreme holiday kings, but they\u2019re definitely up there.<\/p>\n<p>To wrap it all up, the French get 11 national bank holidays, with a couple of regional bonuses in Alsace-Moselle. But the real story is how those holidays combine with their generous paid leave and cultural love for long weekends. It\u2019s not just about the number\u2014it\u2019s about how they use that time to actually rest, travel, and enjoy life. Whether you\u2019re planning a trip around Bastille Day fireworks or just curious about work-life balance, knowing this helps you understand French culture a little better. And hey, if you ever get the chance to experience a bridge day in Paris, grab it\u2014you won\u2019t regret it.<\/p>\n<p>public holiday calendar.COM Thank you for reading, I hope this article can help you fully understand the <b>how many bank holidays do the French get<\/b>\uff0c\u5982\u679c\u60a8\u8fd8\u6709\u5176\u4ed6\u95ee\u9898\uff0c\u8bf7\u8054\u7cfb\u6211\u4eec\u3002<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hello everyone, I am your dedicated public holiday assistant. Recently, a little friend consulted me about the title of how many bank holidays do the French get. Now I will summarize the relevant problems, hoping to help the little friends who want to know. So, you\u2019re curious about how many bank holidays the French get,&#8230;<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27026,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","slim_seo":{"title":"How Many Bank Holidays Do the French Get? A Complete Guide to French Public Holidays - Public Holiday Calendar","description":"Hello everyone, I am your dedicated public holiday assistant. 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