6 French Holidays To Celebrate This Year 

France is a country that takes its cultural festivities seriously. With eleven official public holidays each year, and many other unofficial holidays, we are a nation that loves a celebration – be it for a religious, national, cultural, music, art or culinary reason. 

French holidays are exciting, diverse and steeped in tradition, and we welcome all to partake in these celebrations with us. 

If you’re eager to observe a French holiday this year, here are six of our major events, and how to ring them in like a local. 

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1. La Fête Du Travail 

When: May 1

The first day of May sees the French celebrate La Fête du Travail, our version of May Day or Labour Day. This national holiday acknowledges workers rights, and for many years it has been marked by protests or strikes.  

The Lily of the Valley – “muguets” in France – is the floral emblem of La Fête du Travail, and on this day, vendors across the city sell these beautiful flowers that have centuries of history in France, and are said to bring good luck. It’s the one day of the year when you can sell flowers in France without obtaining a permit.

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2. La Fête De La Musique 

When: June 21

If you’re a music fan, you can’t miss the La Fête de la Musique, held each year on June 21st. This French festival, known in English as World Music Day, sees French cities erupt with live music across many public spaces. This way, anyone can attend and enjoy the festivities. 

La Fête de la Musique marks the Summer Solstice, and in Paris, where it has been celebrated for decades, it’s a vibrant celebration that everyone looks forward to! 

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3. Bastille Day 

When: July 14 

Bastille Day is France’s national holiday, and all across the country on this day in mid-summer, the French celebrate our culture and history in elaborate and exciting ways. This public holiday is a chance to get together with friends and family, to eat fabulous French food and to toast to France. 

Paris holds large Bastille Day celebrations, and the streets are decked out in French flags and light displays. The city also holds an extraordinary fireworks show, and the entire city comes alive with a party atmosphere. No matter where you are in France on Bastille Day, you can guarantee that it will be a memorable experience. 

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4. Assumption 

When: August 15 

A more obscure French holiday but no less important to many, Assumption marks the final journey of Mary, Jesus’ mother, to heaven. This day is celebrated across France by many, particularly in the Brittany region, where they mark it with local gatherings, masses, shrines, processions and firework displays.

If you find yourself in Paris during Assumption, the annual ritual begins at Notre Dame Cathedral, where the statue of the Virgin Mary is taken out onto a boat in the Seine for a river procession. A second procession occurs on foot near Notre Dame the following day.

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5. La Toussaint 

When: November 1 

A more sombre occasion than other French holidays, but still an important day on the cultural calendar for many, is La Toussaint. 

On the first of November, All Saint’s Day. those who have lost loved ones visit their resting places and place chrysanthemums on their graves.  

This Catholic tradition commemorates not just the dead, but the Catholic Saints. At midnight, those who participate in La Toussaint eat a special meal and spent time with their nearest and dearest, while remembering those they have lost.  

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6. Armistice Day

When: November 11 

Many countries across the world acknowledge November 11, in the form of Remembrance Day, Veterans Day, or in France (and the UK), Armistice Day. Armistice Day is the day we pay tribute to our fallen heroes of wars that France has taken part in, and we have marked this official holiday for over 100 years. At 11am on the 11/11 we hold a minute’s silence for those who have served, and to mark the day in 1918 that World War I ended. 

On Armistice Day in France, each city has military gun salutes and bugle calls, and leaders place wreaths on major memorials, including in Paris. This is a profoundly important French holiday, and is sure to leave an impression on you. 

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How many of these French holidays have you celebrated?

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