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LIVING IN FRANCE

Why Tuesday August 15th is a public holiday in France

It might feel like most of France is already on holiday, but Tuesday is an extra holiday - here's why.

Published: 12 August 2022 17:00 CEST
Updated: 15 August 2023 10:35 CEST

Why Tuesday August 15th is a public holiday in France

Don't expect much work to be done on Monday or Tuesdady. Photo by Valentine CHAPUIS / AFP

August is holiday season in France, the month when offices close, many small bars, cafés and shops close and people head away from the cities towards the coasts.

But there are some people still working (bonjour from The Local) and for those people, Tuesday August 15th is a public holiday.

August 15th is an important date in the Catholic Church’s calendar – the Assumption of the Virgin, which commemorates the day the Virgin Mary entered heaven.

READ MORE: Reader question: Why does secular France have Catholic holidays?

It’s a public holiday in France, one of several Christian holidays in the secular state’s calendar, but apart from the day off work and some church services not a lot else happens – so don’t be expecting parades or fireworks (we save those for the Fête nationale on July 14th).

As mentioned, many businesses already close up for August, but at least in the cities most shops and cafés will stay open on Tuesday, since it’s not a major holiday.

This year assomption falls on a Tuesday, making a nice opportunity to faire le pont, meaning many workers take a day off on Monday allowing themselves a lovely four-day weekend. As such, traffic is expected to be heavier than usual on French roads.

When is the next public holiday?

Brace yourselves, because after Tuesday, the next national public holiday won’t be until November 1st – Toussaint, or All Saints Day.

That falls in the middle of the week, on a Wednesday this year.

8 signs August has arrived in France

Member comments

Anonymous - 17 August 2022 at 18:43 CEST

Yport (76) has its main village festival – Bénédiction de la mer – on Assumption day, with a parade from the Church to the village to the seafront, a thanksgiving service, lots of artists in the village painting followed by an art auction etc. The Casino stages an open air concert and fireworks display the night before (but this year’s fireworks have been postponed until September as they would have been a fire risk due to the drought and very dry ground).

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What to expect on May 1st in France

May 1st is a significant day in the French calendar, with a lot of history and events around the country.

Here’s what to expect this year;

Day off

May 1st is a public holiday and this year it falls on a Wednesday, meaning a day off for most workers.

It forms an opportunity to ‘faire le viaduct’, so don’t be surprised if your colleagues have booked either the Monday and Tuesday or the Thursday and Friday off work to create an extended break.

Closures

Most workplaces will be closed on Wednesday, including all public administration offices such as préfectures and mairies. Some smaller offices may also have revised opening hours for the rest of the week if their staff have booked extra holiday, so it would be worth checking in advance if you’re planning a visit.

The Eiffel Tower will be open but both the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay close on May 1st. If you’re planning a visit to a smaller site it is worth checking in advance.

Smaller independent shops will mostly close for the day, some larger businesses and chains may be open but with reduced hours. Many supermarkets will close for the day.

Some restaurants, cafés and bars will stay open but many others will close so it’s definitely worth booking or at least checking opening hours if you are planning dinner or drinks out.

Demonstrations

May 1st has, since 1889, been International Workers’ Day and around the world there are demonstrations and marches held on the day as a demonstration of international solidarity.

This is a tradition that France has embraced with enthusiasm and most towns and cities will have a manif (demo). These are mostly organised by trade unions and are in the main calm and peaceful – families take their kids and there is music and snacks at the departure points.

There are serious subjects to be addressed, however, and this year many of the marches are focused on the rising cost of living and the increasing number of people living in a precarious financial situation, although some marches will also focus on issues such as gender inequality and climate change, while others will prioritise local issues such as funding for schools.

Expect road closures along the demo route and a heavy police presence – as is common with demos, there may be some trouble or violence towards the end of the march in the bigger French cities.

Flowers

Before it was International Workers’ Day, May 1st was a festival with pagan roots celebrating the arrival of spring, and some of the traditions hark back to that.

In northern France you may (possibly) still see the ‘May tree‘ – a tree that a young man plants outside the home of the woman he wanted to marry.

Meanwhile all over the country you will see stalls selling bunches or pots of the pretty white lily-of-the-valley flowers (muguet).

These are a tradition going right back to the 1500s and are said to bring good luck. Florists and supermarkets sell them but you’ll also see temporary stalls set up, many run by trade unions or leftist groups who are raising funds for their organisation.

Muguet: France’s lucky May flower

Weather

Tradition might say that May 1st ushers in the return of les beaux jours, or the beautiful, sunny days of spring and summer, but this year the weather appears to have other ideas.

Unusually cold weather will persist through the week, with May 1st forecast to be rainy in many areas.

Traffic

If you’re heading to a popular local leisure spot like a beach or make on May 1st traffic might be heavier than usual, but traffic watchdog Bison futé has no alerts listed for Wednesday. Instead, traffic is predicted to be heavier on Saturday as people return from their extended ‘pont’ weekend, while the school holidays also finish for Zone B (northern France plus Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur).

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