Holidays & Celebrations

Mark your calendars with France’s public holidays, attend the local celebrations and festivals, and take part in the country’s holiday traditions.

Woman popping a champagne bottle during New Year's Eve in France.

Celebrating New Year’s Eve in France

French New Year’s Eve celebrations will leave you buzzing, both from excitement and lots and lots of champagne. Here’s what to expect.

10 things you need to know about Halloween in France

If you’re expecting to celebrate an American-style Halloween in France, you might want to check out these 10 facts first.

French public holidays in 2026

Ready for a day off? Here’s a list of French public holidays, as well as other dates to mark on your calendar in 2024, 2025, and 2026.

King of the carnaval moves past the dancing ballarina with bubbles floating in to the sky with hundreds of people watching at Carnaval de Nice in 2019.

Top 10 French festivals you don’t want to miss

From kites and lemons to dragons and opera, we share the best French festivals to help you experience the country’s vibrant culture.

The front of a French restaurant decorated for Christmas as shown from the street

Christmas in France: 10 French holiday traditions

From Advent calendars to les papillottes, make your holiday season truly special with these 10 French Christmas traditions.

French school holidays in 2026–2027

Here’s a list of French school holidays for the 2026–2027 academic year, along with where to find the official 2027–2028 dates once they’re published, so you can plan holidays and childcare in advance. For parents, school is important. For children, the days in between the schedule are a bigger deal. The French school holidays cover […]