Calendar and events
France is a country full of traditions, festivals, markets and events
of all kinds.
Most towns and villages have a special "Saint's day", which
is celebrated. The famous "Fete de la musique" has spread across into
many countries.
The most important date is still the 14th of July, which is Bastille
day, the festival of the French revolution.
France is split into 3 different zones for the school holidays, each
zone taking turns to being school holidays. This is to ease road taffic.
The average French worker has 5 weeks of paid holiday each year.
January
1st : Jour de l'An (New years day)
7th: Épiphanie
February
11th : Notre Dame de Lourdes (Our Lady of Lourdes)
March
x
April
1st: Les Rameaux
29th : Souvenir Déportés (Rememberance day for the
deported WWII)
Also
Pasques (Easter)
May
1st : Fête du travail (labour day, tradtionally people offer
"Muguet" Lily-of-the-Valley flowers)
8th : Victoire (V-day 1945)
13th : Fête de Jeanne d'Arc
Also
Acension
F1 Grand Prix Monaco
Pentecôte, with the following Monday being a national holiday.
Fête des Mères (Mothers day)
International film festival at Cannes
International tennis open of
France at the Rolland Garros stadium, Paris
May has three national holidays, with many people taking an extra
day when possible to have a long weekend. The French say that there
are two types of the month of May. The first is for the Bosses, when
the holidays fall on a weekend, the second is for the workers when
the holidays fall on Tuesdays or Thursdays, allowing long weekends.
June
3rd Sunday : Fête des Pères ( Fathers day)
Also:
24 heures at Le Mans (Le Mans 24 hours)
Mid June Nice Jazz festival
July
Tour de France bicycle race, www.letour.fr
14th : Fête Nationale (celebrating the taking of the Bastille
in Paris during the revolution 1789)
August
15th : Assomption
Also:
The 1st and 15th are very important dates for departures and returns
of main holidays, the roads will have heavy traffic.
September
1st Sunday : Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp
October
5th : Saint François d'Assise
November
1st : Toussaint (All saints day)
11th: L'Armistice (1918 WWI)
Also:
International Food Festival in Dijon,
"La Foire Gastronomique", one of the most important food fairs
in the world, attracting hundres of thousands of visitors each year.
Les Trois Glorieuses very famous wine auction at the Hospices of
Beaune
December
25th December : Noël (Christmas day)
31st : Saint Sylvestre (New Years eve)
Also
First Sunday is Avent
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