Public holidays

France recognizes eleven statutory public holidays under the Labour Code (Code du Travail). These designated days are: New Year's Day (January 1st), Easter Monday, Labour Day (May 1st), Victory Day (May 8th), Ascension Day (39 days after Easter), Whit Monday (50 days after Easter), Bastille Day or National Day (July 14th), Assumption of Mary (August 15th), All Saints' Day (November 1st), Armistice Day (November 11th), and Christmas Day (December 25th).

The legal framework governing public holidays in France is established in Chapter III of the Labour Code, specifically Articles L3133-1 to L3133-12, as codified in the official legislative database Légifrance. These provisions define which days are recognized as jours fériés and establish the rights and obligations of employers and employees on these dates.

On public holidays, employees are generally entitled to rest and cannot be required to work unless their role falls within essential services or their employment contract explicitly permits work on such days. When work is performed on a public holiday, employees are typically entitled to additional compensation or compensatory time off, depending on the terms of their employment agreement and applicable collective bargaining agreements.

Payroll teams must ensure that public holidays are correctly identified in their systems and that employee compensation reflects the statutory requirements for these days. The dates of moveable holidays such as Easter Monday, Ascension Day, and Whit Monday must be recalculated annually based on the Easter calendar. Employers should verify compliance with both national legislation and any sector-specific collective agreements that may impose additional obligations regarding public holiday compensation.