There are many perks of working in France. Alongside generous holiday allowances and a 35-hour working week, there are 11 French public holidays (13 for lucky workers in Alsace and Moselle). Here’s when, how, and why France celebrates those much-anticipated jours fériés.
Holidays and Celebrations
In these, posts, you’ll learn all about holidays and celebrations in France.
What does “Poisson d’Avril” mean? April Fools’ Day in France is a solemn celebration dedicated to Saint Andrew, the patron saint of fishermen. Ha, poisson d’avril (Meaning: Fish of April)! Like everywhere else, France marks April 1 with pranks. But where do fish fit in? Read on to learn more about the French tradition of …
Learn French this Christmas!👉 Marché de Noël (Christmas market) »👉 French Christmas vocabulary »👉 French Christmas songs » Updated October 12, 2025 — Written by Calli Zarpas — Guest Contributor to FrenchLearner If you’ve ever wondered what Christmas is really like in France, let me take you there. I spent the holidays here myself — …
👉 See also: Feu d’artifice — fireworks » Bastille Day is the national holiday of France. In French, it is called called La Fête Nationale (pronounced la fɛt nasjɔnal) or La Fête de la Bastille (pronounced la fɛt də la bastij), and is celebrated annually on le quatorze juillet (the 14th of July). Bastille Day …
👉 See also: Je t’aime (I love you) — Word of the Day lesson » Lesson written by French teacher David Issokson for students who want to learn French online. Valentine’s Day In France is called la Saint-Valentin or la Fête des Amoureux (Lover’s Day). Here’s a complete list of fun words and phrases you …





