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French Riviera Local Reference INFOrmation

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Public Holidays in France, Monaco & Italy

A calendar of the national vacation days when businesses, schools and banks may close and most people get the day off in France, Monaco and Italy. With links to holidays in the UK and US.

The French for: bank holiday/public holiday/legal holiday is un jour férié

French organisations and businesses close on public holidays.
Although some shopping centres and grocers open for part of the day, the majority of shops do not.
Police stations and hospitals do not close.
When a public holiday falls on a Thursday or Tuesday, it is common practice to "make the bridge" (faire le pont) by taking off the Friday or Monday so creating a very long weekend. When this happens you may find businesses running on short staff or smaller family run business closed for the full period.

National Public Holidays in France 2009

1 January	New Year's Day/Nouvel An (Thursday)
12 April	Easter Sunday/Paques
13 April	Easter Monday/Lundi de Paques
1 May	Labour Day/Fête du Travail (Friday)
8 May	WWII Victory Day/Fête de la Victoire 1945 (Friday)
21 May	Ascension Day (Thursday)
31 May	Pentecost (Sunday)
1 June	Pentecost Monday Lundi de pentecôte
1 June	Pentecost Monday (reinstated for 2008)
14 July	Bastille Day, France's national holiday (Tuesday)
15 August	Assumption Day (Saturday)
1 November	All Saints' Day/Toussaint (Sunday)
11 November	Armistice Day 1918 (Wednesday)
25 December	Christmas Day/Noël (Friday)

National Public Holidays in Monaco 2009

1 January	New Year's Day/Jour de l'An (Thursday)
27 January	Saint-Dévote’s Day (Tuesday)
13 April	Easter Monday/Lundi de Pâques
1 May	Labour Day (Friday)
21 May	Ascension Day (Thursday)
1 June	Pentecost (Monday)
11 June	Corpus Christi/Fête Dieu (Thursday)
15 August	Assumption Day (Saturday)
1 November	All Saints' Day/Toussaint (Sunday)
19 November	Monaco National Day/Fête de S.A.S. le Prince Souverain (Thursday)
8 December	Immaculate Conception (Tuesday)
25 December	Christmas Day (Friday)

National Public Holidays in Italy 2009

1 January	New Year's Day/Capodanno (Thursday)
6 January	Epiphany/Epifania (Tuesday)
12 April	Easter Sunday
13 April	Easter Monday
25 April	Liberation Day/Anniversario della Liberazione (Saturday)
1 May	Labour Day/Festa del Lavoro (Friday)
2 June	Republic's Day/Festa nazionale della Repubblica (Tuesday)
24 June	Regional Saint's Day: Feast of St-John the Baptist (Florence, Turin, Genoa only; Wednesday)
15 August	Assumption Day/Ferragosto (Saturday)
1 November	All Saints' Day/Festa di Tutti i Santi (Sunday)
8 December	Immaculate Conception/Immacolata Concezione (Tuesday)
25 December	Christmas Day/Natale (Friday)
26 December	St Stephen’s Day/Santo Stefano (Saturday)

For more information see the French government website Service Public
For the Monaco government's publication of dates: Click here
The Ministère du Travail has information on the law as it affects employment and national public holidays: Click here (in French)