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Ponts Malins

French leave planner and bridge ideas

Calendar

French public holidays 2026

The full calendar, the dates that matter most, then a few simple reading cues to know when to switch back to the planner.

Official references

What belongs to the national rule set

Some questions come from national rules, others depend on your employer, collective agreement or status. Ponts Malins should stay clear about that boundary.

Official rule

Public holidays, bridge days and paid days: check the exact framework

The planner helps identify the best dates, but it does not replace the rules applying to your workplace. Whether a public holiday is paid, whether a bridge day is granted or what happens when a holiday falls on Sunday must be checked in the right framework.

Official calendar

Zones A, B, C: only the official school calendar is authoritative

School zones and holiday dates must be read from the calendar published by the Ministry of Education. Ponts Malins summarizes them to help you decide faster, not to replace the source.

At a glance

The useful question is not “how many holidays” but “which ones help”

A yearly list is useful only if it helps you spot the dates that create a bridge opportunity. Start with weekdays, then focus on the dates closest to a weekend.

Official dates

11

public holidays in the French calendar.

Useful first

9

fall on weekdays and can create a bridge.

Already lost

2

fall on a weekend and usually need no action.

Examples

Three dates worth opening in the planner

January 2026

Jour de l'an

Thursday 1 January 2026

Open the planner on this month, keep your real leave budget, then compare the single-bridge and multiple-bridges modes.

April 2026

Lundi de Pâques

Monday 6 April 2026

Open the planner on this month, keep your real leave budget, then compare the single-bridge and multiple-bridges modes.

May 2026

Fête du Travail

Friday 1 May 2026

Open the planner on this month, keep your real leave budget, then compare the single-bridge and multiple-bridges modes.

All official dates

11 public holidays

Keep this table as a reference, then switch back to the bridge page or the planner when one date deserves a real test.

DateHolidayWeekday
Thursday 1 January 2026Jour de l'anWeekday
Monday 6 April 2026Lundi de PâquesWeekday
Friday 1 May 2026Fête du TravailWeekday
Friday 8 May 2026Victoire 1945Weekday
Thursday 14 May 2026AscensionWeekday
Monday 25 May 2026Lundi de PentecôteWeekday
Tuesday 14 July 2026Fête nationaleWeekday
Saturday 15 August 2026AssomptionWeekend
Sunday 1 November 2026ToussaintWeekend
Wednesday 11 November 2026Armistice 1918Weekday
Friday 25 December 2026NoëlWeekday

Next step

Use these dates well