Q & A

Subject: Public holidays in France.

Question: Does anyone know how public holidays in France effect U.S. or other business travelers? When there are public holidays, such as Bastille Day or All Saints Day, what closes? And are their longer waits if you are traveling by train or airplane? Any information that you can shed on this topic, either in general, or per holiday, would be deeply appreciated.

Answer: The French take their holidays very seriously, as they do for Sundays. Just about all stores are closed on Sundays and public holidays, about the only things open are newsstands, gas stations, and selected restaurants. On May 1st you can’t even buy a news paper in France because just about no one works that day.

Now with travel, the trains run, that is if there is not a strike, but on a limited schedule. That said a limited schedule in France is just about like a regular schedule in the US, as trains and most other public transportation run much more often in France than in the US. The Paris subway for example runs about every five minutes or less. Hotels I am not sure about, but I would guess that most are open and do not close. Planes and airports should also be okay during holidays, if not very crowded.

Related Link: French Holidays