2026 Holiday week planner for France

Choose the best weeks for your trip to France

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Calais
Reims
Dijon
Beaune
Lyon
Rouen
Orleans
Tours
Limoges
Poitiers
Bordeaux Clermont-Fd.

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Use the table below to check the peak holiday weeks, when tourist traffic is heaviest and resorts most crowded, the intermediate weeks , and the off-peak weeks when holiday traffic is lightest, and hotels and resorts least crowded.

Click here for
French school holiday dates 2026

Key: Busiest holiday weeks _____ Busy weeks _____ :
Recommended off peak weeks (winter) _____ : spring to autumn ______

Special events (throughout France) are highlighted in yellow:

Bank holidays (public holidays) are marked in red. See Public holidays
Museums Saturday 23 May 2026 Nuit des Musées - hundreds of museums open free until 1 a.m.
European Gardens weekend: weekend Saturday 6th to Sunday 7th June 2026 - Journées des Jardins - thousands of public and private gardens all over France open for free visits. Some only open this weekend.
Music night: Fête de la Musique: Midsummer's Day. Many free concerts, plus music in the streets in most towns until midnight or later. In 2026 it's a Sunday night, so expect a bit less than usual.
European Heritage Days - 19th - 20th Sept 2026. Journées du Patrimoine: an opportunity to visit monuments that are not usually open to the public, as well as those that are. Special guided tours at many locations.
NB: Weeks in the table below are indicated Saturday to Saturday inclusive, in line with common holiday accommodation and package booking habits.

Winter and Spring 2026			Summer and Autumn
Week Sat-Sat	Dates Sat-Sat	Holiday status / special events	Week Sat-Sat	Dates Sat-Sat	Holiday status / special events
Week 1:	27 Dec 2025 - 3 Jan 2026	Belgian schools on holiday French schools on holiday	Week 27:	4 July - 11 July	Start of school holidays in Belgium
Week 2:	3 Jan. - 10 Jan.		Week 28:	11 July - 18 July	French school summer holidays Public Holiday: Tuesday 14th July
Week 3:	10 Jan. - 17 Jan.		Week 29:	18 July - 25 July	French school summer holidays
Week 4:	17 Jan. - 24 Jan.		Week 30:	25 July - 1 Aug.	French school summer holidays
Week 5:	24 Jan. - 31 Jan.		Week 31:	1 Aug. - 8 Aug.	French school summer holidays
Week 6:	31 Jan. - 7 Feb.		Week 32:	8 Aug. - 15 Aug.	French school summer holidays
Week 7:	7 Feb. - 14 Feb.	School holidays France - zone A	Week 33:	15 Aug. - 22 Aug.	French school summer holidays Public Holiday: Saturday 15th August
Week 8:	14 Feb. - 21 Feb.	School holidays France - zone A School holidays France - zone B	Week 34:	22 Aug. - 29 Aug.	French school summer holidays
Week 9:	21 Feb. - 28 Feb.	School holidays France - zone B School holidays France - zone C - Paris	Week 35:	29 Aug. - 5 Sep.	French schools go back: Tuesday 1st Sept
Week 10:	28 Feb. - 7 Mar.	School holidays France - zone C - Paris	Week 36:	5 Sep - 12 Sep.
Week 11:	7 Mar. - 14 Mar.		Week 37:	12 Sep. - 19 Sep.
Week 12:	14 Mar. - 21 Mar		Week 38:	19 Sep. - 26 Sep.	19th 20th Sept Heritage Days
Week 13	21 Mar. - 28 Mar.	.	Week 39:	26 Sep - 3 Oct.
Week 14:	28 Mar - 4 Apr.		Week 40:	3 Oct. - 10 Oct.
Week 15:	4 Apr. - 11 Apr.	School holidays France - zone A 6th April Easter Monday Public Holiday:	Week 41:	10 Oct. - 17 Oct.
Week 16:	11 Apr. - 18 Apr	School holidays France - zone A School holidays France - zone B	Week 42:	17 Oct. - 24 Oct.	French schools on holiday
Week 17:	18 Apr - 25 Apr	School holidays France - zone B School holidays France - zone C - Paris	Week 43:	24 Oct. - 31 Oct	French schools on holiday
Week 18:	25 April - 2 May	School holidays France - zone C - Paris 1st May Public Holiday: (Friday)	Week 44:	31 Oct. - 7 Nov.	Public Holiday: Toussaint, Sunday 1st Nov.
Week 19:	2 May - 9 May	8th May Public Holiday: (Friday)	Week 45:	7 Nov. - 14 Nov.
Week 20:	9 May - 16 May	14th May Public Holiday: (Thursday) Ascension	Week 46:	14 Nov. - 21 Nov.	Public Holiday: Armistice day Wednesday 11th Nov.
Week 21:	16 May - 23 May	Sat 16th May: Museums night Free entry until 1 a.m	Week 47:	21 Nov. - 28 Nov.
Week 22:	23 May - 30 May	25th May Public Holiday: Monday - Pentecôte (Whit Monday - France)	Week 48:	28 Nov. - 5 Dec.
Week 23:	30 May - 6 June		Week 49:	5 Dec. - 12 Dec.
Week 24:	6 June - 13 June	Sat 6th and Sun 7th June : Gardens weekend	Week 50:	12 Dec. - 19 Dec.
Week 25:	13 June - 20 June		Week 51:	19 Dec. - 26 Dec	French school holidays Belgian school holidays
Week 26	20 June - 27 June	Sunday 21st June - Fête de la Musique	Week 52:	26 Dec - 2 Jan	French school holidays Belgian school holidays

* French school holiday zones: France is divided into three parts for certain school holiday dates. Zone C is notably the Greater Paris area + the extreme south of France (Languedoc-Pyrenees), and the zone that causes most extra holiday traffic on the roads. Full details on French school holiday zones
Points worth bearing in mind:
Driving conditons: in busy holiday/ vacation periods, motorways towards holiday areas (and from holiday areas) are busiest at the weekend, particularly on Saturdays. During other periods of the year, Saturdays and Sundays are the best time to travel, as traffic is lighter, and there are less lorries / trucks on the roads. See Driving in France for more details.
Hotels, attractions, restaurants: Out of season, and specifically in places where tourism is the main industry, many hotels, restaurants and attractions are closed. Those that are open are often cheaper out of season that at peak periods. For more information about hotels, attractions, eating out, visit:

Choosing a hotel in France
Restaurants and eating out in France
Weekend break in France - ten easily accessible places
Tourist attractions in France
Skiing in the French Alps
Routes through France from Calais

Travel section index

Ferries to France

Driving in France

Routes to the Alps & Provence

Routes to southwest France

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For driving information concerning peak holiday periods and avoiding heavy traffic , see ► Driving in France