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2024 Holiday week planner for France

Choose the best weeks for your trip to France

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Click for best online rates for hotels near the following towns on main  holiday routes.
 Calais
 Reims
 Dijon
Beaune
 Lyon
 Rouen
 Orleans
 Tours
 Limoges
 Poitiers
 Bordeaux  Clermont-Fd.
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IMPORTANT !  Covid-19.  This table does not take into account – indeed cannot take into account – the possible return of Covid-19 travel restrictions in France / Europe in the course of 2024. It shows the busy / less busy weeks as will be expected in a 2024 free of Covid travel restrictions

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  2024


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 18th May Nuit des Musées - hundreds of museums open free until 1 a.m. 
  • European Gardens weekend:  weekend  Saturday 1st to Sunday 2nd June 2024 - 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 2024  it's a Friday night, so expect a bigger nuit than usual.
  • European Heritage Days - 16th - 17th Sept. 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 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: 30 Dec. - 6 Jan. Belgian schools on holiday
French schools on holiday

Week 27: 29 June - 6 July Start of school holidays in Belgium
Week 2: 6 Jan. - 13 Jan.

Week 28: 6 July - 13 July French school summer holidays Public Holiday: Saturday 14th July
Week 3: 13 Jan. - 20 Jan.

Week 29: 13 July - 20 July French school summer holidays
Week 4: 20 Jan. - 27 Jan.

Week 30: 20 July - 27 July French school summer holidays
Week 5: 27 Jan. - 3 Feb.

Week 31: 27 Jul. - 3 Aug. French school summer holidays
PARIS OLYMPICS all week
Week 6: 3 Feb. - 10 Feb.

Week 32: 3 Aug. - 10 Aug. French school summer holidays
PARIS OLYMPICS all week
Week 7: 10 Feb. - 17 Feb. School holidays France - Zone C - Paris
Week 33: 10 Aug. - 17 Aug. French school summer holidays Public Holiday: Tuesday 15th August
Week 8: 17 Feb. - 24 Feb. School holidays France - zone A
School holidays France - zone C - Paris

Week 34: 17 Aug. - 24 Aug. French school summer holidays
Week 9: 24 Feb. - 2 Mar.  *School holidays France - zone B
School holidays France - zone A

Week 35: 24 Aug. - 31 Aug. 31 August. End of school holidays in Belgium.
Week 10: 2 Mar. - 09 Mar. School holidays France - zone B

Week 36: 31 Aug - 7 Sep. French schools go back: Monday 2nd Sept

Week 11: 9 Mar. - 16 Mar.

Week 37: 7 Sep. - 14 Sep.
Week 12: 16 Mar. - 23 Mar

Week 38: 14 Sep. - 21 Sep. 21st 22nd  Sept Heritage Days
Week 13 23 Mar. - 30 Mar. .


Week 39: 21 Sep - 28 Sep.

Week 14: 30 Mar - 6 Apr.   School holidays in Belgium (Flanders)
 Public Holiday:
1st April (Easter Monday)

Week 40: 28 Sep. - 5 Oct.
Week 15: 6 Apr. - 13 Apr. School holidays France - Zone C - Paris
Week 41: 5 Oct. - 12 Oct.
Week 16: 13 Apr. - 20 Apr School holidays France - zone A
School holidays France - zone C - Paris

Week 42: 12 Oct. - 19 Oct.
Week 17: 20 Apr - 7 Apr  *School holidays France - zone B
School holidays France - zone A

Week 43: 19 Oct. - 26 Oct French schools on holiday 
Week 18: 27 April -  4 May School holidays France - zone B

1st May Public Holiday: (Wednesday)

Week 44: 26 Oct. - 2 Nov. French schools on holiday 
Public Holiday: Toussaint, Friday 1st Nov.

Week 19: 4 May - 11 May 8th May Public Holiday: (Wednesday)
9th May Public Holiday: (Thursday) Ascension

Week 45: 2 Nov. - 9 Nov.
Week 20: 11 May - 18 May Sat 18th May: Museums night  Free entry until 1 a.m


Week 46: 9 Nov. - 16 Nov. Public Holiday: Armistice day Monday 11th Nov.
Week 21: 18 May - 25 May 20th May Public Holiday: Monday  - Pentecôte (Whit Monday - France)
Week 47: 16 Nov. - 23 Nov.
Week 22: 25 May - 1 June
Week 48: 23 Nov. - 30 Nov.
Week 23: 1 June - 8 June Sat 1st  and Sun 2nd June : Gardens weekend

Week 49: 30 Nov. - 7 Dec.
Week 24: 8 June - 15 June

Week 50: 7 Dec. - 14 Dec.
Week 25: 15 June - 22 June
Friday 21st June - Fête de la Musique

Week 51: 14 Dec. - 21 Dec
Week 26 22 June -  29 June Week 52: 21 Dec - 28 Dec 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:

Travel section index Ferries to France Driving in France Routes to the Alps & Provence Routes to southwest France

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