2023 Holiday week planner for France

IMPORTANT !  Covid-19.  This table does not take into account – indeed cannot take into account – the extension or removal of Covid-19 travel restrictions in France / Europe in the course of 2023. It shows the busy / less busy weeks as will be expected in a 2023 free of Covid travel restrictions

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