In 2025, five public holidays fall on weekdays, including two Tuesdays and one Thursday. Employees in the private sector benefit on average from 25 working days of paid leave per year, but poor planning can reduce the actual impact of these days on the length of vacations.
Some companies require taking leave during annual closure periods, while others allow a great deal of freedom in choosing. The positioning of public holidays can allow for up to nine days of rest by taking only four days off.
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What are the public holidays and long weekends not to miss in 2025?
The 2025 calendar in France looks promising for those who enjoy organizing their rest periods. Starting January 1st, which falls on a Wednesday, the tone is set: most public holidays fall right in the middle of the week. This distribution opens up attractive prospects for creating long weekends and building extended breaks.
Here are the main opportunities to note for organizing your leave:
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- The Easter Monday (April 21) is the first chance to stretch the spring, with a public holiday on Monday.
- In May, Labor Day (Thursday, May 1), Victory 1945 (Thursday, May 8), and Ascension (Thursday, May 29) follow one another. Taking the Friday after any of these days allows for four consecutive days of rest each time.
- Pentecost Monday (June 9) and National Day (Monday, July 14) provide two more weeks starting with a public holiday on Monday, ideal for a breather at the beginning of the week.
- Assumption (August 15) falls on a Friday, naturally creating a long weekend.
- Armistice (Tuesday, November 11) allows for connecting Sunday to Tuesday by simply taking Monday, November 10 off.
- Christmas (Thursday, December 25) offers a four-day winter break for those who take Friday, December 26 off.
Only All Saints’ Day (Saturday, November 1) fits less well into the calendar game, as it falls on a weekend. For the rest, the year 2025 skillfully combines recovery periods and flexibility. To refine your planning, compare this setup with the number of working days in 2024: you can adjust your strategy to make the most of your vacations or a well-deserved break. This year, France confirms its reputation as a land conducive to the art of maximizing days off.
Concrete examples and tips for taking leave at the right time this year
Leveraging the calendar to your advantage is almost a science in 2025. The month of May, for example, stands out with its three public holidays on Thursdays: the 1st, the 8th, and the 29th. Taking a day off on the Friday following any of these days gives you a four-day weekend. Repeat this operation each of these weeks, and you unlock nine days of rest by taking only three Fridays off. Add to this Pentecost Monday (June 9), which is accessible without taking leave, and the period extends effortlessly.
For those who prefer to focus on summer, National Day (Monday, July 14) and Assumption (Friday, August 15) naturally create two three-day weekends. Employees with RTT can also rely on these dates to better distribute their absences and maintain team balance.
However, the success of a good planning does not solely rely on luck: collective anticipation matters just as much. It is better to coordinate early with colleagues to avoid congestion during the same periods. Shared tools, whether simple spreadsheets or collaborative platforms, make the distribution of leave smoother and limit calendar conflicts. Families must juggle with the school calendar: leaving before or after the summer holidays, especially in May or June, allows for more peaceful travel and often at better rates.
By combining early planning, wise use of public holidays, and dialogue within the team, it becomes possible to orchestrate your breaks without putting the collective at risk. This agility in organization suggests a more serene 2025, benefiting both employees and employers.