May Days: It Takes Work to Relax
LA VIE PARISIENNE In May, the leisurely French Sunday gives way to multiple long weekends. But planning how to spend those extra days off takes a lot of work!
The French may have a lot of time off, but it takes skill and strategic planning to slalom between work and play in a land where national law enshrines a 35-hour work week and five weeks of annual leave.
And then there’s the merry month of May, which this year hosts four of France’s 11 public holidays.
One Month, Four Holidays
To begin with, May 1st is Labor Day, a day off to celebrate workers’ rights. Traditionally, workplaces are closed, labor unions hold protest marches, and members of the Communist Party – among other organizations and individuals – raise funds by selling little bouquets of Lily of the Valley. Ironically, this gifting tradition can be traced back to King Charles IX who began offering them to ladies at his court in the 16th century.
But some want to work on Labor Day, especially if by choice and at twice the pay. Last year, a handful of independent bakers and florists remained open on Labor Day; 22 bakers were fined by the authorities. That triggered an as-yet unresolved national debate, allowing them to open in legal limbo this year. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu promised all would be resolved by May 1st, 2027.
Next in the calendar of public holidays, May 8th marks the end of World War II in Europe. To honor the occasion, among other events, there is a commemoration ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe where the President of the Republic lays a wreath and rekindles the flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Then there’s Ascension Thursday, a religious public holiday, which falls on May 14th this year. This sees many people take the Friday off to make a ‘pont’ (bridge), creating a four-day weekend. Teachers at schools holding classes the following Friday and Saturday expect a flood of notes excusing student absences due to “illness.”
Finally, the Monday after Pentecost (Whit Monday), on May 25th this time, is another religious holiday. For a while, this one was effectively suspended in favor of the ‘Journée de Solidarité’ (Day of Solidarity). Following the summer heatwave of 2003, which killed nearly 15,000 mainly elderly people, the idea was to use employees’ wages from that day for the benefit of senior citizens and those with disabilities. However, from 2008, the holiday was officially reinstated, and it was decided that the Day of Solidarity need not necessarily take place on Whit Monday.
This year, May features three 3-day weekends and the traditional Ascension 4-day one.
Importance of Planning Ahead
In any event, good luck booking a last-minute getaway. Parisians make their plans months – even a year – in advance.
After friends visited us last summer, they invited us to their home near the seaside town of Arcachon in the southwest for this Ascension Thursday ‘pont.’ We immediately noted the weekend of May 14th to 17th in our 2026 diaries.
Like most Parisians, we take trains to avoid traffic jams and started monitoring the SNCF railway site in January for trains to Arcachon, booking our chosen times as soon as tickets became available on January 28th. Friends of ours waited 24 hours and ended up with seats at 6:30am out on Thursday and 10:30pm back on Sunday.
Hopefully, that other famous French tradition – of transportation unions going on strike just as millions prepare to travel – won’t derail our plans.
