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Why Tuesday August 15th is a public holiday in France

The Local France
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Why Tuesday August 15th is a public holiday in France
Don't expect much work to be done on Monday or Tuesdady. Photo by Valentine CHAPUIS / AFP

It might feel like most of France is already on holiday, but Tuesday is an extra holiday - here's why.

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August is holiday season in France, the month when offices close, many small bars, cafés and shops close and people head away from the cities towards the coasts. 

But there are some people still working (bonjour from The Local) and for those people, Tuesday August 15th is a public holiday. 

August 15th is an important date in the Catholic Church's calendar - the Assumption of the Virgin, which commemorates the day the Virgin Mary entered heaven.

READ MORE: Reader question: Why does secular France have Catholic holidays?

It's a public holiday in France, one of several Christian holidays in the secular state's calendar, but apart from the day off work and some church services not a lot else happens - so don't be expecting parades or fireworks (we save those for the Fête nationale on July 14th).

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As mentioned, many businesses already close up for August, but at least in the cities most shops and cafés will stay open on Tuesday, since it's not a major holiday.

This year assomption falls on a Tuesday, making a nice opportunity to faire le pont, meaning many workers take a day off on Monday allowing themselves a lovely four-day weekend. As such, traffic is expected to be heavier than usual on French roads. 

When is the next public holiday? 

Brace yourselves, because after Tuesday, the next national public holiday won’t be until November 1st - Toussaint, or All Saints Day.

That falls in the middle of the week, on a Wednesday this year.

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ndh 2022/08/17 18:43
Yport (76) has its main village festival - Bénédiction de la mer - on Assumption day, with a parade from the Church to the village to the seafront, a thanksgiving service, lots of artists in the village painting followed by an art auction etc. The Casino stages an open air concert and fireworks display the night before (but this year's fireworks have been postponed until September as they would have been a fire risk due to the drought and very dry ground).

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