Paris | Visiting France

France Holidays and Festivals

Paris Christmas

Below is a list of some of the popular French holidays and festivals that take place throughout the year. Some holidays and festivals are celebrated in all French cities, while others are specific to one town or region.

Valentine’s Day
Paris is one of the most romantic places in the world to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Easter
Easter is a two-day holiday in France, with the Monday after Easter being a public holiday.

Bastille Day
Bastille Day is a big celebration every year, and features fireworks over the Eiffel Tower.

Fete de la Musique
France comes alive every summer during the Fete de la Musiqe, an annual music festival that features concerts at many venues throughout France.

Carnaval de Nice
The Carnaval de Nice is a festival in the southern French city that takes place before Lent each year.

Christmas
Many French cities come alive at Christmastime with festive decorations, Christmas markets, and more.

New Year’s Eve
Ringing in the new year in Paris is a great way to celebrate the occasion.

Les Voiles d’Antibes
Every summer the French Riviera town of Antibes hosts a sailing regatta that attracts visitors from all over the world.

Tour de France
The Tour de France is one of the most important events of the year on the cycling calendar, and many regions of the country come alive as the tour passes through.

Easter in Paris

Bridge in Paris

If you are planning to spend Easter in Paris or another part of France, here are some tips to help you get the most out of your stay:

Easter is a two-day holiday in France; it covers Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. Easter Monday is a public holiday in France. Good Friday is not a public holiday in France.

While most businesses, museums, and monuments in Paris keep their regular hours during Easter weekend, some close for part or all of the Easter holiday.

Easter Church Services in Paris: Churches in Paris and elsewhere in France hold Easter services. Many visitors attend services at the Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame, or Madeline.

Best Day Trips from Paris

Giverny Gardens

Paris is at the heart of a vast rail and road network, making it an easy place from which to do day trips and other short trips. Here are some of the best day trips from Paris:

Versailles
The famous palace of Versailles needs no introduction. It is one of the most popular day trips from Paris, and is easy to do.

Giverny
Monet’s famous gardens at Giverny are one of the best day trips from Paris. The gardens are particularly pretty in the spring and summer.

Reims
With its famous cathedral and great Champagne, Reims is the perfect day trip from Paris.

Chartres
Another cathedral city, Chartres attracts visitors from all over the world.

Loire Valley
The Loire Valley is known for its wine and chateaux, and it is a great place to spend a day or two exploring.

Disneyland Paris
Disneyland Paris offers fun for children of all ages. You can go there for the day from the capital, or stay overnight to extend your visit.

Fontainebleau
Like Versailles, the palace of Fontainebleau makes an easy day trip for those that love history, art, and architecture.

Brussels
It’s easy to travel from the capital of France to the capital of Belgium when you are visiting Europe, and Brussels makes for a great day trip.

Bruges
Bruges is an ambitious but do-able day trip, and the city’s medieval architecture makes it one of the prettiest places in Belgium.