General Information » Facts & Figures » Public Holidays

Five civil and six Catholic holidays dot the French calendar. Though France holds firm to the idea of separation of church and state, somehow when it comes to vacation days the French prove to be quite devout.

Le pont, or 'the bridge', is a time-honored tradition where most French workers cash in accrued overtime to create four day weekends whenever holidays fall on Tuesdays or Thursdays. For instance, as the Ascension always falls on a Thursday, the following Friday is a de facto holiday as well, which the French refer to as 'taking the bridge'.

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