If you’re planning a holiday in the Pyrénées-Orientales in 2017, (or long term planning for the future), do bear in mind the dates of the numerous ‘jours fériés’ (bank holidays) during which some or all  shops and businesses may be closed.

New Year’s Day (Jour de l’An)
1st January

Good Friday (Vendredi  Saint)
30th March

Easter Sunday (Dimanche de Pâques)
1st April

Easter Monday (Lundi de Pâques)
2nd April

May Day (La Fête du Travail)
1st May

VE Day – WWII Victory Day (Fête de la Victoire
8th May

Ascension Day (Le Jour de l’Ascension – 40 days after Easter Sunday)
10th May

Whit Sunday (Pentecôte)
20th May

Whit Monday (Lundi de Pentecôte)
21st May

Bastille Day (La Fête nationale de la Bastille)
14th July

Assumption (l’Assomption)
15th August

La Toussaint (All Saint’s Day)
1st November

Anniversary of the 1918 armistice  which signalled the end of the First World War (Anniversaire de l’armistice de 1918)
11th November  

“Faire le pont”

Where a Bank holiday falls on a Tuesday or a Thursday, many small businesses will ‘faire le pont’ (make a bridge) and take  Friday or Monday off too to ;make a long weekend. This rarely applies to large shops, supermarkets etc, many of whom no longer close for most of the public holidays.

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