Bridge days 2027 in France

France in 2027 has eleven public holidays, with Easter landing very early in the year — Easter Monday falls on March 29. This unusual timing pushes the first major bridge day opportunity into late March, which makes spring travel planning particularly interesting. The early Easter is rare and creates a uniquely valuable window that will not repeat for several years. For comparison, see our France 2026 bridge day guide to understand how the calendar shifts year over year.

The Easter period is the standout opportunity of 2027. The weekend of March 26 to 29 (Saturday to Monday) already gives three days off. Taking Wednesday March 24, Thursday March 25 and Friday March 26 as three leave days creates a nine-day break from Saturday March 20 through Monday March 29 — exceptional value. Note that Good Friday is not a public holiday in mainland France (except Alsace-Moselle), so Friday March 26 does cost a leave day.

Here is a month-by-month breakdown of bridge day potential in France for 2027:

January: New Year's Day falls on Friday January 1 — an automatic long weekend. No leave day needed.

February: No public holidays. A good month to save leave for March.

March: The highlight of 2027. Easter Monday on March 29 creates an automatic long weekend. With three leave days in the preceding week, you can build a nine-day break. For employees in Alsace-Moselle who also get Good Friday off, the combination is even better.

April: No public holiday. A quiet month after the strong March window.

May: Despite losing Labour Day to Saturday May 1 and Victory Day to Saturday May 8, May remains worthwhile. Ascension Day on Thursday May 6 is the classic bridge opportunity — one leave day on Friday May 7 delivers a four-day weekend. Whit Monday on May 17 is a Monday, creating an automatic long weekend. Bridging both windows (five leave days from Monday May 10 to Friday May 14) creates a twelve-day continuous break.

June: No public holiday. A good option for your main summer leave if you prefer to avoid July and August crowds.

July: Bastille Day on July 14 falls on a Wednesday — the classic mid-week bridge. Taking Monday July 12 and Tuesday July 13 as two leave days gives five consecutive days from Saturday to Wednesday. Alternatively, taking Thursday July 15 and Friday July 16 creates a five-day break from Wednesday to Sunday. Either way, two leave days buy five days off.

August: Assumption Day on August 15 is a Sunday. Taking Monday August 16 as one leave day gives a three-day weekend — a modest but useful bridge for a late-summer getaway.

September and October: No national holidays.

November: All Saints' Day on November 1 is a Monday — an automatic long weekend, perfect for an autumn break. Armistice Day on November 11 is a Thursday — one leave day on Friday November 12 creates a four-day weekend. Two solid opportunities in the same month.

December: Christmas Day on Saturday December 25 offers no direct bridge. For a proper festive break, book Monday December 20 through Friday December 24 (five working days) for roughly ten consecutive days off. New Year's Day 2028 falls on a Saturday, so no additional bridge at the year-end transition.

French law guarantees five weeks of paid annual leave — 25 working days minimum. Many collective agreements provide more. In 2027, the most rewarding windows are March (early Easter), May (Ascension and Whit Monday) and November (All Saints' and Armistice Day). The working days calculator helps you measure exactly how many working days each combination saves.

Three key strategies: first, exploit the rare early Easter in March for an extended spring break. Second, connect Ascension Day and Whit Monday in May for a twelve-day holiday. Third, combine All Saints' and Armistice Day in November for two long weekends in quick succession. Anyone who targets these three periods will maximise their leave budget.

A note on French bridge day culture: faire le pont is a well-established tradition. Many employers expect bridge day requests and plan staffing around them. Discussing your plans with your team early in the year ensures smooth coverage and avoids last-minute scheduling conflicts.

Do not forget RTT days if your employer provides them. These additional days are valuable for completing bridge day sequences without touching your 25 statutory leave days. For example, using an RTT day for Friday May 7 (the Ascension bridge) or Friday November 12 (the Armistice bridge) preserves your main leave balance for longer holidays.

For travellers, the early Easter in 2027 is a real opportunity. Travelling in late March means quieter destinations, lower prices and pleasant spring weather in southern Europe. This is a rare window that budget-conscious travellers should not miss. Curious how France compares? See which European country has the best bridge days in 2027.

A final tip: submit your leave requests as early as possible, ideally in January. Popular bridge day weeks fill up quickly, and colleagues who request first secure the best periods. Early planning is the single most effective strategy for maximising your time off in 2027.

Use the planner below to find the combinations that work best for your 2027 schedule.