Working Days and Hours 2026 - France
Complete guide to working hours, public holidays, and annual leave in France for 2026
Working Hours and Leave in France 2026
Standard Work Week
- 7 hours per day
- 5 days per week
- 35 hours per week
Under the Labour Code (Code du travail, Art. L3121-27), the legal working week is 35 hours. The maximum is 48 hours in any single week or an average of 44 hours over 12 consecutive weeks.
Annual Leave Entitlement
25 days
25 working days (5 weeks) minimum by law, plus RTT days in some cases.
Monthly Averages
- 21 working days/month
- 147 working hours/month
How many RTT days are there in France in 2026?
RTT days (réduction du temps de travail) compensate full-time employees whose working time exceeds the 35-hour legal week. There is no national number: a collective or company agreement sets how many RTT days an employee earns. Service-Public gives the example of an employee working 39 hours a week, who earns 4 hours of RTT a week, or half a day.
Employees on a forfait jours contract work at most 218 days a year and do not earn RTT as such. They get additional rest days instead, and for 2026 Service-Public puts that number at 9: the days left from 365 after 104 weekend days, 25 days of paid leave, 9 public holidays on weekdays and the 218 working days.
Monthly Working Hours Goals 2026
Expected working hours per month based on 7-hour workday, excluding weekends and public holidays.
How many working hours are in October 2026 in France?
October 2026 has 22 working days in France, or 154 working hours at 7 hours a day, not counting weekends and public holidays.
How many working hours are in November 2026 in France?
November 2026 has 20 working days in France, or 140 working hours at 7 hours a day, not counting weekends and public holidays.
| Month | Working Days | Monthly Goal |
|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | 21 | 147.00 |
| February 2026 | 20 | 140.00 |
| March 2026 | 22 | 154.00 |
| April 2026 | 21 | 147.00 |
| May 2026 | 17 | 119.00 |
| June 2026 | 22 | 154.00 |
| July 2026 | 22 | 154.00 |
| August 2026 | 21 | 147.00 |
| September 2026 | 22 | 154.00 |
| October 2026 | 22 | 154.00 |
| November 2026 | 20 | 140.00 |
| December 2026 | 22 | 154.00 |
| Total | 252 | 1,764.00 |
Public Holidays in France 2026
France has 11 public holidays in 2026, with 9 falling on weekdays. See full public holidays list
Understanding Holiday Types
Different countries use different terminology for non-working days. Here is what each term means for workforce planning.
Public Holidays
Official days off recognized by a country’s government. Most employees are entitled to paid leave, and businesses may close or operate with reduced staff.
Federal Holidays
Holidays established by a national government, primarily affecting government offices and federally-regulated employers. Private companies may choose whether to observe them.
Bank Holidays
Days when banks and financial institutions are closed. In the UK, this term is synonymous with public holidays. Important for payroll processing and payment schedules.
Observances
Notable dates that are not official days off. Examples include Earth Day or Mother’s Day. These do not affect work schedules unless an employer chooses to recognize them.
| Date | Day | Holiday | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Jan 1 | Thursday | New Year’s Day (Jour de l'An) | |
| Mon, Apr 6 | Monday | Easter Monday (Lundi de Pâques) | |
| Fri, May 1 | Friday | Labour Day (Fête du Travail) | |
| Fri, May 8 | Friday | Victory Day (Victoire 1945) | |
| Thu, May 14 | Thursday | Ascension Day (Ascension) | |
| Mon, May 25 | Monday | Whit Monday (Lundi de Pentecôte) | |
| Tue, Jul 14 | Tuesday | Bastille Day (Fête Nationale) | |
| Sat, Aug 15 | Saturday | Assumption Day (Assomption) | Weekend |
| Sun, Nov 1 | Sunday | All Saints' Day (Toussaint) | Weekend |
| Wed, Nov 11 | Wednesday | Armistice Day (Armistice) | |
| Fri, Dec 25 | Friday | Christmas Day (Noël) |
Turn working days into tracked hours
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