Easter Monday 2026 in France

Easter Monday (Lundi de Pâques), which is the day after Easter Sunday, is a public holiday in France. There are a range of local customs and events. However, many people spend the day quietly.

Is Easter Monday a Public Holiday?

Easter Monday is a public holiday. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed.

What Do People Do?

Many people spend Easter Monday quietly with family and close friends. They may spend time outdoors to enjoy the spring weather. If children are present, they are often allowed to participate in decisions for family activities and meals. Some families have a tradition of holding an Easter egg hunt in a garden or park on Easter Monday.

Bessières is a village in the Pyrenees mountains close to the Spanish border. On Easter Monday, the inhabitants make a huge omelet with 15,000 eggs in a pan four meters (about 13 feet) wide in diameter. They then hold a communal meal to eat it.

There is a colorful parade on Easter Monday in the village of Cargèse on the island of Corsica. Local guilds and the Greek Orthodox and Catholic churches take part. After the parade, the fields are blessed for the coming year.

Eggs, lamb, and Jollof: Easter food traditions around the world

Public Life

Public life in France is quiet on Easter Monday. Post offices, banks, stores and other businesses are closed. Outside of tourist areas, restaurants and cafes may also be closed. However, some stores in Paris, as well as at airports and railway stations and along major highways, are open.

Public transport service schedules vary depending on where one lives and intends to travel. Some villages and small towns hold parades or other events that may cause some local disruption to traffic.

Background

In the past, the Easter celebrations in some churches lasted for a whole week. Now, Easter Monday does not now have any special religious significance and it is largely a secular holiday.

About Easter Monday in Other Countries

While we diligently research and update our holiday dates, some of the information in the table above may be preliminary. If you find an error, please let us know.