In most of France, Christmas Day is the only jour férié at the end of December, and New Year's Day comes a week later. In 2026 they are a Friday and a Friday, so the trêve des confiseurs, the quiet week between the two, is a handful of workdays.
Book off: Mon 28, Tue 29, Wed 30 and Thu 31 Dec 2026.
Bank holidayBook offWeekend
Every option, from 1 to 8 days of leave
The table counts Monday to Friday workdays.
| Days of leave | Days off in a row | Dates | Book off |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Thu 24 Dec – Sun 27 Dec 2026 | Thu 24 Dec 2026 |
| 2 | 5 | Wed 23 Dec – Sun 27 Dec 2026 | Wed 23 and Thu 24 Dec 2026 |
| 3 | 6 | Tue 22 Dec – Sun 27 Dec 2026 | Tue 22, Wed 23 and Thu 24 Dec 2026 |
| 4 | 10 | Fri 25 Dec 2026 – Sun 3 Jan 2027 | Mon 28, Tue 29, Wed 30 and Thu 31 Dec 2026 |
| 5 | 11 | Thu 24 Dec 2026 – Sun 3 Jan 2027 | Thu 24, Mon 28, Tue 29, Wed 30 and Thu 31 Dec 2026 |
| 6 | 12 | Wed 23 Dec 2026 – Sun 3 Jan 2027 | Wed 23, Thu 24, Mon 28, Tue 29, Wed 30 and Thu 31 Dec 2026 |
| 7 | 13 | Tue 22 Dec 2026 – Sun 3 Jan 2027 | Tue 22, Wed 23, Thu 24, Mon 28, Tue 29, Wed 30 and Thu 31 Dec 2026 |
| 8 | 16 | Sat 19 Dec 2026 – Sun 3 Jan 2027 | Mon 21, Tue 22, Wed 23, Thu 24, Mon 28, Tue 29, Wed 30 and Thu 31 Dec 2026 |
France, Christmas 2026 and New Year 2027.
With more leave, book 8 days off (Mon 21, Tue 22, Wed 23, Thu 24, Mon 28, Tue 29, Wed 30 and Thu 31 Dec 2026) and get 16 days off in a row (Sat 19 Dec 2026 – Sun 3 Jan 2027).
Closures and the order of departures
Your employer, or your collective agreement, fixes the order in which staff take their leave, and can refuse the dates you ask for. In the case of a temporary closure, your employer can require you to take congés payés for it (Service Public: congés payés). Dates must be confirmed at least a month before you leave, so ask in November at the latest.
Leave you do not take by the end of the leave period is only carried over if your employer agrees, unless you were off sick. By default, leave is earned from 1 June to 31 May, so Christmas is often not your last chance to use it: check your company's leave period.
RTT days
If you work more than 35 hours a week, you may have RTT days (réduction du temps de travail). They are separate from congés payés, and the week between Christmas and New Year is a common time to use them, so you may need fewer days of paid leave than the table shows.
Alsace and Moselle
In Alsace and Moselle, 26 December (2e jour de Noël) is also a public holiday (Service Public: jours fériés). In 2026 it is a Saturday, so it does not save any leave. In 2027 it falls on a Sunday. Use the Alsace-Moselle planner for the rest of the year.
Christmas 2027: a look ahead
| Days of leave | Days off in a row | Dates | Book off |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Fri 17 Dec – Sun 19 Dec 2027 | Fri 17 Dec 2027 |
| 2 | 4 | Thu 16 Dec – Sun 19 Dec 2027 | Thu 16 and Fri 17 Dec 2027 |
| 3 | 5 | Wed 15 Dec – Sun 19 Dec 2027 | Wed 15, Thu 16 and Fri 17 Dec 2027 |
| 4 | 6 | Wed 15 Dec – Mon 20 Dec 2027 | Wed 15, Thu 16, Fri 17 and Mon 20 Dec 2027 |
| 5 | 9 | Sat 18 Dec – Sun 26 Dec 2027 | Mon 20, Tue 21, Wed 22, Thu 23 and Fri 24 Dec 2027 |
| 6 | 10 | Fri 17 Dec – Sun 26 Dec 2027 | Fri 17, Mon 20, Tue 21, Wed 22, Thu 23 and Fri 24 Dec 2027 |
| 7 | 11 | Thu 16 Dec – Sun 26 Dec 2027 | Thu 16, Fri 17, Mon 20, Tue 21, Wed 22, Thu 23 and Fri 24 Dec 2027 |
| 8 | 12 | Wed 15 Dec – Sun 26 Dec 2027 | Wed 15, Thu 16, Fri 17, Mon 20, Tue 21, Wed 22, Thu 23 and Fri 24 Dec 2027 |
France, Christmas 2027 and New Year 2028.
Frequently asked questions
How many days of leave do I need for Christmas 2026?
The best value is to book 4 days off (Mon 28, Tue 29, Wed 30 and Thu 31 Dec 2026) and get 10 days off in a row.
Is 24 December a jour férié?
No. Christmas Eve is a normal working day, although some collective agreements or employers give the afternoon off.
Can my employer refuse my Christmas leave?
Yes. Your employer can refuse the dates you ask for and set the order of departures, as long as the rules are applied fairly and you are told your dates in time.
Open the France plannerBridge days 2026 (ponts): best days to take off (France)
How we work it out. Every date and number here comes from our holiday data, checked against official government sources (see About). Always confirm days off with your employer.