Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Everyone loves a holiday, and Parisians are no exception.
If a national holiday ( jour férié ) falls on a Tuesday or
Thursday, they are likely to ' faire le pont ' (make a bridge) to
the long weekend by closing shop on the Monday prior to
the holiday or the Friday following the public holiday. This
is common practice for most offices and some businesses,
even banks.
In addition to the national holidays (listed in bold below),
there are dozens of cultural festivals. Many of these are listed
below, but others crop up and dates change; it's best to keep
yourself informed. Check the website of the Paris Tourist
Office at 25 rue des Pyramides 75001 (http://www.parisinfo.
com) or the city of Paris itself (http://www.paris.fr). Also
consult the weekly events magazines Pariscope or l'Officiel
des Spectacles , issued on Wednesdays.
January
1 Jan : Jour de l'An (New Year's Day) —A national holiday.
Basically a day for family visits and leisurely meals at home,
sometimes with the exchange of gifts.
6 Jan: Epiphanie—La Fête des Rois. A traditional pastry— la
galette des rois —is baked with a little figurine ( la fève )
inside. Galettes are eaten at home and at friends' homes.
The person who gets the slice with la fève is the 'king' or
'queen' for the day.
Two weeks in January: La Mairie de Paris Vous Invite au
Concert. Two concert tickets for the price of one.
February
Early Feb: Chinese New Year. Festivals and parades,
especially in Chinatown in the 13 e .
Late Feb: Foire à la Ferraille de Paris. Amusing fair in Bois
de Vincennes with antiques and knick-knacks.
March
Early March: Salon International de l'Agriculture. World's
largest agriculture exposition at Parc des Expositions, Porte
de Versailles. Food and wine from the provinces, prize-
winning livestock, farm equipment, etc.
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