France

Night Watch, July 13. A half-day holiday before Bastille Day. Known in France as La Retraite aux Flambeaux.
Fête Nationale, July 14. Bastille Day. It was on this day in 1789, at the start of the French Revolution, that the French prison, the Bastille, was destoyed and political prisoners were freed. Also celebrated in the French West Indies.
Marseillaise Day, July 30. Honors the national anthem of France, the Marseillaise, on the anniversary of the day it was first sung in Paris in 1792 by five hundred men from Marseilles, hence the title.
D-Day Observance, June 6. Commemorates D-Day; the Allied invasion of Europe on June 6, 1944. Observed in Normandy with the bringing of flowers to cemetaries. Also known as Allied Landing Observances Day.
Liberation Day, May 8. V-E Day. This day was established as a public holiday by Giscard d'Estaing during his presidency (1974-1981).
Labor Day, May 1. See Labor Day.
Noël, December 25. Christmas.
L'épiphanie, January 6. Epiphany. Everybody in France eats a cake called "la galette des rois".
Mardi Gras, day before Ash Wednesday (Feb 24, 2004). "Fat Tuesday". A carnival celebration when people wear masks and eat crèpes.
La Pentecôte, seventh Monday after Easter (May 31, 2004). Whit Monday.
La Toussaint, November 1. All Saints' Day.
Mother's Day, second Sunday in May (May 9, 2004).
Father's Day, second Sunday in June (Jun 13, 2004).
La fête de la musique, June 19. A festival when people go into the street and play music.
Fête des Saintes-Maries, May 24/25. Festival in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, France, honoring the patron saints of Gypsies. Observed by a few gypsies and many tourists.

Public holidays   New Year's Day, Easter Monday, Labor Day, Liberation Day, Ascension Day, La Pentecôte (Whit Monday), Fête Nationale (Bastille Day), Assumption Day, La Toussaint (All Saints' Day), Armistice Day (Nov 11), and Noël (Christmas).

French Guiana

Public holidays   New Year's Day, Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Ascension Day, Pentecost, Bastille Day, Assumption Day, All Saints' Day, All Souls' Day, Armistice Day (Nov 11), and Christmas.

French Polynesia

Public holidays   Chinese New Year (Feb 6), Missionaries Arrival Commemoration (Mar 5), May Day, and Armistice Day (May 8).