Labor Day, May 8 commemorations and AscensionDay... Every year in May, there are a number of public holidays to keep many French people happy. But don't forget Pentecost either. Celebrated by Christians 50 days after Easter, this religious holiday commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit among the apostles. This year, Pentecost Monday falls on June 9, 2025.
As with Easter, Pentecost is celebrated on a Sunday and continues on the following day, and has been since the 4th century. The law of March 8 , 1886 officially declared Whit Monday a public holiday.
But things have changed since then. In the wake of the 2003 heatwave, which claimed over 15,000 lives in France, Jean-Pierre Raffarin's government decided to abolish the public holiday status of the day. The minister thus transformed Whit Monday into a day of solidarity"in favor of the autonomy of the elderly or disabled". The consequence? Whit Monday remainsa "public holiday but not a day off". In concrete terms, employees work on this day, but are not paid.
Then, in 2008, another change. Whit Monday became a public holiday again. The government then gave employers the choice of cancelling a day off or offering the day to their employees. In France, around a third of employees work on Whit Monday. What about you?
What to do this June 9, 2025, Whit Monday holiday in Paris and the Ile-de-France region
This Monday, June 9, 2025, is Whit Monday and you're not working? So, what are you going to do on your day off? Exhibitions, a concert, a stroll, a terrace restaurant... Here's an overview of the day's activities. [Read more]
Every year, Whit Monday offers many French people a three-day weekend. It's a bank holiday, but is sometimes worked as part of the solidarity day, so it's still a great opportunity for a shopping spree! Discover the list of shopping centers and department stores open in Paris and Île-de-France on Monday June 9, 2025. [Read more]
Whit Monday is a public holiday in France, so make the most of the long weekend to visit all the museums in the capital and Île-de-France! Find out which museums and monuments are open this Monday, June 9, 2025 in Paris and the Ile-de-France region. [Read more]
What are we doing this Pentecost weekend in Paris, Saturday June 7, Sunday June 8 and Monday June 9, 2025? Easy: take advantage of this long weekend to discover the most beautiful exhibitions of the moment. Here's a small selection of things to do in Paris and the Ile-de-France region this Pentecost weekend. [Read more]
Not sure what to do over the Whitsun weekend? We've got the answer: many plays are performed over the weekend! The perfect opportunity to see a play on a Sunday evening and sleep in on Monday morning. [Read more]
What to do this June 9, 2025, Whit Monday holiday in Paris and the Ile-de-France region
Stores and shopping centers open on Whit Monday 2025 in Paris and the Ile-de-France region
Whit Monday 2025: museums and monuments open in Paris on bank holiday Monday, June 9
Pentecost weekend: 10 great exhibitions to discover in Paris on June 7, 8 and 9, 2025
Pentecost weekend: 10 plays to see in Paris over the long weekend
