Last updated on October 27th, 2026 at 09:37 am
English uses one word, holidays, for several things that French keeps apart: time off, a public holiday and a celebration. Here is which word to use, then the vocabulary you need to plan a trip, book it and talk about it afterwards.
Key points
- Les vacances (always plural) is time off: partir en vacances, to go on holiday.
- Un jour férié is a public holiday, like 14 July. Une fête is a celebration.
- Les congés is leave from work: poser des congés, to book time off.
- In France, July and August are the big holiday months: juillettistes leave in July, aoûtiens in August.
Vacances, congés, jour férié or fête?
| French | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| les vacances (f. pl.) | holidays, vacation, school holidays | On part en vacances en août. |
| les congés (m. pl.) | leave from work | J’ai posé trois semaines de congés. |
| un jour férié | a public holiday | Le 1er mai est un jour férié. |
| une fête | a celebration, a festival | La fête de la musique a lieu le 21 juin. |
| un pont | a long weekend made by taking one extra day off | Cette année, on fait le pont de l’Ascension. |
Watch out: vacances is always plural in this meaning. Say les vacances, mes vacances, never une vacance. Bonnes vacances ! means have a good holiday.
For the dates of France’s public holidays, see our article on public holidays in France.
Juillettistes or aoûtiens?
When the school year ends in early July, the French question of the summer is: July or August? Juillettistes take their holidays in July, aoûtiens in August. Many offices slow down in August, and the weekends when one group comes home and the other leaves are famous for traffic jams. French employees are entitled to five weeks of paid leave a year, les congés payés, so long summer breaks are common.
Where to go
- à la mer, au bord de la mer: at the seaside
- à la montagne: in the mountains
- à la campagne: in the countryside
- à l’étranger: abroad
- faire le tour de la France: to travel around France
Planning and booking
| French | English |
|---|---|
| se renseigner | to get information |
| une agence de voyages | a travel agency |
| réserver un billet d’avion / de train | to book a plane / train ticket |
| un aller simple, un aller-retour | a one-way ticket, a return ticket |
| les horaires (m. pl.) | the timetable |
| un hôtel, un gîte, un camping | a hotel, a holiday cottage, a campsite |
| un passeport valide, un visa | a valid passport, a visa |
| faire sa valise, faire ses bagages | to pack |
Useful sentences
- Tu pars où en vacances cette année ? (Where are you going on holiday this year?)
- On va passer deux semaines au bord de la mer. (We are going to spend two weeks at the seaside.)
- Je suis en congé jusqu’au 25 août. (I am on leave until 25 August.)
- Tu as passé de bonnes vacances ? (Did you have a good holiday?)
- C’était génial, il a fait beau tous les jours ! (It was great, the weather was nice every day!)
To talk about your plans, use the futur proche: on va partir, je vais visiter. To tell what you did, use the passé composé: on est partis, j’ai visité.
Going further
Planning a trip to France? Read our 5 tips to learn French during the holidays, take our free French level test, and practise these conversations before you leave with our French conversation lessons.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say holidays in French?
For time off, say les vacances (always plural): je pars en vacances. For a public holiday, say un jour férié. For a celebration, say une fête.
What is the difference between vacances and congés?
Les vacances is the general word for holidays, including school holidays. Les congés is leave from work: poser des congés means to book days off.
What are juillettistes and aoûtiens?
French people who take their summer holidays in July (juillettistes) or in August (aoûtiens).
How do you say have a good holiday in French?
Bonnes vacances ! With friends you can add profite bien (enjoy it).
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