Public holidays · 2026
Victory Day falls on Friday, 8 May 2026 in France in 2026.
A public holiday across France: most employees have the day off.
In 2026 it falls on a Friday, a working day.
Fixed date: it is on the same day of the year every year (8 May).
Saturday and Sunday · A public holiday does not always close every business. Essential services, shops and some industries keep working, and pay rules differ by country and contract.
Victory Day refers to different anniversaries, most of them linked to the end of the Second World War in Europe. In France it is 8 May, the anniversary of the German surrender in 1945, and in the Czech Republic the same date is called the Day of Victory. In Russia and Belarus it is 9 May, because the German act of surrender entered into force late on 8 May by Central European time, which was already 9 May in Moscow. Each country has its own wording and its own set of customs.
In Estonia, Victory Day is 23 June and commemorates the victory at the Battle of Võnnu, also called the Battle of Cēsis, in 1919, during the Estonian War of Independence. In Turkey, Victory Day, called Zafer Bayramı, is on 30 August and marks the decisive Battle of Dumlupınar in 1922 in the Turkish War of Independence. These holidays differ in tone, from solemn wreath-laying to large military parades. Visitors should note that the same name can carry very different emotional weight in different countries. These are only examples. In Estonia, 23 June also coincides with Midsummer Eve, so the Victory Day events are followed by the evening bonfires.
Everywhere in France.
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Questions
A public holiday across France: most employees have the day off.
Friday, 8 May 2026.