French public holidays are set nationally, so these opportunities apply across the whole country. School holiday dates shown are for the Île-de-France zone as a reference point — they vary by region. Here are the 2026 windows where the fewest paid-leave days buy the most consecutive time off.
Open the interactive plannerWeek block · Best school holiday match
December 25 – January 3
10 days off — 4 vacation days used.
Public holidays: Noël and Jour de l'an
School holidays: Christmas Holidays
Take these days off: Dec 28, Dec 29, Dec 30, and Dec 31
Week block
November 7 – November 15
9 days off — 4 vacation days used.
Public holidays: Armistice 1918
Take these days off: Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 12, and Nov 13
Week block
December 19 – December 27
9 days off — 4 vacation days used.
Public holidays: Noël
School holidays: Christmas Holidays
Take these days off: Dec 21, Dec 22, Dec 23, and Dec 24
Week block
December 24 – January 3
11 days off — 5 vacation days used.
Public holidays: Noël and Jour de l'an
School holidays: Christmas Holidays
Take these days off: Dec 24, Dec 28, Dec 29, Dec 30, and Dec 31
Week block
December 25 – January 4
11 days off — 5 vacation days used.
Public holidays: Noël and Jour de l'an
School holidays: Christmas Holidays
Take these days off: Dec 28, Dec 29, Dec 30, Dec 31, and Jan 4
Extended break
December 23 – January 3
12 days off — 6 vacation days used.
Public holidays: Noël and Jour de l'an
School holidays: Christmas Holidays
Take these days off: Dec 23, Dec 24, Dec 28, Dec 29, Dec 30, and Dec 31
Extended break
December 25 – January 5
12 days off — 6 vacation days used.
Public holidays: Noël and Jour de l'an
School holidays: Christmas Holidays
Take these days off: Dec 28, Dec 29, Dec 30, Dec 31, Jan 4, and Jan 5
Extended break
December 19 – January 3
16 days off — 8 vacation days used.
Public holidays: Noël and Jour de l'an
School holidays: Christmas Holidays
Take these days off: Dec 21, Dec 22, Dec 23, Dec 24, Dec 28, Dec 29, Dec 30, and Dec 31
Extended break
December 18 – January 3
17 days off — 9 vacation days used.
Public holidays: Noël and Jour de l'an
School holidays: Christmas Holidays
Take these days off: Dec 18, Dec 21, Dec 22, Dec 23, Dec 24, Dec 28, Dec 29, Dec 30, and Dec 31
Extended break
December 25 – January 10
17 days off — 9 vacation days used.
Public holidays: Noël and Jour de l'an
School holidays: Christmas Holidays
Take these days off: Dec 28, Dec 29, Dec 30, Dec 31, Jan 4, Jan 5, Jan 6, Jan 7, and Jan 8
School holiday dates shown are for Île-de-France — actual dates vary by region.