Which French public holidays fall in 2027 and when are HGVs banned?
France has 11 public holidays in 2027, and HGVs over 7.5 tonnes are banned from 22:00 the evening before each one until 22:00 on the day.
Logifie Team
Logistics Technology Experts
In 2027 France has 11 public holidays, from 2027-01-01 to 2027-12-25. HGVs over 7.5 tonnes are banned on the whole road network from 22:00 on the evening before each holiday until 22:00 on the holiday itself, on top of the weekly ban from Saturday 22:00 to Sunday 22:00.
Which French public holidays fall in 2027?
The official French holiday list on service-public.gouv.fr gives these 2027 dates: Friday 2027-01-01, Monday 2027-03-29 (Easter Monday), Saturday 2027-05-01, Thursday 2027-05-06 (Ascension), Saturday 2027-05-08, Monday 2027-05-17 (Whit Monday), Wednesday 2027-07-14, Sunday 2027-08-15, Monday 2027-11-01, Thursday 2027-11-11 and Saturday 2027-12-25. The full list with local names is on our France public holiday calendar for 2027 .
Four of the eleven fall on a weekend, so they add no weekday to the calendar. Under articles L3133-1 to L3133-3 of the Code du travail, 1 May is the only holiday that is a paid day off for every employee; for the others, a collective agreement or the employer decides.
When are HGVs banned around French public holidays in 2027?
The French business portal service-public states that goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes may not use the road network from 22:00 on Saturday to 22:00 on Sunday, and that the holiday ban starts at 22:00 the day before and ends at 22:00 on the holiday. Bison Futé , the state road information service, names the arrêté of 2021-04-16 as the current general regime and confirms that the arrêté of 2015-03-02 is repealed.
Applied to the 2027 calendar, the rule produces three patterns. Four weekday holidays get a stand-alone window, each from 22:00 to 22:00: 2026-12-31 to 2027-01-01, 2027-05-05 to 2027-05-06, 2027-07-13 to 2027-07-14 and 2027-11-10 to 2027-11-11. The three Monday holidays, 2027-03-29, 2027-05-17 and 2027-11-01, stretch the weekend ban to Monday 22:00. The three Saturday holidays, 2027-05-01, 2027-05-08 and 2027-12-25, start the ban on Friday at 22:00. Only 2027-08-15, a Sunday, changes nothing.
Early May needs the most care. The ban runs from Wednesday 2027-05-05 at 22:00 to Thursday 2027-05-06 at 22:00, Friday 2027-05-07 is open only until 22:00, and the next ban then runs to Sunday 2027-05-09 at 22:00. These windows follow from the rule, so confirm them before dispatch.
When will France publish the extra ban dates for 2027?
A separate annual order adds complementary bans. Bison Futé lists the arrêté of 2025-12-26 for 2026: five summer Saturdays (2026-07-11, 2026-07-18, 2026-07-25, 2026-08-01 and 2026-08-08) from 07:00 to 19:00 on the whole network, plus winter Saturdays on the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes network. As of 2026-10-23 we found no order for 2027. Last year's was signed in late December, so expect similar timing, but that is a pattern and not a commitment.
Our France truck driving ban guide covers the weekly rule in detail, the Europe-wide 2027 driving ban overview compares neighbouring countries, and the France HGV speed limits complete the route check.
Frequently asked questions
Can trucks drive on public holidays in France?
Not HGVs over 7.5 tonnes carrying goods. The ban covers the whole network from 22:00 on the evening before the holiday to 22:00 on the holiday. Specialised vehicles and agricultural machinery are outside the rule, and prefects can grant derogations for specific convoys.
Is 1 May 2027 a truck ban day in France?
Yes. It falls on a Saturday, so the holiday ban starts on Friday 2027-04-30 at 22:00. It runs straight into the weekly ban, so HGVs over 7.5 tonnes stay off the network until Sunday 2027-05-02 at 22:00.
Which French public holidays are paid days off in 2027?
Only 1 May is a paid day off for every employee under the Code du travail, and in 2027 it falls on a Saturday. The other ten depend on a collective agreement or the employer.
How many French public holidays fall on a weekend in 2027?
Four: Saturday 2027-05-01, Saturday 2027-05-08, Sunday 2027-08-15 and Saturday 2027-12-25. The Saturday ones move the start of the ban to Friday at 22:00, and the Sunday one changes nothing.
Planning French collections around the 2027 calendar? Request a freight quote and we will schedule pickups outside the ban windows.
