In France:
- May 1st is Labor Day (la fête du travail)
- May 8th is the end of WWII (D day)
- Around mid May, we have a Christian holiday, l'Ascension (this year the 17th).
- and towards the end of May, another Christian holiday la Pentecôte (this year the 27th-28th).
Now all these wouldn't be too bad if the French didn't have this habit of "faire le pont" - literally "to do the bridge." This means that when a holiday is on a Tuesday or a Thursday, the day which links over to the the weekend is also off (but still paid).
So for example, this year, Leyla's school will be closed:
- Monday, March 30th and Tuesday, May 1st,
- Monday, May 7th and Tuesday, May 8th
- Thursday, May 17th and Friday, May 18th
- Monday, May 28th
This affects schools and other institutions including banks, museums, and some supermarkets... And of course it has a tremendous influence on the price of train tickets and the traffic on the roads.... Something to be aware of when planning your trip to France!
