Leave rules · 2026
Annual leave and sick leave rules in France (2026)
Employees in France get at least 25 days of paid annual leave a year on a 5-day week (5 weeks). Sick leave: paid.
Rules as of September 2026 · page built Monday, September 28, 2026Statutory minimums
High confidenceYour number
25 days a year (200 hours)
Statutory minimum 25 days on a 5-day week at 0 years of service.
This is the legal floor for France; the contract can give more.
| Service | Minimum (5-day week) | In weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Starting entitlement | 25 days | 5 weeks |
2.5 working days (jours ouvrables) per month worked, 30 jours ouvrables a year, which is 5 weeks or 25 days on a 5-day week.
Worked exampleA full-time employee on a 5-day week gets at least 25 days a year.
What the rules mean in practice
In France, a full-time employee on a 5-day week is entitled to at least 25 days of paid annual leave a year, which is 5 weeks.
In France, a full-time employee on a 5-day week is entitled to at least 25 days of paid annual leave a year, which is 5 weeks. The legal wording: 2.5 working days (jours ouvrables) per month worked, 30 jours ouvrables a year, which is 5 weeks or 25 days on a 5-day week.
Compared with the other 37 jurisdictions LeaveCalc covers, that starting minimum is higher than 32, the same as 3 and lower than 2. Across all of them the range runs from 5 days (the Philippines) to 30 days (the United Arab Emirates). 25 days is about 9.6% of a 260-day working year.
No service-based step is recorded here, so the 25-day minimum applies at every length of service; the official source has the full rule.
Public holidays are in addition to the annual leave minimum. For 2026, the public holiday calendar for France lists 11 holidays, 9 of them on working days. An employee who has all 9 weekday holidays off on top of the 25-day minimum is away from work on at least 34 weekdays in 2026.
Sick leave: Daily sickness allowance from social security after a waiting period, often topped up by the employer; not an accrued balance. LeaveCalc rates this entry High confidence, based on the official sources listed below as of September 2026.
Public holidays
Public holidays are in addition to the annual leave minimum. See the 2026 and 2027 public holiday dates for France, with .ics downloads.
Sources
- https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F2258
- https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F3053
As of September 2026. Statutory minimums only: contracts, collective agreements and local rules can give more.
Questions about leave in France
The statutory minimum is 25 days a year for a full-time employee on a 5-day week (5 weeks).
How many days of annual leave do employees get in France?
The statutory minimum is 25 days a year for a full-time employee on a 5-day week (5 weeks). 2.5 working days (jours ouvrables) per month worked, 30 jours ouvrables a year, which is 5 weeks or 25 days on a 5-day week.
Does annual leave increase with length of service in France?
No service-based step is recorded here for France: the statutory minimum stays at 25 days a year. Check the official source for the full rule.
Is sick leave paid in France?
Yes. Daily sickness allowance from social security after a waiting period, often topped up by the employer; not an accrued balance.
Are public holidays part of annual leave in France?
Public holidays are in addition to the annual leave minimum. In 2026 the calendar for France has 11 public holidays, 9 of them on working days.