Bastille Day in St. Pierre & Miquelon
Bastille Day is France’s national holiday, observed each year on July 14. In St. Pierre & Miquelon, the Labour Code lists July 14 as a public holiday, while local tourism information describes public celebrations with games, food, fireworks and a popular dance.[1][2]
A national holiday in the archipelago
France’s Labour Code names July 14 among the legal public holidays. Its provisions for St. Pierre & Miquelon exclude certain rules about the solidarity day.[1]
The holiday commemorates the taking of the Bastille in 1789, according to the archipelago’s tourism office.[2]
How it is celebrated
The tourism office describes public squares coming to life for the holiday, with games and food, followed by fireworks and a popular ball. It invites visitors to meet local residents and dance to accordion music.[2]
This account documents the celebration in the archipelago but does not specify that the same programme takes place in every community. The source’s photo caption identifies a Saint-Pierre celebration, while the available description does not give a separate Miquelon programme.[2]
Work and practical planning
July 14 is a public holiday under the Labour Code, but the law does not make every public holiday a universal day off. A company or establishment agreement, or a branch agreement if there is no company agreement, determines which holidays are non-working; if there is no agreement, the employer decides.[1]
When an eligible employee does not work because of a public holiday, that absence cannot reduce their pay if they have at least three months’ seniority, subject to the exclusions set out in the Code.[1]
Check opening hours and transport with the service or operator before you go, and check local announcements for the timing of celebrations, which may be adjusted.[1][2]
Frequently asked questions
When is Bastille Day in St. Pierre & Miquelon?
It is observed annually on July 14, the date listed as a legal public holiday in the Labour Code.[1]
Does everyone get the day off?
Not automatically. Agreements determine which public holidays are non-working, or the employer decides if no applicable agreement does so.[1]
Is there a substitute day if July 14 falls on a weekend?
An eligible employee with at least three months’ seniority is protected from a reduction in pay when they do not work because of a public holiday, subject to the Code’s exclusions.[1]
What happens at local celebrations?
The tourism office describes games and food in public squares, followed by fireworks and a popular ball with accordion music.[2]
Sources and references
Sources used for Bastille Day in St. Pierre & Miquelon:
- Section 1 : Dispositions générales (Articles L3133-1 à L3133-3-2)- Légifrance
- Les grands événements- Tourisme Saint-Pierre et Miquelon