Public Holiday Calendar Guide for Réunion
Réunion follows the French statutory holiday framework and has an additional public holiday commemorating the abolition of slavery on the island.[1][2] The employment consequences of a holiday depend on French labour law, collective agreements and workplace arrangements, so a legal public holiday should not automatically be interpreted as a compulsory day off for every employee.
French Public Holidays Apply in Réunion
As a French overseas department and region, Réunion is covered by the French Labour Code's general list of statutory holidays. These include New Year, Easter Monday, Labour Day, Victory Day, Ascension, Whit Monday, the French National Day, the Assumption, All Saints' Day, Armistice Day and Christmas.[1]
Réunion also has a statutory holiday specific to the island: the commemoration of the abolition of slavery.[2] This additional observance is established in the Labour Code provisions for France's overseas territories and is therefore part of Réunion's legal holiday calendar rather than merely a local cultural festival.
The Abolition of Slavery and Fèt Kaf
Réunion's abolition commemoration marks the proclamation that ended slavery on the island. The prefecture records that the abolition decree reached Réunion through the Republic's commissioner, Joseph Sarda Garriga, who formally proclaimed emancipation after arriving on the island.[3] The statutory holiday commemorates that event without requiring the historical anniversary date to be reproduced in reader-facing guidance.[2]
The observance is widely known as Fèt Kaf and has developed into both a memorial occasion and a celebration of Réunionese culture and freedom. Réunion's official tourism organization describes programmes across the island featuring street activities, processions, traditional song and dance, concerts and kabars, moringue, exhibitions, workshops and events exploring the histories of slavery and maloya.[4]
A Public Holiday Is Not Always a Mandatory Day Off
French law distinguishes between a day being legally designated as a public holiday and an employee necessarily having that day off. For public holidays other than Labour Day, a company or establishment agreement, or failing that a branch agreement, determines which holidays are non-working days. In the absence of an agreement, the employer determines them.[5]
Employees with the qualifying length of service cannot suffer a loss of salary when a public holiday is designated as a non-working day, subject to the categories and conditions set out in the Labour Code.[5] This makes the reference claim that every statutory holiday automatically requires paid leave or compensatory remuneration too broad.
Labour Day Has Special Protection
Labour Day is treated differently from ordinary statutory holidays. The Labour Code expressly makes it a public and non-working holiday.[5] Employees who do not work because of the holiday cannot have their salary reduced under the applicable statutory rules.
Work is permitted on Labour Day in establishments and services that cannot interrupt their activities because of their nature. Employees who work in those circumstances receive their normal pay for the work performed plus an additional indemnity equal to that pay.[5] The special double-payment rule should therefore not be generalized to every other public holiday.
Bridge Days Are Workplace Arrangements, Not Extra Public Holidays
When a holiday falls close to a weekend, a workplace may sometimes create a bridge day, commonly called a pont, by closing on an intervening working day. Such a closure does not turn the bridge day itself into a statutory public holiday. Whether it is granted depends on the applicable workplace arrangements.
For travelers, this distinction matters because a bridge day can affect staffing and opening hours without appearing in the statutory holiday list. Government offices, private businesses and visitor attractions should therefore be checked individually when a holiday creates the possibility of an extended weekend.
Planning Around Closures and Transport
The original assumption that banks, administrative offices and shops all close on every statutory holiday is too broad. French labour law establishes public holidays and employment rules, but it does not impose one universal opening timetable on every retailer, restaurant, attraction or transport operator.[1][5] Actual service levels depend on the holiday, sector, employer and applicable agreements.
Visitors should check individual opening hours and transport schedules, particularly around major holidays and Fèt Kaf. There is also no need to assume that renting a car is essential simply because a holiday timetable is in effect. Réunion has public transport networks, and the practical choice between buses, taxis and a rental vehicle depends on the itinerary rather than on public-holiday law.
Frequently Asked Questions about Holidays in Réunion
Does Réunion have a public holiday that mainland France does not have?
Yes. In addition to the general French statutory holidays, Réunion has a public holiday commemorating the abolition of slavery on the island.[2] It is commonly associated with the Fèt Kaf celebrations.[4]
Is every statutory public holiday automatically a day off work?
No. For most French statutory holidays, whether the day is non-working is determined by the applicable company, establishment or branch agreement, or by the employer when no such agreement applies.[5] Labour Day is subject to a distinct statutory rule requiring it to be non-working except where the nature of the activity prevents interruption.[5]
What is Fèt Kaf?
Fèt Kaf is Réunion's commemoration and celebration associated with the abolition of slavery. Events around the island combine remembrance with expressions of Réunionese culture, including maloya, kabars, traditional dance, exhibitions and educational activities.[3][4]
Do employees receive double pay for working on every public holiday?
Not under one universal statutory rule. Labour Day has a specific provision requiring employees who must work in activities that cannot be interrupted to receive their normal pay plus an equal indemnity.[5] Compensation for work on other holidays depends on the applicable legal and collective arrangements.
Is a bridge day itself a public holiday?
No. A workplace may sometimes close on a working day between a statutory holiday and a normal rest day, but that bridge day does not thereby become a statutory public holiday. Its treatment depends on the applicable workplace arrangements.
Can I assume shops and transport are closed on public holidays?
No. Opening hours and transport services vary by operator, sector and holiday. Check the relevant shop, attraction, bus network or other service directly when planning activities around a public holiday.
Sources
- Article L3133-1 - Code du travail- Légifrance
- Article L3422-2 - Code du travail- Légifrance
- 174ème anniversaire de l’abolition de l’esclavage à La Réunion - Discours du préfet de La Réunion- Les services de l'État à La Réunion
- Les festivités du 20 décembre- Île de la Réunion Tourisme
- Chapitre III : Jours fériés (Articles L3133-1 à L3133-12) - Code du travail- Légifrance