Bastille Day in Réunion

A public holiday under French law

Article L3133-1 of the Labour Code names July 14 as a legal public holiday. The date is fixed.[1]

A public holiday does not mean every worker is automatically entitled to a day off. Agreements set which public holidays are not worked, or the employer decides if there is no agreement; the law also protects pay for eligible employees when work stops on a public holiday.[2]

French history and Réunion’s meaning

The national holiday refers to both the storming of the Bastille in 1789 and the Fête de la Fédération in 1790, which celebrated national unity. July 14 became France’s national holiday in 1880.[4]

In an official Réunion address, the prefect described the commemoration as a way to affirm the island’s attachment to France and to values including liberty, equality and fraternity. Réunion also has a separate public holiday for the abolition of slavery: December 20, marking the abolition there in 1848.[3][5][6]

Ceremonies on the island

An official account of the 2022 celebration describes a ceremony and parade at the Barachois in Saint-Denis. The parade featured people serving in the armed forces, police, fire services, health services and civil protection associations, and the speech also recognized young people involved in civic service.[3]

That account says the Saint-Denis parade opened further festivities in the city. It documents one year’s observance rather than a permanent islandwide programme, so events and customs may vary by municipality.[3]

Planning around the holiday

The legal designation alone does not establish whether a particular shop, bank, public office or transport service will open, or what hours it will keep. Check with the relevant provider before travelling or planning an errand; workplace arrangements also depend on applicable agreements or the employer’s decision.[2]