Victory Day in Réunion
Victory Day is observed in Réunion on May 8, the date French law names as a public holiday. Its local observance includes official commemoration of the 1945 Allied victory in Europe.[1][3]
Date and public holiday status
Réunion’s calendar places Victory Day on May 8. France’s Labour Code lists May 8 among the legal public holidays, establishing the holiday’s status in Réunion under French law.[1]
A public holiday does not automatically mean every private-sector employee has the day off. The Labour Code says an agreement sets which holidays are non-working; if there is no agreement, the employer sets them. When a public holiday is non-working, the law protects pay for employees with at least three months’ seniority, subject to the stated exceptions.[1][2]
What the day commemorates
On May 8, 1945, German representatives signed the unconditional surrender in Berlin. The date marks the Allies’ military victory in Europe and the political defeat of Nazism, but it was not the end of the Second World War: Japan continued fighting until September 2, 1945.[4]
For Réunion, Victory Day connects the island’s official commemorations with this wider French and European history. The state’s Réunion service identifies its local event as a commemoration of the 1945 victory.[3][4]
Official commemorations in Réunion
A Réunion government account records a ceremony presided over by the prefect, with military authority held by the senior commander of the French Armed Forces in the southern Indian Ocean zone. It also notes that the prefect read a message from the minister responsible for veterans’ memory.[3]
That record confirms an official ceremony on the island, but does not establish that the same programme, participants, or location applies every year. The available source does not verify island-wide household customs, particular foods, or regional differences in observance.[3]
Work, services, and planning
Whether a workplace closes depends on the applicable agreement or, when there is none, the employer’s decision. The legal holiday status alone therefore does not establish that every business is closed.[1][2]
Check opening hours with the bank, shop, public office or transport provider before you go; the calendar lists May 8 itself as the holiday date.[1]
Frequently asked questions
When is Victory Day in Réunion?
It is observed on May 8, the date listed as a public holiday in the French Labour Code.[1]
Is Victory Day a public holiday in Réunion?
Does everyone get the day off work?
Are shops, banks, and transport services open?
Opening hours vary by provider. Check with shops, banks, and transport operators before you travel.
Sources and references
Sources used for Victory Day in Réunion:
- Sous-section 1 : Ordre public. (Articles L3133-1 à L3133-3) - Légifrance- Légifrance
- Article L3133-3-2 - Code du travail - Légifrance- Légifrance
- Commémoration de la Victoire du 8 mai 1945- Les services de l'État à La Réunion
- Journée nationale du 8 mai 1945- Ministry of the Armed Forces, Chemins de mémoire