And it is. The third public holiday in as many weeks and only four days after the last one! This one’s for Pentecost (la Pentecôte), and technically it was yesterday – the Sunday. I guess as it’s a religious holiday, the date is always on a Sunday so the day off is the following day. That page at discoverfrance.net has these dates listed up till 2012 as they change slightly each year due to the fact they’re based on Easter‘s date.
Looking in town and talking to Delphine, it’s not as “strict” a holiday as the two previous ones. Super U is open all day, though I think it’s the only supermarket that is open. In Paris, the whole place will be open. In Delphine’s words:
people can take this day or not, it depends the company. It’s complicated, the government wanted to make this day working and you know French they didn’t want to so … people can be in holiday, others not.
Which makes is nice and clear… Generally, though, if you’re heading to the provinces in France and want to visit museums and go shopping, don’t come in May. A shame as the weather for the last 10 days or so (apart from a torrential downpour yesterday afternoon) has been fantastic.