What will be open and what’ll be closed on November 11th in France?

This year November 11th, Armistice Day, falls on a Tuesday, creating the possibility of a long pont (bridge) weekend.

France lost out on its November 1st holiday because it fell on a Saturday, so it’s about time we had a day off.

The day itself is marked with commemorations at war memorials around the country, mostly at 11am – marking the time the guns fell silent on the western front in 1918.

READ MORE: 5 things to know about Armistice Day in France

These events vary from a big parade in Paris, when the president will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, to smaller events at village war memorials, but they are all very moving. If you live in a small community, you may be invited to join your neighbours for drinks after the ceremony.

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You’re also likely to see people wear a bleuet, the blue flower of remembrance.

But apart from the memorial events, does the country shut down?

Schools and government offices

Government offices – from ministries in Paris to local préfectures and mairies – will be closed on November 11th, as will other state offices.

Likewise schools close for the day and kids (and teachers) get the day off.

Local-authority run services such as swimming pools and leisure centres will likely be closed.

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Shops

Banks will be closed while smaller, independently-owned shops often close up too. Supermarkets may have altered opening hours (usually changing to Sunday hours), while multi-nationals and chain store mostly open as normal.

Private businesses

You’ll likely find that most offices close for the day so if you’re trying to contact a company, don’t expect anyone to answer the phone.

Bars, cafés, restaurants

Leisure-based businesses, however, are likely to keep their usual opening hours. November 11th this year falls on a Tuesday, which some cafés and restaurants already have as a closing day. However cafés or bars that usually open on a Tuesday are likely to remain open.

Likewise hotels and other tourist-centred businesses will be open as normal.

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Tourist attractions 

Because November 11th is not a major holiday, most tourist attractions will open as normal – although as with restaurants some sites have Monday as a regular closing day.

If you’re planning a visit then check the website before travelling, but big sites like the Eiffel Tower will be open as normal. Access to the Arc de Triomphe will be limited in the morning because of the ceremony being held there.

Trains, buses and city public transport

SNCF runs a normal timetable on November 11th, as do the national bus routes. Public holidays are often busy times on France’s roads and railways but this is expected to be fairly quiet because schools have only just returned after the two-week Toussaint holidays, so most people took the opportunity to go away then.

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City public transport like the Paris Metro usually runs slightly fewer trains – more akin to a Sunday service – because there are fewer people travelling, but the operating hours remain the same.

Medical services 

It’s common for doctors to close up their cabinets on public holidays, while medical laboratories also close for non-urgent appointments.

Emergency services such as hospitals are open as normal, while you can Google the ‘pharmacie de garde’ for your area to find the pharmacies that will be open on Tuesday. Naturally emergency services such as the police, ambulance and firefighters will be working as normal.

Emergency in France, who to call and what to say