French Strikes, Public Holidays & Closures: What Actually Affects Staying Here (and What Doesn’t)

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First published: December 2025

If you’ve ever Googled France and strikes in the same sitting, you’d be forgiven for thinking the entire country spends most of its time downing tools, blocking roads, and setting fire to roundabouts.

The reality — especially here in rural Normandy — is far less dramatic.

This blog exists because questions about French strikes, public holidays, and closures come up all the time. Often from people quietly worried they’ll arrive, find everything shut, and spend a week surviving on dry biscuits and regret 🥖😅

So let’s talk about what actually affects staying here at our gîte in La Manche — and what really doesn’t.

The headline version (before we get into detail)

Strikes and public holidays do exist in France.

And yes — France has a LOT of public holidays.

But in rural Normandy, they very rarely disrupt day-to-day life in the way people imagine.

Most of the time, they amount to small adjustments, a bit of forward thinking, and the occasional reminder that France is extremely comfortable with stopping.

French strikes: what they usually affect 🚆

When strikes happen in France, they tend to affect a fairly predictable set of things:

– long-distance trains
– city public transport
– sometimes fuel distribution
– large urban services

What they rarely affect is everyday rural life.

Here in La Manche, strikes usually pass with barely a ripple. Shops open. Roads function. Supermarkets carry on as normal. Life continues.

If something does change — for example, a shop adjusting its hours — there is almost always good warning.

We keep an eye on what’s happening locally, and if anything relevant might affect your stay in rural Normandy, we’ll let you know. No surprises. No last-minute panic.

Fuel strikes & headline panic 🛢️

This one causes a lot of doom-scrolling.

Fuel strikes do happen occasionally, and when they do, they make international headlines.

The on-the-ground reality here is usually much calmer.

In rural areas, people adapt quickly. Stations restock. Local driving continues. It’s not the Mad Max scenario the internet sometimes suggests.

If there’s ever a genuine concern, we flag it early so guests can plan sensibly — not scramble.

Public holidays: France really commits to them 🗓️

France takes its public holidays seriously.

And yes — they have a LOT of them.

This can feel unsettling if you’re used to places where everything stays open regardless of the calendar.

Here’s what usually happens on a French public holiday:

– some small shops close
– some supermarkets reduce hours
– some restaurants open, some don’t

Bakeries are often open in the morning. Markets frequently still run. Tourist sites usually remain open.

It’s very rare for absolutely everything to be shut.

And if something important is closed, it’s usually because there’s something to celebrate.

In those cases, we’ll let you know what’s happening locally and suggest how to lean into it — perhaps a village fête, a local fair, or a small celebration visitors don’t always stumble across on their own 🎉

Rather than an inconvenience, it often becomes one of those unexpectedly lovely “we wouldn’t have seen this otherwise” moments.

Sundays: not a mistake, just a different rhythm 🥖

Sundays in rural France are intentionally quiet.

This isn’t disorganisation. It’s cultural.

Many shops close. Roads empty. The pace drops.

For some visitors, this initially feels strange. For many others, it becomes one of the highlights of their stay.

Sundays here are for walks, long lunches, slow mornings, and not having to decide what to do next.

Nothing is “wrong”. It’s just resting.

Arriving on a Sunday or public holiday

This worries people far more than it needs to.

If you arrive on a Sunday or a public holiday, nothing bad happens.

The gîte is ready. Check-in is flexible. No rushing. No pressure.

As long as you’ve done a simple food shop beforehand — or asked us for tips — you’ll be absolutely fine.

And if planning that feels like one thing too many (especially after ferry delays or long drives), there’s also a gentler option.

Some guests prefer to remove that final layer of pressure altogether. In those cases, we offer a small number of optional comforts that can be arranged in advance. They’re not included in the holiday price, there’s no expectation to use them, and they exist purely to make your holiday easier — not more structured.

• groceries delivered to the gîte before arrival, unpacked and waiting
• a snack ready for later arrivals, when plans unravel slightly
• a meal on arrival so nobody has to decide anything on night one
• packed lunches for easy, unstructured days out
• a breakfast basket delivered quietly to the gîte — no getting dressed required
• a meal delivered when cooking feels optional rather than essential

In other words, you don’t lose comforts by staying somewhere rural. You simply choose when you want them — with no obligation and no apologies.

This question comes up so often that I’ve written an entire blog about it:

What’s Actually Closed on Sundays in Normandy (and Why That’s OK)

What closures don’t affect at all 🌿

This is the important bit.

Strikes, Sundays and public holidays do not affect:

– beaches
– countryside walks
– villages
– nature
– peace and quiet

None of those close.

Many guests actually enjoy these quieter days the most — fewer people, more space, and a sense of having the place slightly to yourself.

The mindset shift that helps most

The biggest adjustment isn’t logistical. It’s mental.

France doesn’t see stopping as a problem to fix.

It’s part of life.

Once you accept that not everything needs to be open all the time, something relaxes.

The day stretches. Meals take longer. Decisions become fewer.

And somehow, you still manage to eat very well.

When this might feel uncomfortable

If you need constant activity, endless shopping options, and full schedules every day, French closures may feel frustrating.

And that’s okay.

This kind of holiday suits people who are comfortable letting the day be what it is — and trusting that nothing important is being missed.

The simple truth

French strikes, public holidays and Sunday closures are rarely the disruption people fear.

Most of the time, they simply invite you to slow down.

If reading this makes you think, “That sounds manageable,” then rural Normandy will probably suit you very well.

Useful reading

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