RSchmalfeld

Hi Everyone,

We will be traveling in Provence for two weeks as part of our daughter's wedding celebration and our 35th Anniversary. We are so excited!

This evening I read about Whit Sunday and Whit Monday, and am wondering how these two special holidays in France may affect our travels, either positively or in terms of closures of restaurants. I think we will be in Arles on Sunday and Saint-Maxime or Antibes on Monday.

Do any of you have any experience in traveling in France, and especially Provence, on these special days?

Thank you, I appreciate your experience and wisdom!
Randa

Christina

Those aren't exactly major holidays at all, Whit Monday is just an official one some workers get off. IN fact, that holiday didn't exist for some years until people complained and wanted it back (as a holiday, of course). It just makes for a long weekend holiday, that's all, and has the character of any slow day (like Sunday). Restaurants are not going to close because it's Whit Monday, that's for sure, although many are closed on Monday anyway, in case you didn't know that. Some are closed Sunday, also.

It may just be crowded with people on holiday, mainly.

Whit Sunday is really Pentecost (never heard it called Whit Sunday). In fact, Whit Monday isn't called that, either, it is Lundi de Pentecôte. It isn't a holiday, anyway, just a regular Sunday but has religious meaning to some.

StuDudley

Most shops in Arles will be closed on Sunday - like they are on all Sundays. Museums, churches, and some restaurants will be open however. Many shops in Antibes will be closed on Monday morning also.

Here is something I wrote about shops in Aix on Sundays:

"While in Aix in mid June ’10, I did a “survey” of about 30 shops that had opening & closing days & times posted on their storefronts. Of these 30 shops, 5 were open all day Monday (including a Gap and Monoprix – chain-type stores), 10 were closed all day Monday, and 15 were open Monday afternoon only. Only 1 shop was open on Sunday."

We've spent 40 weeks in Provence & the Cote d'Azur. We use Sundays & Mondays to visit markets (l'Isle sur la Sorgue on Sunday, Bedoin on Monday), or drive through the wonderful countryside and visit some of the "touristy" hill villages that have shops open (St Paul, Gordes, Roussillon).

Stu Dudley

TravelBug9

A great event is held on Whit Monday in Saint Remy. Here's the link:

http://www.saintremy-de-provence.com/traditions-2.html