Key practical and cultural dates for your diary in France for April 2026
This month sees the Paris Marathon, the start of tax season and the full rollout of the Entry/Exit System
Tens of thousands of runners are expected to take part in the latest edition of the race, the largest running event in France
OSTILL is Franck Camhi/Shutterstock
Cultural dates
April 12: Paris Marathon
Tens of thousands of runners are expected to take part in the latest edition of the race, the largest running event in France. The route takes in landmarks of the capital including the Palais Garnier, Notre-Dame, the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.
April 17–19: Festival du Livre de Paris
Perfect for book lovers, thousands of authors and publishers offer meet-and-greets or workshops, and there are hundreds of stalls selling books. The event takes place at the Grand Palais and attracts more than 100,000 visitors each year.
April 22: Festival international des jardins opens in Chaumont-sur-Loire (Loir-et-Cher)
Lasting until November, the festival sees dozens of landscape designers create themed gardens that visitors can explore.
April 24–26: Les Journées Romaines de Nîmes
This event brings ancient Rome to life with costumed participants, spectacles and markets in the historic centre of Nîmes (Gard).
Practical dates
April 4: Start of spring school holidays (Zone A)
The first of the spring school holidays begins for Zone A, running until April 20. Zone B and Corsica have holidays between April 11 and April 27, and Zone C between April 18 and May 4.
April 5: Easter Sunday (Pâques)
A major date in the Christian calendar, widely celebrated with family meals and seasonal chocolate treats across France.
April 6: Easter Monday (Lundi de Pâques)
A public holiday in France. Good Friday is a holiday only in Alsace and Moselle.
April 10: EU Entry/Exit System (EES) deadline
Deadline for the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) to be fully operational, replacing passport stamps with digital records to track entries, exits and compliance with the 90/180-day rule.
This impacts non-EU/non-EEA/non-Swiss citizens visiting France from outside the EU. Foreign residents of EU countries such as France who have valid visas or residency cards are exempt.
General reminder: income declarations
France’s 2026 spring income tax declaration, relating to 2025 income, is available to complete online from April 9. This is for residents and for those who derive income from a French source, even if they do not live in the country.
Declaration deadlines have not yet been confirmed. These usually fall on staggered dates based on the department you live in, or if you are declaring from overseas or by paper. Four main deadlines are usually given, falling between about six to nine weeks after declarations open.
