In 15 Seconds
- Taking an extra day off to create a long weekend.
- Specifically used when a holiday falls near a weekend.
- A cornerstone of French work culture and vacation planning.
Meaning
This phrase refers to the glorious French tradition of taking an extra day off when a public holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, creating a four-day weekend. You are essentially 'building a bridge' from the holiday to the weekend.
Key Examples
3 of 6Chatting with a coworker about May holidays
Est-ce que tu fais le pont pour l'Ascension ?
Are you taking the long weekend for Ascension?
Texting a friend about a trip
On fait le pont, donc on part à la mer jeudi soir !
We're taking the long weekend, so we're heading to the seaside Thursday night!
A boss announcing office closures
L'entreprise fera le pont le vendredi 10 mai.
The company will be closed on Friday, May 10th.
Cultural Background
The 'Pont de l'Ascension' is so common that many businesses and schools close automatically. It's the only bridge that is almost 'guaranteed' every year. Public services often 'font le pont', which can be frustrating for people trying to get paperwork done. Always check opening hours in May! Some companies 'offrent le pont' (give the day for free), while others require employees to use a vacation day or work extra hours to 'récupérer' the time. The 'ponts de mai' are the busiest times for domestic tourism. Hotels in coastal areas like Normandy or the Côte d'Azur are booked months in advance.
Check the calendar
In France, if a holiday is on a Sunday, there is no 'pont' and no extra day off. It's considered 'lost'!
Train tickets
If you plan to 'faire le pont', book your TGV tickets weeks in advance. Prices triple during these periods.
In 15 Seconds
- Taking an extra day off to create a long weekend.
- Specifically used when a holiday falls near a weekend.
- A cornerstone of French work culture and vacation planning.
What It Means
Imagine a public holiday lands on a Thursday. Most people would work Friday. Not in France! You take that Friday off. You have 'bridged' the gap to Saturday. This creates a massive four-day break. It is a national pastime. Everyone plans for it months in advance.
How To Use It
You use it as a verb phrase. It works just like faire du sport. You can say je fais le pont or on fait le pont. It is very flexible. You can use it in any tense. 'I will bridge' or 'We bridged'. It is a joyful expression of freedom.
When To Use It
Use it when discussing your vacation plans. Use it at the office in May. May is the holy month of bridges in France. There are many holidays then. You can ask your boss if the company is 'doing the bridge'. It is a standard part of work-life conversation. Even schools do it often.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use it for a normal three-day weekend. If the holiday is on a Monday, there is no gap. No gap means no bridge. Also, do not use it for literal construction. If you are actually building a bridge over a river, use construire. You might confuse a very literal architect!
Cultural Background
France has a strong culture of 'le repos'. This phrase became popular as labor laws evolved. It reflects the French priority on quality of life. In May, the country almost grinds to a halt. It is called 'le mois des ponts'. Some businesses even force employees to take the day off. It is a collective agreement to relax.
Common Variations
You might hear faire un long week-end. That is the boring version. Stick to faire le pont for more flavor. Sometimes people say un pont de quatre jours. This specifies the length. If you are lucky, you might even faire le viaduc. That is a slangy way to describe an even longer break!
Usage Notes
The phrase is neutral and can be used in almost any setting, from a corporate boardroom to a casual dinner. Just remember it requires a 'gap' day to make sense.
Check the calendar
In France, if a holiday is on a Sunday, there is no 'pont' and no extra day off. It's considered 'lost'!
Train tickets
If you plan to 'faire le pont', book your TGV tickets weeks in advance. Prices triple during these periods.
The May Marathon
Be prepared for very slow business in May. Many French people 'font le pont' multiple times in one month.
Examples
6Est-ce que tu fais le pont pour l'Ascension ?
Are you taking the long weekend for Ascension?
A very common question in French offices during spring.
On fait le pont, donc on part à la mer jeudi soir !
We're taking the long weekend, so we're heading to the seaside Thursday night!
Shows excitement and planning.
L'entreprise fera le pont le vendredi 10 mai.
The company will be closed on Friday, May 10th.
Formal announcement of a collective day off.
Zut, la boulangerie fait le pont !
Darn, the bakery is closed for the long weekend!
Common frustration for locals.
J'ai vraiment besoin de faire le pont pour me reposer.
I really need to take the long weekend to rest.
Expressing a need for a break.
Les enfants font le pont cette semaine.
The kids have a long weekend this week.
Schools often align with these holidays.
Test Yourself
Complete the sentence with the correct form of 'faire le pont'.
Le 1er mai est un jeudi cette année, alors nous ___________ le vendredi.
We use 'faire' + 'le pont' to describe this action.
Which situation describes 'faire le pont'?
A holiday falls on a Tuesday. You decide to...
Bridging means connecting the holiday to the weekend by taking the day in between off.
Complete the dialogue naturally.
A: Tu travailles vendredi prochain ? B: Non, comme jeudi est férié, ___________.
'Je fais le pont' is the logical reason for not working on a Friday after a holiday.
Match the phrase to the correct duration of the break.
Match 'Faire le grand pont' with its typical duration.
'Le grand pont' implies a longer-than-usual bridge, often 5 days or more.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesLe 1er mai est un jeudi cette année, alors nous ___________ le vendredi.
We use 'faire' + 'le pont' to describe this action.
A holiday falls on a Tuesday. You decide to...
Bridging means connecting the holiday to the weekend by taking the day in between off.
A: Tu travailles vendredi prochain ? B: Non, comme jeudi est férié, ___________.
'Je fais le pont' is the logical reason for not working on a Friday after a holiday.
Match 'Faire le grand pont' with its typical duration.
'Le grand pont' implies a longer-than-usual bridge, often 5 days or more.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
8 questionsIt depends on your contract. Usually, you use one of your paid vacation days (congés payés) to cover the bridge day.
Yes, unless the entire company is closing for that day. If it's an individual request, it's like any other vacation day.
Technically, you can't 'bridge' it with one day. You'd have to take two days off, which is often called 'faire le grand pont'.
Most French schools officially 'font le pont' for Ascension Thursday, meaning there is no school on Friday.
It is almost always 'faire le pont'. 'Un pont' sounds like you are literally building a bridge over a river.
This means you take the bridge day off, but you work extra hours on other days to make up for it.
Yes, but it's less common than in France because North American holiday structures are different (often holidays are moved to Monday).
No, if the holiday is on Friday, you already have a 3-day weekend. There is no 'gap' to bridge.
Related Phrases
faire le grand pont
specialized formTo take an even longer break (5+ days).
un jour férié
builds onA public holiday.
faire le viaduc
specialized formAn exaggeratedly long bridge.
poser un jour
similarTo take a day off.
