Day 3162 (Tuesday) 3rd February 2026

This is Villefranche-sur-Mer

and this is Saint Paul de Vence.

 

It was quite cloudy again this morning, it was better than yesterday but still not very nice.

Everything that changes in France in February 2026

A man works on a sculpture made of oranges and lemons on February 14, 2014 in Menton on the French Riviera, ahead of the start of the "Fete du Citron" (Lemon carnival). (Photo by VALERY HACHE / AFP)

From decreasing electricity and gas prices to the famous French crêpes day and the country's biggest farm show, here is what is on the agenda for February 2026 in France.

Road Tolls - Every year in February, road tolls increase. This year the rates on the main motorways across France are set to go up by an average of 0.86 percent, the lowest increase since 2021. However, price increases will depend on the motorway and the company operating it. 

Electricity prices drop - Starting February 1st the price of electricity will decrease for all households, due to a five per cent reduction in the levy known as the contribution tarifaire d'approvisionnement. For an average household, the reduction represents approximately €10 to €12 per year.

Gas prices decrease -  The official benchmark price of gas in France is expected to decrease slightly in February 2026 compared to January. For cooking and hot water: €0.129 per kWh (–2.5 percent from January). For heating €0.099 per kWh (–3.3 percent from January). This means households heating with gas will see a modest reduction in their bills.

UK travel changes - February 25th marks the end of the 'tolerance period' for anyone travelling to the UK. From this date anyone who doesn't have the correct documents under the new ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) system will be turned back at the border. People travelling on a British or Irish passport are exempt, but everyone else  - including children - is required to have an ETA. The clampdown could also affect British dual nationals.

Livret A interest rates - The interest rates for the popular French savings account, Livret A, will fall back to 1.5 percent on February 1st, following a decision by the Banque de France and the French Ministry of Finance.

French census for 2026 - France will collect data between January 15th and February 14th. In smaller communities, the entire population is counted, while in larger areas the census operates on a rolling five-year system, surveying about eight percent of residents each year.

La Chandeleur 

 This year La Chandeleur, celebrated every February 2nd, falls on a Monday. This religious holiday, that has been around since Roman times, now mainly consists of eating a lot of crêpes, the French pancake.

Six Nations Rugby Tournament

The annual championship runs from February 5th to March 14th this year. France having won in 2025, les bleus are ready for another try at first place. The first game will be between France and Ireland at the Stade de France. 

Valentine's Day

La Saint Valentin as French people call it is not as popular here as it is in the US or the UK. However more and more you will see jewellery, chocolate and flower shops advertising for the festival.

School holidays - French schools have a two-week holiday in February, but the exact date depends on which zone you are in.

Zone A (including Bordeaux, Grenoble and Lyon) will go from Saturday, February 7th to Monday, February 23rd
Zone B (including Marseille, Nantes and Strasbourg) will run from From Saturday, February 14th to Monday, March 2nd
Zone C (including the Paris region and Toulouse) holidays will run from Saturday, February 1st  to Monday, March 9th

Winter sales - This year, the winter sales will take place in the majority of metropolitan departments, from January 7th to February 3rd.

Wine salon

The international wine show Wine Paris will be held in the capital at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles (15th arrondissement) from February 9th to February 11th. 

Farm show

France's annual Salon de l'Agriculture will take place from February 21st to March 1st, held in the Paris at Porte de Versailles. It is a great opportunity to learn about different French regions, as well as to taste their delicacies.

This year however due to outbreaks of the highly contagious cattle virus Lumpy Skin Disease (dermatose nodulaire contagieuse) in France, the cattle classes will not take place.

Bike festival - For its 39th edition, the international bicycle travel festival sets up in Angers, at the edge of the Loire Valley, on February 21st and 22nd. This includes two days of films, workshops, meetings, and stories for those who travel by bicycle, dream of setting off, or are simply looking for concrete ideas to get started. 

Nice carnaval

Taking place from February 11th to March 1st, the Mediterranean city is hosting its annual Nice Carnival. Two weeks of festivities bring the city of Nice to life with the decorated floats and parades, marking the end of winter.

Menton lemon festival

And if you're around the area, why not stop in Menton, a town located in the French Riviera. The Lemon Festival, or Fête du Citron, is a unique event in the world attracting more than 200,000 visitors every year. It will start on February 14th and lasts until March 1st. Expect everything to be lemon themed, just as its name indicates.