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We Want to make our 1st visit to France in our folding camper next August. My OH seems to think all of France have 2 weeks shut down in all areas of business.Does anyone know when this is?

Thanks Rachel.

Not quite the case. The main French holiday season goes from the weekend before the 14th July to the weekend after about the 15th August. During this time, most campsites and other holiday attractions will be very busy. Some small shops and businesses and even some restaurants will be closed at least for part of this period (they are on holiday too!). If you want to go away during the first half of Aughust, it might be sensible to book ahead for your main campsite. If you have a long journey and need overnight stops, you will probably find municipal campsites that will have space without too much problem. Otherwise, I don't think you will have much problem. Most things will be open: after all, that is when they make their profit.

It is worth bearing in mind that the Saturdays at the start and finish of this period can be very busy on French roads, especially the August one, so if you can avoid travelling on a Saturday, so much the better.

It's not as out of date as you may think Billy. Where we are in rural France, everything closes down for lunch from 12-2pm. Even the Super U! The builders my mate's using on his house have scarpered for the better part of the month. The cafe bar in our commune has closed down for 3 weeks too.

It's just been a Bank Holiday over here, and it's now Thursday. Things are starting to open again! The French have a legal minimum of 45 days leave per year, as well as a 35-hour working week. So, they tend to take as much time off during the summer as poss. Many take the whole of August off, which means that quite a few businesses just close for the month too!

Still, it doesn't mean 'don't come to France in August', it just means that in rural France, you have to make allowances...whereas in the cities & towns, it's usually ok.