In May, do what you like… And take advantage of the public holidays! This year, the calendar is, in fact, rather generous by offering us more than one opportunity to bridge the month of May. May 1, Labor Day, falls on a Monday, as does May 8, Armistice Day, when Ascension falls on Thursday, May 18 and Pentecost on Monday, May 29. That’s four long weekends in anticipation that inevitably make you want to get away from it all. It’s never too late to fly abroad to enjoy getaways in crowded corners in this period of sunshine.

May 1 has been a public holiday in France since 1947. This day is dedicated to “Labour Day” and has its origins in a strike movement that first took place in the United States, on May 1, 1886. This day resulted in extreme pressure from the unions on the employers and the government in order to obtain the 8 hour day. On this occasion, 200,000 workers won their case and obtained satisfaction. Labor Day is also a public holiday in several countries such as Spain or Poland. In France, it is the only day of the year that is compulsory and paid for. The custom is to offer loved ones or family members a sprig of lily of the valley, in honor of spring.

May 8 has very different origins, since it is the day of the victory of the Allies (USSR, Great Britain, France, United States…) over Germany. This date marks the end of the Second World War in Europe. On May 7, 1945, at 2:41 a.m., the surrender of the German army was signed in Reims. This angered Stalin, who wanted the surrender to be made to the Red Army in Berlin. Despite many cancellations of this holiday as a result and in a logic of reconciliation, this commemoration was finally restored, on September 23, 1981, at the request of President Mitterrand.

Discover in the slideshow below the ranking of the most popular destinations during this period of long weekends, carried out by Hotels.com.