— dates, stories & smart planning 🇨🇭✨
If you live or work in the canton of Vaud, here’s your complete, human-friendly guide to official public holidays in 2026—plus the stories behind the most cherished ones, clever ways to plan your time off, and tips to make the most of those well-earned breaks.
Whether you’re organizing your work schedule, family trips, or just want to enjoy local traditions, this guide has you covered. 🌞
| Date (2026) | Day | Holiday (FR / EN) | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan | Thu | Nouvel An / New Year’s Day | National | Fixed-date start to the year. |
| 2 Jan | Fri | Saint Berchtold / Berchtold’s Day | Cantonal (VD) | Observed in Vaud and several cantons. |
| 3 Apr | Fri | Vendredi saint / Good Friday | Cantonal (VD) | Part of the Easter Triduum. |
| 6 Apr | Mon | Lundi de Pâques / Easter Monday | Cantonal (VD) | Monday after Easter. |
| 14 May | Thu | Ascension | National | 39 days after Easter; nationwide day off. |
| 25 May | Mon | Lundi de Pentecôte / Whit Monday | Cantonal (VD) | Monday after Pentecost; most cantons observe. |
| 1 Aug | Sat | Fête nationale / Swiss National Day | Only federal holiday | Falls on a Saturday in 2026 (no automatic weekday in-lieu). |
| 21 Sep | Mon | Lundi du Jeûne (VD) | Cantonal (VD) | Vaud’s unique Monday after the Federal Fast. 🍰 |
| 25 Dec | Fri | Noël / Christmas Day | National | Fixed date. |
Source of the 2026 VD list and weekdays: the Vaud page on PublicHolidays.ch. It matches Swiss Easter/Ascension/Whit calculations for 2026.
Good Friday (Fri 3 Apr), Easter Monday (Mon 6 Apr), Ascension (Thu 14 May), Whit Monday (Mon 25 May), Jeûne Monday (Mon 21 Sep), Christmas (Fri 25 Dec).
If a public holiday lands on Saturday/Sunday (e.g., 1 August 2026 is Saturday), Swiss law doesn’t grant an automatic substitute weekday—unless your contract/collective agreement says otherwise. Plan accordingly.
A civil (not religious) marker of the calendar year used across Switzerland and most of the world. In Vaud it’s one of the standard closures listed by the canton.
Unique to Switzerland/Liechtenstein regions, Berchtoldstag is attested since the 14th century. The name’s origin is debated: from a medieval abbot Berchtold, a Zähringen duke’s hunting legend tied to Bern, the verb “berchten” (“to go around asking for food”), or a link to Perchta from Alpine folklore. The likely linguistic root is a Middle High German term associated with Epiphany, which Protestant regions replaced with 2 January. Vaud counts it as a public holiday.
Easter is moveable (based on the paschal full moon). Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion; Easter Monday follows the Resurrection Sunday. Vaud observes both as public holidays in 2026.
Celebrated 39 days after Easter, Ascension marks Christ’s ascent and is recognized in all 26 cantons—one of Switzerland’s few universally observed dates besides 1 August and Christmas.
Commemorates the Holy Spirit descending on the apostles 50 days after Easter. It’s a public holiday in most Swiss cantons, including Vaud in 2026.
Anchored to the Federal Charter of 1291, the date was chosen in 1891 for the 600-year celebration and became an official nationwide holiday only in 1994. In 2026 it falls on Saturday; there’s no guaranteed weekday in-lieu under federal rules.
Switzerland’s Federal Fast is the third Sunday of September. Vaud is special: it grants the Monday off—the famous Lundi du Jeûne—and locals traditionally enjoy tarte aux pruneaux (prune tart) linked to the day’s simple-meal custom.
A nationwide holiday marking the birth of Jesus Christ; closures apply across Switzerland.
Bridge days (“faire le pont” / Brückentage):
No automatic “Monday off” when a holiday hits the weekend: e.g., 1 August 2026 (Sat). Check your contract or CCT; Swiss federal guidance says you can’t automatically “redeem” a weekend holiday during the week.
Local exceptions: Swiss holidays can be hyper-local. If you work for a municipality or a company with special agreements, verify any site-specific closures.
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