Victory in Europe Day

Victory in Europe Day, known in France as la Victoire du 8 mai 1945 or simply le 8 Mai, commemorates the end of the Second World War in Europe. On 8 May 1945, Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender took effect after the surrender documents were signed at Reims and Berlin. For France, the date represented the defeat of the Occupation, the collapse of the Vichy regime, and the restoration of national sovereignty after years of war, persecution, resistance, and hardship. General Charles de Gaulle announced the victory to the French people from Paris, honoring both the Allied armies and the French Resistance.

The holiday is a French national public holiday and an important day of remembrance rather than a purely festive celebration. Its official status changed over time: it was removed from the list of public holidays in 1959, restored in 1981 under President François Mitterrand, and has remained a public holiday since then. In 2026, France will mark the 81st anniversary of the victory, with ceremonies emphasizing peace, European reconciliation, the memory of civilians and soldiers, and the importance of preserving historical testimony as the generation that experienced the war disappears.

Commemorations in France typically take place at war memorials, town halls, cemeteries, and monuments dedicated to the dead of the two world wars. Municipal officials, veterans’ associations, military representatives, schoolchildren, and local residents attend ceremonies featuring the raising of the French flag, the playing of the Marseillaise, speeches, the reading of official messages, and the laying of wreaths. In Paris, the President of the Republic traditionally honors the Unknown Soldier beneath the Arc de Triomphe and may participate in ceremonies on the Champs-Élysées. A minute of silence and tributes to Resistance members, deportees, Allied forces, and civilian victims are also common.

Unlike some national holidays, 8 May has no single traditional menu or nationwide form of entertainment. Families may share a meal, visit relatives, attend local commemorations, or take part in exhibitions, concerts, history programs, and educational events. French flags and commemorative banners are often displayed, while museums and memorial sites highlight the Liberation and the wider history of the Second World War. Appropriate greetings are generally respectful, such as “Bonne commémoration du 8 Mai” or “Nous commémorons la Victoire du 8 mai 1945”; “Joyeux 8 Mai” is less suitable because the day is primarily solemn and reflective.