Public life is generally quiet on Ascension Day. Post offices, banks, stores and other businesses are closed. Outside of tourist areas, restaurants and cafes may also be closed. However, bakeries and some stores in Paris, as well as at airports and railway stations and along major highways, are open. Small businesses may also be closed on the Friday and Saturday after Ascension Day, even if they are usually open on these days.
Public transport service schedules vary depending on where one lives and intends to travel. Some villages and small towns hold sporting or cultural events on Ascension Day and during the following weekend. These may cause some local disruption to traffic.