As Eid al-Adha 2026 begins this Wednesday, May 27, 2026, the Alpes-Maritimes prefecture is extending restrictions on the transport, possession and sale of sheep and goats. The Muslim sacrifice festival is set to end on Friday, May 29.
Eid al-Adha begins this Wednesday, May 27, 2026. The French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) and the Great Mosque of Paris have confirmed the same date this year. Also called the festival of sacrifice or sheep festival, this major Islamic celebration traditionally takes place over three days and will end on Friday, May 29.
In the Alpes-Maritimes, the prefecture is maintaining several restrictive measures until June 2, 2026 concerning sheep and goats. Prefect Laurent Hottiaux reminds that ritual slaughter remains prohibited outside authorized slaughterhouses.
Sixteen facilities will operate in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region during the Eid period, including thirteen temporary slaughterhouses and three permanent establishments located in Sisteron, Gap and Guillestre. Several temporary sites will also open in Bouches-du-Rhône, Var and Vaucluse.
A religious festival linked to the lunar calendar
Eid al-Adha takes place on the 10th of Dhul Al Hijjah, the tenth day of the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar. Dates change each year because the Muslim calendar is based on lunar cycles.
This festival commemorates the willingness of the prophet Ibrahim, Abraham in Christian and Jewish traditions, to sacrifice his son to test his faith. According to the religious account, the angel Gabriel ultimately replaces the child with a sheep.
The tradition of sacrifice remains associated with Eid al-Adha. In France, the Ministry of Agriculture reminds that this celebration results in the slaughter of more than 100,000 sheep over a period of between one and three days.
After slaughter, the meat is traditionally shared in three parts: one intended for the most disadvantaged people, one kept by the family and one given to loved ones, neighbors and friends.
Restrictions on the transport and sale of sheep
The prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes also prohibits the possession of sheep as well as the free or paid sale of live sheep and goats to persons unable to justify a declaration with the regional rural farming establishment (EDER). Sales remain authorized when an approved transporter ensures the movement of animals to an authorized slaughterhouse or a declared site.
The transport of live sheep remains prohibited in the Alpes-Maritimes since May 5 and until June 2, 2026. Exceptions exist for journeys to authorized slaughterhouses, veterinary clinics or between two declared farms.
The prefecture explains that these measures aim to prevent clandestine slaughter carried out “in contradiction with basic rules of hygiene and animal protection.” The statement also mentions the risk of contagious disease transmission, particularly bluetongue, during a period marked by high insect vector activity.
State services and law enforcement announce checks throughout the Eid al-Adha period. Any participation in slaughter carried out outside an authorized establishment exposes offenders to criminal penalties that may reach 15,000 euros in fines and a prison sentence.
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