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Work and Time
Home » France » France - People and Culture » Work and TimePosted by Your Guide on May 17, 2006 5:00 PM
The French are much less driven by their jobs than Americans. The workweek is typically 35 hours per week, and most French citizens take four to six weeks of vacation per year. The workday usually starts around 9:00am, and most French people take at least two hours for lunch. No one works on Sundays. The only establishments open on Sundays are those catering to American tourists. The French suffer from an American stereotype that they are lazy. It is untrue; they simply demand their leisure time. Americans could stand to learn from the French in the way they do not let their jobs consume their lives.
Business relationships often take a social turn in French culture. It is not unusual for French business lunches or dinners to last several hours, with lots of food and wine involved.
The French are highly punctual for the most part. They believe in respecting other people’s time by not being late, and they expect the same in return. Children are taught early on to adhere to a schedule.
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