For many people around the world, French people are said to be lazy, benefiting from the 35-hour working week or the paid holidays. While most of French people are now on holiday, I propose you to know more about the French labour law.

Created in 1934 to prevent the emergence of a facist government in France, the Front Populaire (a unification of left political parties) was at the origin of a social policy that changed the French labour law. Lead by Léon Blum, the Front Populaire won the general election in 1936. Before the creation of the new government, 12,000 strikes involving more than 2 millions workers claiming for better labour conditions were held in several regions of France, for the first time inside companies' premises, paralysing the country.

After several weeks of strikes, the corporates agreed on negociations that lead to the Accord de Matignon. These are some of the most significant resolution:

• an increase of salaries of 7 to 15% was decided,
  
• workers have now the right to unionize,
  
• the working week came down from 48 to 40 hours,
  
• 15 paid days of holiday per year.
  

The Front Populaire then laid the fundations of the modern labour law in France. In the late 90's, more than 4 billion people benefited from paid holidays around the world, according to the International Labour Organization.

In France, the duration of the paid holidays increased regularly: 3 weeks in 1956, 4 in 1969, 5 in 1982, participating in the creation of a mass tourism and the development of an entire economic activity related to tourism, sports and more generally, a leisure business. Moreover, it seems that paid holidays have a positive impact on productivity. People are indeed talking about a correlation between productivity and the ability of workers to go on holiday regularly.

The working week duration decreased to 35 hours in 2000, with the Jospin Government, create an estimated 700,000 jobs. This reform is still provoking a debate.

This post is definitely not exhaustive, but I hope you have a better picture of the French at work !
For more information, you can consult this link.

Umaima, the winner of the Click On French contest, and her husband, are back from their holiday in France!

Click On French, in partnership with the French region Pays de la Loire and the French Embassy, offered a one-week trip to France to the winners.

They first visited Nantes, the capital of the Region Pays de la Loire, where they were invited to a cocktail with the administration of the Region on the day of their arrival in France. The next day, they visited the Airbus Industry in Saint Nazaire, on the Atlantic coast, as well as Escale Atlantic, a museum in a ocean liner! The last day of their stay in Pays de la Loire was "history-oriented" with the visite of the Ducs de Bretagne Castle and the old city of Nantes!



They ended their stay in Paris where they enjoyed the Château de Versailles and its light and sound show!

We hope they had a great experience in France! Congrats again from all the team!

From Feb.15th to March 22nd, play with Click On French and win a Free French Holiday in France for 2 people!

You will discover Paris and the Pays de la Loire Region (West of France) and enjoy typical French delicacies ;) !

1/ Log on quiz.clickonfrench.com
2/ Answer basic questions on France and Click On French
3/ Participate in our lucky draw!

Bonne chance à tous!