How to holiday like the French

Local France

10 hours ago

The French have a bit of an international reputation for enjoying a good holiday. In truth, employees in France don't get any more time off work than their counterparts around Europe, with
a fairly average 25 days of annual leave
for full-time employees.
Some workers, especially those in the public sector, do get a bit more via a
nice little system known as RTT days
.
But in general, most French employees don't actually spend two full months at the beach every summer, even though it can feel as though the whole country shuts down in August.
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Factcheck: Do French people really take off the entire month of August?
But when the French are on holiday, they fully throw themselves into the experience. Here are our tips for holidaying like a Frenchman or Frenchwoman.
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Holiday in France
France has a massive tourist industry, representing 10 percent of its GDP, and around 70 percent of those tourists are French.
Although the French do of course travel the globe, they also appreciate their own country, especially in the summer when it's a part of the culture to spend at least a few weeks in another part of France - commonly at the beach, in the countryside or in the mountains.
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Some parts of France that are especially popular with the French don't seem to have the same recognition with international tourists, especially the island of Corsica, the Vendée département in western France or the Île de Ré, Île d'Oléron or other islands off the west coast.
But many French tourists also go to areas like the Riviera or Brittany that are popular with foreign tourists.
As summers in France get hotter, heading to the cooler air of the mountains - the Pyrenees or the Alps - is becoming more and more popular, and these areas are increasingly set up for summer tourism with activities including cycling, hiking, extreme sports and boating on offer.
Use
pont
days
We mentioned that French employees don't get more annual leave than their European counterparts, but they are smart at maximising their days off.
The principal method for this
is
'pont'
days
- this happens when a public holiday falls on a Tuesday or a Thursday. The worker then uses a single day of their annual leave to create a four-day weekend, which can be used for a trip away.
There are 11 public holidays per year (or 13 for those in Alsace-Lorraine), and there's a good chance that at least a couple of them will fall on either a Tuesday or a Thursday. Over the summer, there are two - July 14th for the Fête nationale and August 15th for Assumption. This year they fall on a Monday and a Friday, so no summer
pont
opportunities, but still a nice long weekend.
Roads and railways are usually very busy around public holidays, especially if they offer a '
pont
' opportunity.
French workers take the art of the
pont
seriously - every year around January 1st French newspapers (and
The Local
) run articles explaining how to take your annual leave to give you the maximum amount of time off.
Have a second home
This might require a lottery win, but many French people take off to their second homes for a few weeks over the summer.
This doesn't necessarily mean they are super wealthy. France's inheritance laws coupled with the social model means that many people inherit a house from their parents, which they may decide to keep and use as a second home.
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If you start chatting with French friends about their holiday plans, it's not unusual to discover that they are travelling to a second home that either they or someone in their family owns. If you're lucky, they might take you with them.
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Explained: Why so many French people have second homes
Holiday in summer (and also at Christmas, perhaps in February and over several 'pont' days)
Holidays at Christmas, around public holidays and sometimes in February (ski season) are popular with the French, as the annual calendar of traffic warnings shows, but the summer holiday is culturally important.
In fact
almost 40 percent of people tell pollsters
that they can't afford an annual holiday at present, but it's common for people to have some kind of trip away in the summer, even if it's just to visit relatives.
Many offices and businesses close completely for a couple of weeks in August to allow their staff to take time off, while it's common to see small independent shops such as
boulangeries
closed with a notice on the door explaining that the owner is away on holiday.
There are plenty of people who do work over the summer though - the 3 million people who work in the tourist industry, for a start.
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Do not answer work messages
Every year, jokes circulate on social media that take basically the same format.
"American out-of-office message: I am taking a half day off to have kidney surgery, but I will be available on my email and cell throughout and will answer your messages as quickly as possible.
"French out-of-office: I am out of the office until September. I will not be checking messages"
This is perhaps a slight exaggeration (some lucky Americans get a whole day off for their kidney surgery), but it is true that there is very little culture of working or replying to messages while on holiday in France.
A holiday should be an opportunity for complete disconnection, and French workers have
the legal 'right to disconnect'
.
For this reason it's wise not to try and schedule important tasks in August, as it's highly likely that the person you need to deal with will be on holiday.
Consider stripping off
France
has a thriving naturist scene
and we're told that going nude in the summer is a very freeing experience.
There are some nudist holiday camps if you want to fully immerse yourself in the experience, but there are also plenty of nudist beaches where you can get a nice all-over tan. It's best to stick to the designated nudist areas if you want to strip off fully, but going topless on the beach is generally OK anywhere.
Once you leave the beach and head into town or to a bar or restaurant, however, you will be expected to cover up. Some towns even levy fines on topless men.
READ ALSO
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Can you go topless in French towns this summer?
In fact, beaches themselves have quite a few rules -
Sand, smoking and sex: The rules of French beaches
Swim in the Seine
If you're in Paris, why not take the chance to make history and have a swim in the Seine? After a massive clean-up operation, three bathing spots opened up in the river in Paris this summer, marking the first time that public swimming has been allowed since 1923.
Swimming is only allowed in the designated areas - the swim spots are free and offer a changing area and lockers (remember to bring a €1 coin). The bathing areas can close, however, if pollution levels are too high - you can check if they are open
here
.
Although also popular with tourists, it seems that Parisians are embracing the new opportunity too, and there are starting to be regulars at the swimming spots as locals take the opportunity to enjoy a part of their city that has been off limits for so long.
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Drink Spritz and rosé, eat seafood
France is a nation of seasonal eaters and drinkers.
The classic drinks of the summer are the spritz - often Aperol but sometimes Campari or Saint-Germain - and rosé wine, although white is also popular. France has a growing beer scene with more and more people turning to craft ales, and many breweries are now offering alcohol-free versions for especially hot days.
READ ALSO
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Rosé, spritz and pressé: 5 things to drink in France this summer
Food-wise, you'll see many French people tucking into seafood platters in the coastal areas, as well as salads and seasonal dishes.
Picnics are also popular with French families, and you'll see some quite elaborate meals if you're in a French park or on a beach.