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B1French·20 cards

Work-Life Balance, French Style

Talk about overtime, burnout, bridge days and logging off at six with French colleagues who take their time off seriously.

France has a 35-hour legal working week, five weeks of congés payés, and RTT days for many employees who work longer hours. Since 2017 companies with 50 or more staff must organise a droit à la déconnexion, so you aren't expected to answer emails in the evening. When a public holiday falls on a Thursday, many people faire le pont and take Friday off too, and every employee can see the médecin du travail, the occupational doctor, about stress or overwork.

Two business professionals sitting outside enjoying takeout lunch together.
Photo: MART PRODUCTION on Pexels
  1. 1

    En général, je déconnecte vers 18 h.

    I usually log off around six.

  2. 2

    Après, je regarde plus mes mails.

    After that, I don't look at my emails any more.

  3. 3

    Je fais beaucoup d'heures sup en ce moment.

    I'm doing a lot of overtime at the moment.

  4. 4

    Je suis à bout, j'en peux plus.

    I'm at the end of my rope, I can't take any more.

  5. 5

    Je suis crevé.

    I'm wiped out.

  6. 6

    On a le droit à la déconnexion.

    We have a right to disconnect.

  7. 7

    Jeudi est férié, donc je fais le pont.

    Thursday is a public holiday, so I'm taking Friday off too.

  8. 8

    Il me reste plein de congés.

    I've still got loads of leave left.

  9. 9

    Je prends une vraie pause déj.

    I take a proper lunch break.

  10. 10

    Il faut que je pose des limites.

    I need to set some boundaries.

  11. 11

    Mon manager m'envoie des mails à 23 h.

    My manager sends me emails at 11 p.m.

  12. 12

    Le boulot, c'est pas tout.

    Work isn't everything.

  13. 13

    Je télétravaille le lundi et le vendredi.

    I work from home on Mondays and Fridays.

  14. 14

    J'ai demandé à passer à 80 %.

    I've asked to go down to four days a week.

  15. 15

    Je veux passer plus de temps avec mes enfants.

    I want to spend more time with my kids.

  16. 16

    Ça vaut pas le coup de se cramer pour ça.

    It's not worth burning yourself out over.

  17. 17

    Je pars trois semaines en vacances en août.

    I'm off on holiday for three weeks in August.

  18. 18

    Culpabilise pas.

    Don't feel guilty.

    Tip: The verb means to feel guilty; casual speech drops the first half of the negative.

  19. 19

    Tu devrais en parler au médecin du travail.

    You should talk to the occupational doctor about it.

  20. 20

    La vie est trop courte.

    Life's too short.