One of the first things I used to do when teaching was to mark the holidays on the calendar - in fact we often used to do this at the staff meeting before the beginning of term when we went through the events already planned by the headteacher.

So it wasn't surprising to read in the local paper that most French people tick off the Jours de Feriés (Bank Holidays) so that they can arrange their 'ponts' or long weekends.

If a Jour de Ferié falls on a Thursday or a Tuesday it is possible to take an extra day on the Friday or Monday, either by taking a day off your holiday allowance or arranging a day of RTT -Reduction de Temps de Travail. This doesn't actually mean that you can reduce your working hours; you have to 'pay' for your day off by making up the hours in previous weeks.

May dayIn May last year, if you were able to take advantage of all the long weekends possible there were only 17 working days. This year it's not such good news.  Ascension Day falls on the 1st May - La Fete du Travail - so thats one holiday less. However, it is a Thursday so that's an opportunity to take Friday off as well.

More bad news: November 1st - Toussaint - is a Saturday, and there's no question of transfering a Bank Holiday to the following Monday. And then there's an extra working day because of February 29th.

On the other hand, there are six chances to take a three or four day break in 2008: May 1st (Thursday), May 8th (Fete de la Victoire), 14th July (Monday), 15th August (Friday), 11th November (Tuesday), 25th December (Thursday - and the 26th would have to be an RTT or extra day's holiday because Boxing Day is NOT a Bank Holiday here). January 1st will also be a Thursday so it's possible to start 2009 with a four day holiday.

retired

(It's always useful to be aware of these Jours de Feriés if you are travelling to France. We have been caught out in the past, unable to buy any food - not even bread.)

Of course, since retiring, I find the days all merge into one. It's like a week of weekends. But it does make you feel old when you have to think hard about what day it is.