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At every level of education, French daily school schedules can differ quite a lot from American school schedules. In this lesson, you will come to understand how school schedules can affect the daily lives of many adults and businesses, not just children.
IN CONTEXT
For a long time, elementary schools would follow this weekly schedule: Mondays and Tuesdays all day, no school on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays all day, and Saturday mornings. However, many parents were not fans of getting up early on the weekends, and others wanted to be able to go away for the weekend without their children missing school. Eventually, in the 2000s, the French Ministry of Education canceled school requirements on Saturday mornings and moved to a four-day week. A few years later, it required schools to open on Wednesday mornings to provide additional support and activities, but without receiving funding for those, many schools requested to be open only four times a week, and this remains the case for most French elementary schools today. All in all, elementary school students are required to receive a total of 24 hours of class time weekly.
When children do not have school on Wednesdays, they can use the day to rest and take part in extracurricular activities, or les activités extra-scolaires. For this reason, most artistic and sport institutions offer their courses and games on Wednesdays. Museums and movie theaters also often offer discounted rates every Wednesday, in order to attract families and promote cultural activities. Le mercredi is therefore a special day for French children! Many French companies also take this school schedule into account and offer workers who raise young children the opportunity to work on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, with Wednesday off.
Overall, the days of the week and the start and end times of all schools across the country of France are dictated by the French Ministry of Education. Individual towns can request modified hours or days, but most schools follow the same daily and weekly schedule everywhere in France.
In elementary school, children are due on school premises between 8:30 and 9:00 a.m., when the school day starts. Unless students live in a rural area and far away from their school, there is no school transportation system and students are expected to either walk, take public transportation, or be driven to school. This applies to both primary and secondary public schools in France.
In the middle of the morning, children get a 30-minute recess called la récréation, during which they can play in the school yard if weather permits, or in le préau, the covered part of the playground if it is raining or snowing.
After recess, children go back to class until le déjeuner (lunch), which starts around 12:00 or 12:30 p.m. While some students go home to eat lunch and relax for a bit, most remain at school and are served a hot lunch in la cantine (the cafeteria). They are served a traditional French lunch, which consists of several courses. First, they get an appetizer such, as a small salad or soup, then a main dish, such as a pasta dish or meat and vegetables, then either a piece of cheese or another dairy item like yogurt, and finally dessert, such as fruit or a piece of pie.
Because meals are considered so important in France, not only for their nutritional purpose, but also as an opportunity for students to socialize with their peers in a loosely supervised environment, students are provided ample time to eat: 45 minutes to an hour is typical. Once lunch is finished, students return outside to play for at least 30 minutes and sometimes up to an hour.
Classes resume between 1:30 and 2:00 p.m., and mid-afternoon, students get another half-hour of recess. Students then go back to class one last time, and school will finish between 4:30 and 5:00 p.m.
When school ends, children can be picked up by parents and caregivers or walk home. When children arrive home after school, they have an afternoon snack called le quatre-heures (literally, “the four o’clock”) or le goûter (literally, “the taste”), which may involve eating something sweet such as a pastry they may have bought at the bakery on the way back home, or cookies and fruit, and maybe a dairy product like yogurt.
For those whose parents work later and cannot pick them up when school ends, a system is in place so that students can stay at school, play a bit, and start homework under the supervision of adults. This is sometimes called l’étude. Depending on the school, everyone is picked by 6:00 or 6:30 p.m., and the establishment shuts down for the day.
Besides going to school all day on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, middle school and high school students also go to school on Wednesdays, but that day usually ends earlier, to give them time for homework and extracurricular activities. Students do not have school on Saturday mornings. In middle school, students receive a total of 26 hours of class time. In high school, that number depends on the specialties and options students have selected, but they usually have a minimum of 27 hours of class time every week.
Both middle and high schoolers usually start school around 8:30 a.m., but middle schoolers tend to end their day by 4:00 or 4:30 p.m., while high schoolers can have classes last until 5:00 or 5:30 p.m. Their breaks during the day, les pauses, are shorter (usually 30 minutes in middle school and 15 minutes in high school, twice a day), except for la pause-déjeuner (lunch break), which follows a typical French meal and lasts at least an hour.
The most important element of the middle and high school schedule is the fact that it changes daily, unlike in American schools where students have the same periods in the same order every day.
IN CONTEXT
Here is an example of a weekly schedule for a student en terminale au lycée (in 12th grade in high school), following a math and science specialization:
As you can see, the class schedule is different every day, and the order of the classes is not the same every day. Also, French students may start and end school earlier one day and later the next. For example, a student may be off for the day at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, but have classes until 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
In addition, some classes last longer than one hour: Students may have two hours of English in a row, or a biology period lasting two or even three hours, in order to get more done during class, have time to take tests, do lab experiments, etc. They may also study a subject a couple of days a week only.
Students may also have some empty periods during the day, to allow them to do their homework or socialize with their friends. Often students will leave campus during that time to grab something to eat at the local bakery or hang out at the café with their friends.
In middle school, students are expected to spend one to two hours on homework every day, while in high school they spend at least two to three hours on homework every day, including weekends, especially while preparing for le baccalauréat.
Much like in middle and high school, the schedule changes daily at the university level, which is more similar to the student schedules at American universities. Again, the total number of hours spent in the classroom varies depending on the student’s choices, but each student spends an average of 20 hours in class weekly once in a higher education institution.
In exchange for fewer hours spent in the classroom than in high school, students are required to complete more complex and time consuming homework, les devoirs. About five hours of homework daily is the recommended estimate for French university students.
Classes can take place any time during the weekday, from Monday to Friday. Some classes start as early as 8:00 a.m., and they can also end much later, around 6:00 or 7:00 p.m., since students are now considered adults and responsible for their own transportation, scheduling, and study discipline.
Now that you have a sense of the various school schedules for all children and young adults in France, let’s explore schedules in the workplace. You will notice how the start and end times of schools may dictate when some parents arrive for or leave work.
IN CONTEXT
It is important to understand that for most French employees (at least hourly employees), the work week is 35 hours, and not 40. Before 1998, most employees worked 39 hours a week; however, under the presidency of Jacques Chirac, la loi des 35 heures (the 35-Hour Act) passed. Its goal was to lower the unemployment rate and share the workload with new employees that employers would hire. The logic was that, if everyone worked fewer hours, there would be room to create more jobs. This law was controversial: it was appreciated by many, but also often criticized, and it remains the topic of an ongoing political debate.
Note that this law is flexible and that companies can request exemption. For instance, in healthcare, employees usually work much more than 35 hours a week, which has put a lot of stress on healthcare workers such as nurses. Also, if a business is undergoing special hardships, such as financial issues or difficulties finding qualified staff, an exemption may be permitted.
Compared to many American workers, French employees typically start their workday later, around 9:00 a.m., and also leave work later, between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m.
For most French people, breakfast is eaten at home before work, unless they decide to pick up a pastry at their local boulangerie (bakery) on the way to le bureau (the office). While grabbing coffee to go (un café à emporter) has gained popularity in recent years, it is still not commonly done in France, compared to in the U.S. This service is only available in larger cities and is just not a habit of the French, as people prefer to be at home in the morning and sit at the kitchen table, with their children if they have any, while drinking coffee and eating breakfast. As of 2021, there were only 187 Starbucks locations in France, all in populated city centers (and with a different menu from what is offered in the U.S. to please French palates). Otherwise, some workers stop by le bistrot and grab a quick cup of coffee that they drink at the counter, often accompanied by a pastry like a croissant, or some baguette with butter and jam, after which they are on their way to work.
Once they get to their place of employment, they start working after they greet their coworkers, often with une bise. A couple of hours later, it is customary for workers to take a short break called une pause café (a coffee break) and socialize with colleagues for a bit.
La pause déjeuner (the lunch break) is around 1:00 p.m. and lasts at least one hour, to give employees time to eat and relax. Workers have a few options, depending on what their employer offers for lunch facilities. If the workplace features a cafeteria, many employees choose to eat there, where they can enjoy a multiple-course meal for an affordable price. If they live near their workplace, some employees prefer to go home for lunch to enjoy a home-cooked meal. If none of these are options, then employees usually leave the workplace to go eat at a local restaurant.
Most restaurants cater to the needs of employees at lunchtime in order to provide a multiple-course meal served quickly. For instance, many restaurants offer un menu rapide (a fast menu/meal) to accommodate working schedules. This meal can consist of un plat du jour (a dish of the day), or une formule (a composed menu), which consists of an appetizer, a main dish, and a dessert for a discounted price and is meant to be served quickly. Note that it is acceptable for workers to enjoy a beer or a glass of wine with lunch.
When companies do not have cafeteria facilities for lunch, many of them offer their staff des chèques-déjeuner, also called tickets resto, which are printed and prepaid coupons for meals, and provide a tax-free benefit to employees. While not all restaurants accept this form of payment, many do, especially those that are located in busy areas and attract crowds of workers at lunchtime. This makes life easier for employees: they get to eat a good, warm meal before returning to work, unlike a quick sandwich or fast food at their desk, which is common in the U.S. In fact, while eating at your desk is becoming a trend in some workplaces, it is frowned upon in other places, where you are expected to have lunch away from anything work-related.
After lunch, employees return to work. Mid-afternoon, around 4:00 p.m., another pause café is customary. This is also called le quatre-heures or le goûter (the same meal as children eat after school) and eating a sweet snack such as a pastry or piece of cake is traditional, even for adults!
Between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m., it is time to go home and start cooking dinner. French people usually eat dinner around 8:00 p.m. (young children may have dinner earlier), sometimes while watching the evening news, le journal de 20 heures (the 8:00 p.m. news). Don’t forget that the French often use the 24-hour format. This news program lasts 45 minutes and is followed by the weather forecast, then an evening movie or show. With the availability of streaming services, this TV routine is becoming less prominent, especially with younger adults, but many adults still enjoy this type of schedule.
Business hours for stores depend a lot on their geographical location. For instance, a supermarket located downtown in a big city would typically open in the morning between 7:00 and 8:00 a.m. and close between 8:00 and 9:00 p.m. However, in a smaller town, a supermarket will usually open later, between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m., and close earlier, between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. If a store has very few employees, it may even close during lunch to allow the staff a break.
The hours and days during which a business is open are closely regulated by the government, in an effort to ensure reasonable hours for employees, as well as the reduction of unfair competition between businesses. That said, special permits called les dérogations may be requested. While a store may be granted permission to be open until midnight, or even 24 heures sur 24 (24/7), this is very rare.
In addition, a vast majority of stores are closed on Sundays and on les jours fériés (national holidays), unless they obtain an official authorization to remain open. Keep in mind that some dérogations are denied, and businesses can be fined if they decide to open without permission. In the past, large companies have decided to go against the government and open anyway, and simply pay the fine, as they made a lot more than the amount of the fine by being open. You may find these limited business hours peculiar, but French people are accustomed to stores being closed on Sundays, and when the evening comes, they are aware that forgetting something important during grocery shopping is not an option.
Note that while many restaurants and small stores are closed on Sundays and Mondays, they stay open later on Saturdays when more customers are out. Often family-run, they also tend to close yearly during the entire month of July or August so the families can rest and travel for their vacation. Often, some businesses like bakeries will coordinate their shutdown schedule with other businesses in the same area.
EXAMPLE
A bakery may open from Monday to Saturday and be closed on Sunday, but another bakery will open from Tuesday to Sunday and be closed on Monday. Similarly, the first bakery may close in July, while the other may close in August. This ensures that people in the neighborhood always have access to a bakery every day, as buying a baguette and other bread or pastries is a daily tradition for many French people.These business hours and days are different for the hospitality and entertainment industry. Restaurants and movie theaters may be open seven days a week and allowed to shut their doors late at night, around midnight or 1:00 a.m. Restaurants usually have deux services (two services) at night: one around 8:00 p.m., and the next around 10:00 p.m. for late diners. French people enjoy a late dinner, especially on Friday and Saturday nights, when it is common to first go see a movie around 8:00 p.m., and enjoy a delicious meal afterwards.
As you will see, weekend schedules differ quite a lot from weekday schedules for many French people.
Faire la grasse matinée (literally, “to have the fat morning”), which means to sleep in, is a French institution! On weekends, French people commonly stay in bed until 9:00 or 10:00 a.m., maybe even later, especially if they went out the night before. Note that this is not viewed as laziness, but rather as self-care, or a need to relax and decompress.
Upon getting up, a special breakfast may be served, with items such as warm pastries and bread brought home from la boulangerie, and freshly pressed fruit juice. Families take the time to sit down together at the kitchen table and enjoy breakfast without feeling rushed to get to school or work. This notion of enjoying things, of taking one’s time, of truly savoring moments, is called profiter de la vie, which is best translated as “to enjoy life.” This slower pace on the weekends is very important to the French, and generally, French families don’t rush to various activities on weekend mornings.
Note that in recent years, le brunch has become more and more popular and is offered by some restaurants.
Following a late lunch at home, out at a restaurant, or at a relative or friend’s home, French people either continue to relax or choose to get things done around their homes on weekend afternoons. They may go shopping, go see a movie, work out, or do outdoor or cultural activities. They may also visit with friends and extended family if they didn’t do so during lunch.
It is common to stop by someone’s home for coffee (passer prendre un café) or to invite others over for coffee, greet them with warm drinks and sweets, and take the time to chat. All in all, while these activities start later in the day than in the U.S., they can be similar between the two countries.
Friday and Saturday nights are a time for fun for many French people. Most of the time, they prefer to invite one another over for dinner rather than meeting at a restaurant. To have guests over is called recevoir des invités. A full course meal is prepared and eaten over several hours at home, while engaging in lively conversations ranging across a lot of different subjects and overall enjoying one another’s company over good food and drinks.
When going out, restaurants, movie theaters, and wine bars are popular. As we previously mentioned, dinner does not really begin before 8:00 or 9:00 p.m. on the weekends (Sunday night is an exception) and could start as late as 10 or 11 p.m. Aller en discothèque / en boîte (to go clubbing) is also a beloved activity. French nightclubs usually close by 4:00 a.m., unless they have a special authorization to shut down at 6:00 or 7:00 a.m. In contrast, bars close at 2:00 a.m.
Here are some French words you encountered during this lesson on daily schedules in France. Take some time to practice listening to and repeating them at your own pace.
| Audio | French | English |
|---|---|---|
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la récréation | the recess |
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le préau | the covered playground |
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le déjeuner | lunch |
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la cantine | the canteen/cafeteria |
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l’étude | the study |
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les activités extra-scolaires | extracurricular activities |
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le mercredi | Wednesday |
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les pauses | breaks |
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les devoirs | homework |
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la boulangerie | the bakery |
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un café à emporter | a coffee to go |
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le bistrot | the bistro |
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une pause café | a coffee break |
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menu rapide | a quick menu |
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le plat du jour | the dish of the day |
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des chèques-déjeuner | lunch checks |
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une formule | a set menu |
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la pause déjeuner | the lunch break |
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le quatre-heures | afternoon snack |
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le goûter | afternoon snack |
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le journal de 20 heures | the 8 p.m. news |
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la loi des 35 heures | the 35-Hour Act |
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24 heures sur 24 | 24/7 |
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les jours fériés | national holidays |
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deux services | two services |
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le mardi | on Tuesdays |
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faire la grasse matinée | to sleep in |
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profiter de la vie | to enjoy life |
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le brunch | the brunch |
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passer prendre un café | to stop by for coffee |
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recevoir des invités | to have guests over |
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aller en discothèque / en boîte | to go to a nightclub |
Source: THIS TUTORIAL WAS AUTHORED BY SOPHIA LEARNING. PLEASE SEE OUR TERMS OF USE.
REFERENCES
Bloch, M. (2023, January 19). La Folle histoire des 35 heures. LeJDD. Retrieved from www.lejdd.fr/Politique/La-folle-histoire-des-35-heures-683150
Brockbank, D. (2022, March 29). Is there Starbucks in France? Happily Ever Travels. Retrieved from happilyevertravels.com/is-there-starbucks-in-france/#:~:text=How%20Many%20Starbucks%20Are%20There,the%20United%20Kingdom%20and%20Turkey
Muller, F. (2014, September 3). Vers la fin des 35 Heures ? Avocat droit du travail. Retrieved from www.francmuller-avocat.com/les-35-heures-mythes-et-realites/
Programmes et horaires à l'école maternelle. Ministère de l'Education Nationale et de la Jeunesse. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.education.gouv.fr/programmes-et-horaires-l-ecole-maternelle-4193
