En Vacances: What’s Possible, What’s Probable and What’s Not!

Summer is here. The fans are on, the portable AC unit is coming out of hiding, the short-sleeve shirts have surfaced to the top and we’re all talking about vacation.

This year, we decided to do like the French and close our offices for one week so that everyone can have a summer break. Each year our offices will be officially closed for one week in August and the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Our 2025 office closure dates are: August 9th through the 17th and December 25th, 2025-January 1st, 2026.

We can do this because there’s no point in trying to get much of anything done during this time. From Bastille Day (July 14th) and the end of August, offices close, people head off to the beaches, the countryside and beyond, and take at least part of the five weeks paid vacation to which they are allotted. This means that there are few properties to be visited for rent or purchase, few agents in their offices, few Notaires, etc., etc. You may even find it tough to find bakeries and restaurants open, except in places where summer is the high season, such as Nice and all of the Riviera. Paris, on the other hand, can be like a ghost town.

France has one of the most generous official paid vacation systems in the world. Here’s a breakdown of the official paid vacation policy under French labor law:

“Congés Payés” (Statutory Paid Vacation)

Minimum Paid Leave: 5 weeks (25 working days) per year for full-time employees. This is based on 2.5 days earned per month worked.
This applies to all employees, regardless of seniority or contract type (full-time, part-time, fixed-term).

Reference Period: Typically from June 1 of the previous year to May 31 of the current year, though this may vary by company agreement.

Additional Leave (Common But Not Mandatory)

“Réduction du Temps de Travail” (RTT Days): For employees working over 35 hours/week (the legal full-time threshold), extra days off are often granted as RTT. Number of RTT days varies depending on workload and employer agreement.

Seniority Days: Some employers provide extra days off based on length of service.

Collective Agreements: In many sectors (e.g., banking, tech, public service), collective bargaining agreements increase the number of paid days off.

Usage Rules: Typically, at least two consecutive weeks must be taken between May 1 and October 31.

Approval: Employer must approve vacation dates, but cannot deny leave entirely without valid reason.

Carry Over: Some unused vacation days can be carried over, depending on company rules and labor agreements.

For example…If you start work on January 1st and work full-time: By June 30, you’ve earned 15 vacation days (2.5 x 6 months). You can usually start taking vacation after a minimum accrual period (commonly 1–2 months).

Not bad, right? Remember, salaries aren’t nearly as high as in the U.S. and taxes are much higher, but what the hell? Life is just much more important.

So, in other words, if you thought you’d come to France in the summer and find your dream home or apartment, let go of that expectation. It’s not impossible, but it’s not likely either. And, we won’t be around at all August 9-17. There will be no Nouvellettres® the week we’re closed, either.

At the last minute, knowing I must move out of my rental apartment in Paris back to my old homestead on rue de Saintonge (which is currently under renovation with the hope to be ready by August 17th!), I decided to take that vacation week before all hell breaks loose! For the first time, I’ll be exploring the Adriatic coastal villages of Sirolo and Numana in the March region of Italy. My cousin, who lives in Perugia in Umbria, claims these towns to be among her favorite and readily suggested and agreed to take the plunge there.

One of the wonderful things about living in France, and particularly in Nice with it’s international airport, is the ability to get just about anywhere for very little money. In this case, I’m flying to and from Rome, with overnights in Perugia before driving to and from Sirolo. EasyJet’s fare Nice-Rome-Nice August 9-17 at the height of the season is just 206.27€, so very affordable.

We invite you to come and explore France in the summer, but use this time as a reconnaissance mission, rather than a property-finding one! It’s not that we don’t want the business, but know what’s possible, what’s probable and what’s not!

A la prochaine…