Les grandes vacances

So we have taken a two week holiday in Sicily with our eldest son Matthew joining us for a few days.

In France les grandes vacances are a very important rite.

In 1936 a leftist government, Le Front Populaire, signed into law the first French paid vacation – les congés payés. All paid workers got two weeks paid holiday. For the first time.

Nowadays workers are entitled to five weeks congés payés. At Euronews it is paid in arrears so last year I had barely any holidays.

So this summer – like the rest of France – we took two weeks off and headed for Sicily.

Bonnes vacances a tous.