Oh, la belle France! Land of croissants, romance, and the sacred art of doing absolutely nothing on a public holiday. But hold onto your berets, because Prime Minister François Bayrou has dropped a bombshell that’s rattling café tables from Paris to Provence: he wants to scrap two public holidays to ease France’s debt burden. His target? Easter Monday, which he’s called “outdated.” Outdated? Tell that to the French, who treat every holiday like a Michelin-starred meal—savored slowly, with a side of joie de vivre.
Bayrou’s argument is simple: fewer holidays, more work, less debt. Sounds reasonable, right? Except in France, suggesting fewer days off is like proposing to replace wine with grape juice. It’s not just a policy debate; it’s a cultural affront. The French don’t just like their holidays—they love them, possibly more than their own children. And who can blame them? With 11 public holidays, France is practically a professional at kicking back. Sure, Cyprus, Spain, and Austria might edge them out with a few extra days off, but France’s holiday game is strong—on par with Greece and Sweden, and a smidge ahead of Germany and the Netherlands, who limp along with a measly nine.
Delete two public holidays to ease France’s debt burden
Now, Bayrou’s not wrong that France’s debt could use a trim—kind of like a French poodle’s pom-poms. But his solution feels like telling a chef to use fewer ingredients. Easter Monday, outdated? Pfft. That’s the day when the French recover from eating their body weight in chocolate eggs and pretending to care about church. It’s not just a holiday; it’s a lifestyle. And let’s be real: the French work hard. They’ve mastered the 35-hour workweek with such finesse that it feels like a full-time job just to keep up with their coffee breaks. But holidays? Those are sacred. They’re the reward for enduring meetings, traffic, and existential debates about the meaning of life over a croque-monsieur.
Critics are already crying foul, and you can’t blame them. Bayrou’s pitch to “restore pride in work” sounds noble, but it’s like telling a cat to take pride in fetching. The French are proud of their work—just ask any baker who’s up at 4 a.m. crafting baguettes that could win an Oscar for crustiness. But they’re even prouder of their ability to sip rosé on a random Tuesday because it’s, say, Pentecost Monday (don’t ask what it celebrates; just enjoy the day off). Scrapping holidays feels less like fiscal responsibility and more like stealing a fresh pain au chocolat from a child’s hands.
The holy holidays in France
And let’s talk about this “holiday capital of Europe” debate. France, with its 11 days, isn’t even the top dog—Cyprus, Spain, and Austria are out there living their best vacation lives with more. But France doesn’t need to win the numbers game to feel like the champ. It’s the vibe. In France, a public holiday isn’t just a day off; it’s a performance art piece. Streets empty out, shops shutter, and the entire nation collectively decides to nap, picnic, or argue passionately about cheese. Compare that to Germany, where a holiday just means slightly fewer emails. France’s holidays are an event, a cultural flex, a reminder that life is for living, not just working.
Bayrou’s plan also includes ditching those one-off “solidarity” days, which sound like a noble idea but usually just mean everyone’s grumpy about working when they could be napping. Fair? Maybe. But fairness in France isn’t about equality of work—it’s about equality of leisure. The French don’t want a symbolic pat on the back for solidarity; they want a statutory day to eat, drink, and maybe pretend to care about Bastille Day’s historical significance while actually just enjoying the fireworks.
So, what’s the verdict? Bayrou’s proposal might save a few euros, but it’s poking a hornet’s nest of French sensibilities. The French love their work—don’t get it twisted. They’re the nation that gave us haute cuisine, high fashion, and high-speed trains. But their true passion? Perfecting the art of doing nothing on a government-sanctioned day off. Scrapping holidays like Easter Monday isn’t just a policy change; it’s a declaration of war on the French soul.
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