How Many Days of Vacation Do You Accumulate Per Month in France?

By Michael Ferguson

If you’re planning a trip to France, you may be wondering about the country’s vacation policies. France is famous for its work-life balance and generous vacation benefits, so it’s worth exploring how many days of vacation you can accumulate per month.

How Many Days of Vacation Do You Get in France?

In France, the number of vacation days you get per year depends on your length of service and the industry you work in. The legal minimum is five weeks (or 25 days) per year, but many employers offer more than that.

Accumulating Vacation Days in France

In most cases, French employees accumulate vacation days over the course of a year. This means that if you start a job on January 1st, your vacation entitlement will start accumulating from that date. If you leave your job before the end of the year, you will usually receive a pro-rata amount of your accrued vacation time.

How Many Vacation Days Do You Accumulate Per Month?

The amount of vacation time you accumulate per month depends on how many days per week you work and how many days off you have each week.

For example:

  • If you work five days a week and have two days off each week (such as weekends), you will accumulate approximately 2.08 vacation days per month.
  • If you work four days a week and have three days off each week, you will accumulate approximately 1.67 vacation days per month.

Vacation Time Calculation Example

Let’s say that your employment contract states that you are entitled to 30 days of paid leave per year. You work five days a week with two rest days (Saturday and Sunday). Here’s how to calculate your monthly accrual:

First, calculate your daily accrual rate:
30 days ÷ 5 working days per week = 6 days of vacation per week
6 days ÷ 52 weeks per year = 0.1154 days of vacation per day

Next, calculate your monthly accrual:
0.1154 days of vacation per day x 20 working days per month = 2.31 vacation days per month

Final Thoughts

France’s generous vacation policies are one of the many reasons why the country is a popular destination for tourists and expats alike. Remember that the amount of vacation time you accumulate per month may vary depending on your individual circumstances, so it’s always a good idea to check your employment contract or speak to your employer directly to find out more about your entitlements.