Supermarkets open on May 1?

[savoirflair]

Hi, do you know if the big supermarkets (Carrefour, Auchan etc) likely to be open on May 1?  We're flying out that day and wondered whether we would be able to food shop the day we arrive.......

Thanks, Amanda

[Clair]

I's say it's very unlikely, as it is La Fête de Travail.

May 1st is the only Bank Holiday in France when employers cannot ask employees to work (with the exception of essential services like hotels, hospitals, public transport...)

[savoirflair]

Oops, we could be going hungry then - what about restaurants do you think?

Amanda

[valB]

We have found restaurants open on that day but maybe only in the big towns.

[Lotmontel]

[quote user="Clair"]I's say it's very unlikely, as it is La Fête de Travail.
May 1st is the only Bank Holiday in France when employers cannot ask employees to work (with the exception of essential services like hotels, hospitals, public transport...)

[/quote]

What is the point of La Fête de Travail?  It is true that MOH's boss has given her employees the day off on May 1st, but she just cancels their other day off during the week instead, so in effect, none of the employees gain anything from this fete de travail!  Some fete!!  I could rant about some of his other working conditions but I won't, for fear of sounding like I don't like France! [;-)]

 

[baypond]

11 is better than the UK's 8 !!

[andyh4]

So is 10 (not 11) that are fixed better than 8 that move if they happen to fall on a weekend?  I think you'll find the UK is slightly better off.

[Clair]

[quote user="Lotmontel"]What is the point of La Fête de Travail? [/quote]

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fête_du_Travail

[quote user="Lotmontel"]It is true that MOH's boss has given her employees the day off on May 1st, but she just cancels their other day off during the week instead, so in effect, none of the employees gain anything from this fete de travail![/quote]

Legislation (in Google English here)

[Lotmontel]

Thanks for the links Clair (the french was easier for me to read, more to do with the google translation than my french though!).  Unfortunately, MOH's boss changes her employees' days off from week to week so she has the discretion to simply allocate May 1st as a day off for her employees.  The legislation didn't seem to cover this scenario.

Love the idea of 10 bank holidays but MOH works on all the other jours feries (excluding Easter Monday and Christmas Day).  If he happens to have any of the jour feries off (including Easter and Christmas), then it is simply one of his allocated days off.  So he actually doesn't benefit (work-wise) from any of the jours feries.  It's nice to have him home on Christmas day though!!!