Working time rules in France
The French Code du travail sets the legal working week, the maximum hours and the minimum rest. The famous 35 hours is not a maximum but the threshold for overtime. Here is the summary, with links to the official Code du travail numérique.
Last reviewed: · Code du travail
The rules at a glance
| Topic | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Legal working week | 35 hours per week; this is the threshold for overtime, not a maximum | art. L3121-27 |
| Daily maximum | 10 hours of effective work per day; a collective agreement can raise this to 12 hours in certain cases | art. L3121-18 |
| Weekly maximum | 48 hours in a single week, and 44 hours per week on average over 12 consecutive weeks | art. L3121-20 – L3121-22 |
| Breaks | At least 20 consecutive minutes as soon as daily work reaches 6 hours | art. L3121-16 |
| Daily rest | At least 11 consecutive hours | art. L3131-1 |
| Weekly rest | At least 24 consecutive hours, plus the 11 hours of daily rest | art. L3132-2 |
Last reviewed:
35 hours is a threshold, not a limit
The legal working week is 35 hours. Hours above that are overtime and are paid or compensated as such; they are not forbidden. The actual maximums are 10 hours of effective work per day, which a collective agreement can raise to 12 hours in certain cases, and 48 hours in a single week, with an average of at most 44 hours per week over 12 consecutive weeks.
For payroll, this means every hour above 35 has to be identified per week, and for compliance the 48-hour and 12-week average limits have to be watched.
Breaks and rest
As soon as daily work reaches 6 hours, the employee is entitled to a break of at least 20 consecutive minutes. Between two working days, at least 11 consecutive hours of rest apply. Weekly rest is at least 24 consecutive hours, plus the 11 hours of daily rest.
Night work, Sunday work and specific sectors have their own rules in the Code du travail and in collective agreements; we do not summarise them here.
How TimeTracking helps
TimeTracking records start, end and breaks for every shift, keeps every correction in an audit log and exports approved hours as CSV or XLSX, so overtime above 35 hours per week is easy to identify for payroll. A French rule pack with warnings for the limits above is not built in, so check the rules yourself. The app is available in 20 languages, including French. TimeTracking is free for up to 5 users; Core costs €1 and Pro €3 per user per month.
Official sources
- Code du travail, art. L3121-27 (Code du travail numérique)
- Code du travail, art. L3121-18 (Code du travail numérique)
- Code du travail, art. L3121-20 à L3121-22 (Code du travail numérique)
- Code du travail, art. L3121-16 (Code du travail numérique)
- Code du travail, art. L3131-1 (Code du travail numérique)
- Code du travail, art. L3132-2 (Code du travail numérique)
Frequently asked questions
Is 35 hours the maximum working week in France?
No. 35 hours is the legal working week and the threshold for overtime. The maximums are 48 hours in a single week and 44 hours per week on average over 12 consecutive weeks.
How long may employees work per day in France?
At most 10 hours of effective work per day; a collective agreement can raise this to 12 hours in certain cases.
When is a break required in France?
As soon as daily work reaches 6 hours, a break of at least 20 consecutive minutes.
Related pages
Belgium
Labour Act of 1971: 8 hours per day and 38 hours per week on average, a break after 6 hours, 11 hours of daily rest and 35 hours of weekly rest.
Spain
Estatuto de los Trabajadores: 40 hours per week on average, 12 hours between working days and a mandatory daily time record kept for 4 years.
Overtime
Hours worked beyond the agreed or normal working time, often paid at a higher rate or compensated with time off.
Weekly timesheet
Seven days on one sheet with start, end, break and hours, signed by employee and manager.
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