• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Bistro Chic

Your Guide to Embracing the Travel and Vacation Mindset

Bistro Chic
  • Articles
  • About
    • Contact Bistro Chic
  • Beauty
  • Health
  • Fashion
  • Food & Wine
  • Joie de Vivre
  • Lifestyle
  • Misc
  • Travel
  • Disclaimer
You are here: Home / Lifestyle / France and the Permanent Vacation

France and the Permanent Vacation

by Jennifer Lynn
July 1, 2010Filed under:
  • Lifestyle

(Photo Source)

As if you need another reason to move to France…the latest poll by Harris Interactive shows that the French enjoy the most vacation time compared with 12 other countries, including the US and Japan.

By far, European countries get the most paid time off for vacation, with France and other Mediterranean countries leading the way. The French get the highest number of vacation days off each year with an average of 37.5 days. For all those who are counting – that’s 7.5 weeks!! The Japanese fell on the low end of the spectrum with a mere 16.5 days, but the US wasn’t much better with an average of 17 vacation days per year.

Average Vacation Time By Country

  1. France – 37.5 days
  2. Italy – 32.5 days
  3. Spain – 32 days
  4. Denmark – 29 days
  5. Britain – 28 days
  6. Norway – 28 days
  7. Germany – 27.5 days
  8. Sweden – 27.5 days
  9. Australia – 20 days
  10. Canada – 20 days
  11. New Zealand – 19.5 days
  12. United States – 17 days
  13. Japan – 16.5 days

Hmm…and I thought my 15 days of vacation was a generous amount. How wrong I was – I don’t even fit in with our national average! Obviously, the Mediterraneans know a thing or two about work/home life balance. Maybe they could persuade the US to follow suit!

The real question is, what would I do if I had 37.5 days of paid vacation time per year. A trip to Europe comes to mind…ah, but you know me too well by now!

Q for you: What would you do with 37.5 days of paid vacation time?

Amour? Please Share:

  • Share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest

Related


Discover more from Bistro Chic

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Tagged:
  • European lifestyle
  • french lifestyle
  • leisure
  • Lifestyle
  • Mediterranean
  • Travel
  • vacation
  • work

Post navigation

Previous Post French Vs. US School Lunches
Next Post Happy 4th of July!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Andrew Lin says

    January 29, 2013 at 7:37 pm

    I think with 37 days, I’d have time not only for vacation, but also to pursue personal projects AND to take an odd long weekend here and there when I need to “reset”. I could also use some more time for exercise (long distance bike rides come to mind).

Footer

Search

THE TOP TEN

  • 16 Things to Do in Huntington Beach California this Winter
    16 Things to Do in Huntington Beach California this Winter
  • How to Select a Travel Wrap and 3 Wraps I Love
    How to Select a Travel Wrap and 3 Wraps I Love
  • Pizzelle: The World's First Cookie
    Pizzelle: The World's First Cookie
  • Eat, Drink, and Be Merry: An Elizabethan Christmas
    Eat, Drink, and Be Merry: An Elizabethan Christmas
  • French Vs. US School Lunches
    French Vs. US School Lunches
  • Resort Review: Isla Bella Beach Resort
    Resort Review: Isla Bella Beach Resort
  • European vs American School Lunches
    European vs American School Lunches
  • US Fall Foliage Map 2024: Where to See the Best Colors Week by Week
    US Fall Foliage Map 2024: Where to See the Best Colors Week by Week
  • 5 Must-Have Italian Favorites from Eataly
    5 Must-Have Italian Favorites from Eataly
  • Italian Eye Candy: 31 Beautiful Villages in Italy
    Italian Eye Candy: 31 Beautiful Villages in Italy

Yours Truly, Bistro Chic

Bistro Chic

Subscribe to Bistro Chic!

Join me for postcards from the Bistro Chic life. Enter your email address to bring the vacation mindset home.

Copyright © 2026 · Bistro Chic

  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Loading Comments...