Fewer days off work in 2016

EMPLOYEES in France will enjoy less time off work in 2016 because of the timings of bank holidays, meaning there are 253 days to be worked this year (minus your holiday entitlement).

Three of the country's 11 public holidays fall on a Sunday this year, compared with two in 2015.

It is up to individual company policy, and agreements with unions, whether workers are entitled to take a weekday off in lieu.

And there are fewer opportunities for the French tradition of taking a pont between a mid-week bank holiday and the weekend, as the May 1 and 8 holidays fall on a Sunday. Christmas Day is also on a Sunday in 2016.

French statistics body Insee says the reduced number of days off, coupled with it being a leap year, should see a 0.1% rise in the country's gross domestic product.

French public holidays in 2016

January 1: New Year's Day (Friday)
March 28: Easter Monday
May 1: Labour Day (Sunday)
May 5: Ascension (Thursday)
May 8: VE Day (Sunday)
May 16: Whit Monday
July 14: National Day (Thursday)
August 15: Assumption (Monday)
November 1: Toussaint (Tuesday)
November 11: Armistice Day (Friday)
December 25: Christmas Day (Sunday)