France

Work

EU nationals have an automatic right to work in France. Non-EU citizens will need to apply for a work permit, for which they first need a carte de séjour or a Working Holiday Visa, as well as a written promise of employment. Permits can be refused on the grounds of high local unemployment.

Working ‘in the black’ (that is, without documents) is difficult and risky for non-EU travellers. The only instance in which the government turns a blind eye to workers without documents is during fruit harvests (mid-May to November) and the vendange (grape harvest; mid-September to mid- or late October).

Even with a permit, employers generally must pay ‘foreigner fees’ for non-EU employees, and must prove that the job cannot be done by an EU citizen (there are some exceptions for artists and computing and translation specialists). So getting qualified work is extremely difficult.

Summer and casual work is more flexible, and can be found in restaurants, bars and hotels (particularly in the Alps during the winter skiing season; for bar work www.mountaintradingco.com is a good place to start). Teaching English is another option, either for a company or through private lessons.

Au-pair work is also very popular and can be done legally even by non-EU citizens, but they must contact the placement agency from their home country at least three months in advance.

The administration for freelance workers (travailleurs indépendants) is URSSAF (01 49 20 10 10; www.urssaf.fr in French). Organising freelance work status is complicated; it is highly advisable to consult a local attorney experienced in immigration matters.

France’s national employment service, the Agence National pour l’Emploi (ANPE; www.anpe.fr in French) has offices throughout France; the website has job listings.

In Paris the Centre d’Information et de Documentation Jeunesse (CIDJ; 01 44 49 12 00; www.cidj.com; 101 quai Branly, 15e; Champ de Mars) provides all sorts of information for young people, on jobs (including seasonal summer jobs), housing and education and more.

Paris-based mag FUSAC advertises jobs for English speakers, including au-pair work, babysitting and language teaching.

Business hours

French business hours are regulated by the 35 hour-week work limit. Shop hours are usually 9am or 9.30am to 7pm or 8pm, often with a midday break from noon or 1pm to 2pm or 3pm. The midday break is uncommon in Paris. French law requires that most businesses close on Sunday; exceptions include grocery stores, boulangeries, cake shops, florists and businesses catering exclusively to the tourist trade. Many close one weekday too, often Monday.

Restaurants open for lunch between noon or 12.30pm and 2pm and for dinner from 7.30pm; they are often closed on one or two days of the week. Cafés open early morning until around midnight. Bars usually open early evening and close at 1am or 2am.

National museums are closed on Tuesday and local museums are closed on Monday. In summer some open daily. Local or less famous regional museums may close at lunchtime.

Banks usually open 8am or 9am to 11.30am or 1pm and then 1.30pm or 2pm to 4.30pm or 5pm, Monday to Friday or Tuesday to Saturday. Exchange services may end half an hour before closing time.

Post offices generally open from 8.30am or 9am to 5pm or 6pm on weekdays (perhaps with a midday break) and Saturday morning from 8am to noon.

Supermarkets open Monday to Saturday usually from about 9am or 9.30am to 7pm or 8pm (plus a midday break in smaller towns); some open on Sunday morning. Small food shops may shut on Monday also, so Saturday morning may be your last chance to stock up on provisions until Tuesday. Open-air markets start at about 6am and finish at 1pm or 1.30pm. Many service stations have small groceries open 24 hours a day.