France: Appointment Alert!

From ExecutivePlanet.com

Appointment Alert

Making appointments

The best time to schedule meetings is 11:00 a.m. or 3:30 p.m.

Business meetings: It’s alright to arrive ten minutes after the scheduled time (not later). Allow plenty of time, after the meeting, as, more often than not, meetings tend to last a lot longer than scheduled. 50% more is a good rule of thumb.

French employees get a minimum of five weeks vacation. It is customary to take two or three weeks in July or August. The balance, which can run to three or four more weeks (see below), is spent a week at a time over the rest of the year.

With the mandatory reduction of the workweek to 35 hours, executives and professionals are getting additional vacation time in lieu of a shorter working week (two weeks every year). Many offices are practically deserted during Christmas and Easter school closings. You will need to consider this when planning your business trips to France.

Office hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Don’t be surprised if you have a meeting setup for 6:30 or 7:00 p.m. Executives often stay in their office until 7:00 or 8:00 p.m. Staying late at the office is common, especially for individuals in more senior positions. The French will never skip lunch. In Paris, lunch in restaurants really begins at 1:00 p.m. Allow at least 45 minutes at the company cafeteria, 90 minutes at a restaurant.