Overview
- On November 13, 2025, the Cour de cassation held that neither French nor EU law requires a weekly rest day immediately after a sixth consecutive workday.
- The court interpreted Article L3132-1 of the labour code by reference to the civil week, which allows stretches reaching twelve consecutive days if each week includes a rest day.
- The case concerned a former sales director who worked eleven, then twelve, straight days during 2018 trade fairs, after a 2023 Pau appeals court ruling had favored him.
- The judges relied on a 2017 Court of Justice of the EU decision that leaves member states discretion on the timing of weekly rest and reflected 2024 Labour Ministry guidance.
- Employers remain obligated to safeguard workers’ health and safety, a key constraint in sectors where extended runs already occur such as commerce, hospitality, transport and media.