D (departure) DAY minus one

LE DEPART moins un jour.

Today is my last day before my summer vacation, one vacation with no work involved at all.
It's somewhat of a remake of my June trip but un petit peu (OK,  beaucoup) longer.

LES GRANDES VACANCES!

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A little history

From 2 weeks of paid vacation time (les congés payés) in 1936, yearly paid leave has progressively gone up to 5 weeks in France...

In 1926 the unions went on strike for, among other complaints, the lack of paid leave for the workforce. 

They obtained the right to paid time off, 10 years later in 1936. 

For this I thank them énormément!

Editor's note:
I know I am not in France but I am French so I like my vacations; It's in our blood, non? also, there is the advantage of being an interior designer -most of my clients have much better things to do than worry about their " interiors" during the summer- and since I am my own boss, I can, with much cunning, a ton of planning, and the logistical maestria of a multinational shipping company, go on a long vacation in the summer.

However, most workers did not have the means to go anywhere very far in the years following 1936. Most of the newly freed workers took advantage of this free time to go to rivers, fields and beaches nearby.

Some walked, some rode their bikes 
(just the thought that this could be us... hilarious!)

Some rode the trains

and, much later, some took their automobiles; 

remember, in the 60's la 2CV was the "it" car...

I won't be doing any of that; well... the car, yes, but not in a "deuch", non merci!

A little peak into my plan

As promised in an earlier post, I will bring back some images and stories from France- there is a big antique fair mid August in Barjac in the Gard, and we will probably go to Uzès, Nimes and Avignon, etc. 

All our favorite places.

There might even be something new from Tangier worth reporting.


In the meantime, do visit me here during the next few weeks and find out what I have scheduled for you: 
DESTINATIONS ETE...




au revoir.