France, social portrait 2014 Edition
France, Social Portrait is for everyone who would like to learn more about French society. This cross-cutting publication in the “Insee Références” collection gives a broad overview of the social situation in France.
The weekend remains a time for sharing and relaxation
Laura Castell
In 2010, people aged 15 and over spent twice as much time on outdoor recreation, receiving guests and going out on a weekend day than a weekday. This finding was true for everyone, including people who work at the weekend or those who do not work on week days such as retirees. On Saturdays, this was on shopping and evenings out or in the company of people. Sunday was more of a rest day with an extra hour of sleep and an additional half-hour of television, and more often spent on family activities. Within couples, the sharing of domestic tasks between men and women, including time spent caring for children, was more balanced on weekends than on week days. In 25 years, time schedules at the weekend and during the week followed the same general trends: fewer domestic tasks, more time spent in front of a screen. The main change concerned working time. On one hand, while less and less people worked on Saturdays, it was the opposite on Sunday. On the other hand, while the proportion of self-employed workers and employees working over an hour on a weekend day increased dramatically, there was a reverse movement among executives and the professions.