"It may seem trivial, but I've finally put the kitchen cupboard back together. Some home improvement I'd been putting off for weeks... Not working on Fridays has changed my life: I've got time for myself, for the house, for my kids." Benjamin Granier, work environment manager at Numix, a small software company in Marssac-sur-Tarn in the south of France, wouldn't go back to a five-day work week for anything in the world. Since he's stopped working on Thursday evenings, he's come back to life. "With three days off in a row, I completely disconnect," he said.

For Jean-Claude Chaix, a buyer for the LDLC e-commerce company, it's no different. "I'm obviously doing less. Sometimes it's Thursday lunchtime and I'm already on my weekend. I don't feel tired anymore," he explained.

"I chose Wednesday as my day off. In the middle of the week, it's a real break," enthused Latifa Lefebvre, who runs an Adecco agency in Valenciennes, northern France. "I've taken out a swimming and gym membership."

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