Everyone is having a 'French Sunday'. Why you should too
Turns out, a lot of us have been doing Sundays all wrong.
PSA: It’s time to respect your Sunday. Like, seriously.
What does a usual Sunday look like? Doing laundry that’s falling out of the basket, cleaning the nooks of your home that your house help ignores, or catching up with relatives and friends because we all have got social responsibility. Basically, Sundays often end up being more hectic, leaving you feeling just as tired as any other hustling day. And all that me time you had been looking forward to, goes down the drain.
So, what’s the difference between a Sunday and a regular working day?
Well, the French have a way to deal with it. It’s called a “French Sunday,” or as they say,"le dimanche Francois." It’s about actually enjoying the day and doing absolutely nothing. Despite being a long-standing tradition in France, internet users are catching up to it now.
Several expats in France are documenting their experience of it.
What is a 'French Sunday'?
A day to unwind in the laziest way possible.
While most people try to squeeze productivity out of their day off and still end up with the Sunday scaries, in France, it's simply the opposite. Interestingly, in several parts of the country, some shops are often closed too. Turns out even grocery shopping is not for Sundays!
In France, people have adapted to something they call "l’art de ne rien faire." It loosely translates to – the art of doing nothing. Quite literally.
You wake up when you wake up. Maybe there’s a croissant involved or a nice aloo parantha, maybe just a strong cup of coffee and a moment of doing absolutely nothing. And somehow, that nothing feels like everything. The morning bleeds into the afternoon, and before you know it, you’re at a long, leisurely lunch, the kind where time stretches and conversations wander. The idea is to focus on your mind and body. Much like self-care but not in a 10-step routine kind of way.
Doing the 'French Sunday' right
Of course, you don’t need to be in Paris to pull this off. You can attempt your own version right where you are.
No maximising every second for productivity. In Gen Z's terms its about "rawdogging boredom." Even experts agree that trying to do nothing, to an extent, can help improve attention spans in this hyperconnected age.
Let your body decide the course of the day and simply go with the flow. Take a nap, even if you woke up at noon. Lounge longer than usual with a beverage, a book, or anything that makes you feel good. Whatever meal you have, let it linger. But yes, doomscrolling does not count as a “no-plan Sunday.” Keep your devices away as much as possible.
Learn the art of flaner—a French word that means to stroll aimlessly without a destination.
Let your mind idle without guilt.
Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean avoiding cleaning or meeting friends. Do it only if it makes you happy and doesn’t feel like a forced chore that drains your energy.
Is it a burnout fix, then?
That's subjective.
The idea behind this tradition is to spend quality time with yourself and perhaps your close ones. It is more about intention, and that is where its appeal lies.
At a time when burnout is worn like a badge of honour and people are simultaneously trying to hold on to a more analogue way of life, this idea simply emphasises the need to pause.
Will it fix your life? Probably not.
Will Monday still arrive? Unfortunately, yes.
But for a few hours, at least, you get to exist in a version of time that feels softer, slower, and just a little more human. You probably knew that already, but how often do you actually try it?
PSA: It’s time to respect your Sunday. Like, seriously.
What does a usual Sunday look like? Doing laundry that’s falling out of the basket, cleaning the nooks of your home that your house help ignores, or catching up with relatives and friends because we all have got social responsibility. Basically, Sundays often end up being more hectic, leaving you feeling just as tired as any other hustling day. And all that me time you had been looking forward to, goes down the drain.
So, what’s the difference between a Sunday and a regular working day?
Well, the French have a way to deal with it. It’s called a “French Sunday,” or as they say,"le dimanche Francois." It’s about actually enjoying the day and doing absolutely nothing. Despite being a long-standing tradition in France, internet users are catching up to it now.
Several expats in France are documenting their experience of it.
What is a 'French Sunday'?
A day to unwind in the laziest way possible.
While most people try to squeeze productivity out of their day off and still end up with the Sunday scaries, in France, it's simply the opposite. Interestingly, in several parts of the country, some shops are often closed too. Turns out even grocery shopping is not for Sundays!
In France, people have adapted to something they call "l’art de ne rien faire." It loosely translates to – the art of doing nothing. Quite literally.
You wake up when you wake up. Maybe there’s a croissant involved or a nice aloo parantha, maybe just a strong cup of coffee and a moment of doing absolutely nothing. And somehow, that nothing feels like everything. The morning bleeds into the afternoon, and before you know it, you’re at a long, leisurely lunch, the kind where time stretches and conversations wander. The idea is to focus on your mind and body. Much like self-care but not in a 10-step routine kind of way.
Doing the 'French Sunday' right
Of course, you don’t need to be in Paris to pull this off. You can attempt your own version right where you are.
No maximising every second for productivity. In Gen Z's terms its about "rawdogging boredom." Even experts agree that trying to do nothing, to an extent, can help improve attention spans in this hyperconnected age.
Let your body decide the course of the day and simply go with the flow. Take a nap, even if you woke up at noon. Lounge longer than usual with a beverage, a book, or anything that makes you feel good. Whatever meal you have, let it linger. But yes, doomscrolling does not count as a “no-plan Sunday.” Keep your devices away as much as possible.
Learn the art of flaner—a French word that means to stroll aimlessly without a destination.
Let your mind idle without guilt.
Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean avoiding cleaning or meeting friends. Do it only if it makes you happy and doesn’t feel like a forced chore that drains your energy.
Is it a burnout fix, then?
That's subjective.
The idea behind this tradition is to spend quality time with yourself and perhaps your close ones. It is more about intention, and that is where its appeal lies.
At a time when burnout is worn like a badge of honour and people are simultaneously trying to hold on to a more analogue way of life, this idea simply emphasises the need to pause.
Will it fix your life? Probably not.
Will Monday still arrive? Unfortunately, yes.
But for a few hours, at least, you get to exist in a version of time that feels softer, slower, and just a little more human. You probably knew that already, but how often do you actually try it?
