The French love building bridges, building bridges, what kind of bridge? From the Left Bank to the Right Bank of the Seine, one must naturally cross via a bridge; otherwise, one needs to take or ride a boat. Bridges and boats become indispensable links and convenient tools for life, leading people from here to there. The French language is truly wonderful, not only in its precise and detailed description of time and space, but also in its poetic imagination, especially with terms like "building bridges" (Faire le pont). France is the Western developed country with the shortest working hours, only 35 hours a week, with actual working hours being just four and a half days. In this year's French presidential election, an anti-liberal far-left candidate even advocated reducing it to 32 hours. One can imagine how much the French love work or going to the office! Of course, leisure has become the French people's biggest industry and fashion. It is not just about enjoying the leisure time of a two-day weekend; in France, people often hear about "RTT" holidays, meaning they work five days a week as usual, accumulating half a day of leave each week, which adds up to two extra leisure days a month. Leisure has become the French people's biggest activity outside of work, and enjoying leisure days is sacred to them.

France is not only the European country with the shortest working hours but also the one with the most holidays throughout the year. There is often the impression that they are always on holiday, with spring breaks, winter breaks, and festivals. Two weeks for Easter and Christmas, two weeks for this and that. Arranging leisure or vacations has indeed become one of the most important plans in the daily lives of the French (especially Parisians). It seems that those who vacation more become the social elite, and their fair skin must be tanned bronze-black, as this has become a social value. Building bridges has become the happiest days for the French. Of course, there are not always bridges to build; it depends on the annual calendar rotation. May sees particularly many bridge-building opportunities. This year was especially special: both Labor Day on May 1st and Victory in Europe Day on May 8th were Tuesdays, and Ascension Day on May 17th was a Thursday. Thus, "building bridges" is best done on Tuesdays or Thursdays, so that by bridging (making Monday or Friday a long weekend), they get a four-day holiday. (Unfortunately, Pentecost on May 27th fell on a Sunday this year.) Especially during these beautiful May days with gentle breezes and bright sunshine, the French feel satisfied. No wonder French presidential elections are always held in May; blank or spoiled ballots are always high, because personal holidays are holier than anything else. Building bridges has become a French tradition and culture, representing a quality of life. Especially in today's era that values leisure, everyone knows how to use leisure time to regulate body and mind, enjoy a good life, and enrich life.