France is far from a worker’s paradise:

• The last time a slightly leftist government was elected was in 1981, and they turned neoliberal in 1983. Since then, worker’s right are fought by successive governments.
• And successfully so: the last time a national worker’s movement won anything was in 1995 (in 2006 there was a student’s victory though).
• Only 10% of the workers are in an Union, same as in the US.

However, it’s not a hell neither:

• French work 1511 hours by year, indeed under the OECD average (1751) or the Americans (1810) but higher than Germans (1340) who have the reputation to be workaholics.

The reputation is however not without basis:

• French have the highest number of strike days by year for 1000 workers (114), far more than Americans (6). But iy should be noted that not everyone strikes in France, generally the civil servants or employees of State owned firms strike for the others. I did not found the exact number, but for private firms’ employees, the number of strike days on average will be far lesser than 114 (but probably more that 6 ^^). And these hours are not paid, thus a lowering of quality of life.