Thibaut de Saint Pol, sociologist at the Ecole normale supéreure de Cachan, says that lunch time is just traditionally more important in France than in other countries.

“Meals are the most enjoyable moments of the day. We only miss them on rare occasions,” he told The Local.

He described mealtimes as “an important social time” and added that “family identity, work teams or friends are built around these moments”.

“And sharing food is a way of establishing a connection with other people,” he added.

Food specialist Jean-Pierre Corbeau, meanwhile, went as far as calling lunch “a very important ritual in France” in an interview with Le Parisien newspaper.

Other reasons could be that the French are masters of restraint – something they learn from a young age – so the fact that they don't snack all day must leave them aching for a good lunch. 

Let's not forget, as well, that a lunch in France will often involve an extra course, some wine and a post-lunch coffee, which you would be at a push to squeeze into 15 minutes.

De Saint Pol said that the French don't consider lunch as “a moment to refuel”, as perhaps those in the US and the UK might. 

“Eating is not only to give us energy, but even more than this, a moment where our identity is formed by what we eat, how we eat and who we eat with,” he said. 

So while the Anglophones may be putting in more time in the office, perhaps we could learn from the French. Not only could we savour our lunch for a change, but we might just be missing out on a crucial bonding moment with colleagues or family.

By Hattie Ditton