French baker – Cédric Vaivre smacked with €3,000 fine for working too hard

Cédric Vaivre was handed the rather severe punishment for opening his bakery seven days a week during the summer of 2017.

But it wasn’t long before the local labour and employment authorities caught up with him, slapping him with the fine for not complying with a rule that imposes a weekly day of rest on businesses in the area.

A local decree in place for over a decade bans bakeries from opening seven days a week, the BBC reports.

Mr Vaivre is reportedly refusing to pay the fine. His community, including the local mayor, is supporting him.

“There is nothing worse than closed shops when there are tourists,” said Christian Branle, Lusigny-sur-Barse’s mayor. He is hoping to meet with

A petition in support of the 41-year-old baker has attracted more than 2,000 signatures.

Mr Vaivre told local media he only wants his bakery La Boulangerie du Lac to be open seven days during the summer months to deal with the demands of tourists.

“I only did my job,” he said in December after labour inspectors were alerted to his case.

This report first appeared on the BBC website.