But in this case the French did not name the square after one of their favourite activities, in fact it was the other way round. The Place de Grève, in central Paris next to the Seine, was the place where unemployed workers gathered, seeking casual labour. Over time grève came to signify a group of people who were not working. These days the French are quite fond of une grève, and between 2010 and 2017, the number of French strike days was 125 per 1,000 employees, according to a study by the European Trade Union Institute. The Place de Grève still exists, but in 1802 it was renamed the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville and houses the very impressive city hall of Paris.

Source: The Local December 17, 2019 07:06 UTC