The employment growth in Europe since 2000 is in stark contrast to the «return to unemployment» observed in the United States between 2002 to 2004. France lies mid-way between these two extremes. Despite persistent unemployment, France's growth has not become particularly «poor in employment». Nevertheless, the slowing down of productivity per capita, characteristic of the 1990s, has been interrupted since 2000 due to several factors. Job creation due to lower social contributions is now well established, and working hours have stabilised with the establishment of the 35-hour week and the development of part-time jobs. Heightened hourly productivity has been particularly apparent in goods and services. This suggests that the increased productivity in France since 2000 could be an almost sustainable phenomenon.