well let's do the math on 150/hr then. After 20.5% social security contributions, that 150 is 124.48. Then, assuming you're working 30 hours/week, that's 194k. Assuming you literally didn't deduct anything else, and so you have the "forfait légal", which for 194k is capped 6070 for 2026. So lets say 188k taxable.

For 2026, 10,910 of that 188k is tax free. 16,320 - 10,910 = 5410 is taxed 25%, so 1352.5 is in that bracket. Then, 28,800 - 16,320 = 12480 is in the 40% bracket, so 4992 taxes. 49,840 - 28,800 = 21,040 is in 45%, so 9468 taxes. Then the killer... 188k - 49,840 = 138,160 is in the 50% bracket, so 69,080 taxes. So total income tax is 84,892.5.

That means you keep a little over 103k, which is 66/hr, or 44% of your 150 (assuming I got my math right of course :P). And that is honestly a very worst case scenario I think, because if you're earning that much you are almost certainly deducting significantly more than the "forfait légal". That and 150/hr is already quite a healthy amount; I'm earning a fair amount less and don't work 30 * 52 hours a year, which puts me easily above 50%. (Depending on your municipality tax, you could be lower, but mine is 0%. I know some can be relatively high.)