Frédéric Desnard, 44, is seeking €360,000 in compensation and damages - around £284,000 - as well as allegedly overdue holiday pay.

He told Agence France-Presse that he was “ashamed of being paid for doing nothing” and left with “serious depression”.

At the time a manager at perfume company Interparfums, Mr Desnard claims he was given menial tasks unrelated to his job description.

But lawyer Jean-Philippe Benissan, representing Interparfums, has expressed doubt that Mr Desnard would have been kept on for four years between 2010-14 if he had “nothing to do”.

Mr Desnard was eventually fired in 2014 after taking seven months’ sick leave.

His case began before the tribunal yesterday.