What day is everything closed in France? (2024)

What days are things closed in France?

Public holidays in France, when most things are closed

On Christmas, New Year's Day, 1st May and 14th July, virtually all shops are closed.

Unlike other major French holidays, department stores will be open — including Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, Le Bon Marché, BHV, Carrousel du Louvre, and Printemps. Most restaurants will be open but we advise you to make a reservation just to be certain. Most food stores and other similar services will be open.

Usual closing days are Monday or Tuesday, with a few exceptions mentioned in our information pages. Some are even open 7 days a week, such as some of the major monuments which can even be visited as late as 11pm or midnight.

The reason lies in France's enshrined labour code, the Code du Travail, which was first published in 1910. The Code du Travail used to say that it was illegal for anyone to work more that six days a week and that workers should have 35 consecutive hours of rest.

Many museums, monuments and other tourist attractions regularly close one day a week. While planning your sightseeing in Paris, keep in mind that many museums are closed on Mondays or Tuesdays. Versailles, the Musée d'Orsay, Musée Carnavalet and the Musée Rodin, to mention just a few are closed on Mondays.

Contrary to popular belief, most of the city stays open on Sunday, including restaurants and cafes, museums, monuments, bakeries, etc. Most shops and some supermarkets are a noteworthy exception, as explained further down. In less tourist-heavy areas, too, you'll be more likely to see things closed on Sunday.

July 14, 2022 in Paris: metro stations closed on Bastille Day - Sortiraparis.com.

May 1 is a public holiday. Post offices, banks, stores and other businesses are closed. Outside of tourist areas, restaurants and cafes may be closed. However, some stores in Paris, as well as at airports and railway stations and along major highways, may be open.

EASTER MONDAY

This is the official holiday in France. Expect most restaurants, shops and museums will be closed. Our best advice is to book a lunch, or dinner cruise or activity that we've sourced to ensure you have a wonderful Easter in Paris.

Pretty much everything is closed on May 1st in France. Almost all museums will be closed in France including the Louvre. There is usually no public transportation in Lyon, Montpellier, Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeaux, etc. and no public transportation in smaller French cities either.

Are things closed in Paris in August?

Because yes, many businesses still do close during August in Paris. It's not so many that you'll ever be hard up for food options–at a glance, the city mostly runs as normal–but if you have your heart set on a specific place to eat, you may walk away disappointed.

In much of Europe (especially Italy and France), cities are partially shut down in July and August, when local urbanites take their beach breaks. You'll hear that these are terrible times to travel, but it's really no big deal.

Sunday opening

Traditionally speaking, shops do not open in France on Sundays; however the rules have changed in recent years, and now across France you will find supermarkets, DIY and gardening shops open on Sunday morning. In tourist areas the rules are more flexible, and all sorts of shops can now stay open all day.

This apparently was the norm. I actually grew to love the fact that shops were shut on Sunday and every day for two hours so that the workers could have a long lunch break. Shops have been closed on Sundays in France for more than a century due to a 1906 law.

Unlike the rest of France, Good Friday and St Stephen's Day (December 26th) are both holidays in Alsace and Moselle. They had been days off when the territory was under German rule and when it returned to France in 1918 the locals refused to give them up.

The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, and Notre Dame Cathedral are all open to visitors. There are also many parks and gardens that are open on Monday, such as the Luxembourg Gardens and the Tuileries Gardens.

If you really feel like you have to shop every day of the year, yes, there are a few places open in Paris on Christmas day. Most Christmas markets and department stores are closed.

Paris tap water is considered safe to drink according to French, EU and international standards (WHO). Every day at the Eau de Paris research and analysis laboratories receive and record over 200 samples which divided among different chemical, organic chemistry, bacteriology, and corrosion departments.

You won't need to calculate a tip. As opposed to the U.S., where most waiters make their living from tips, servers in Paris are paid a living wage. And since service is already included in the price, no one is expecting you to tack on an additional 15 to 25 percent at the end of the meal.

Every year since 1880, the French Republic has celebrated its national day on the 14th July, Bastille Day. The festivities begin in the morning, with the traditional military parade on the Avenue des Champs Elysées.

Does France shut down on Bastille Day?

July 14th is always a public holiday, this year it falls on a Thursday which gives many French workers the opportunity to faire le pont (do the bridge) and also take Friday off work to create a nice long weekend. Expect public offices to be closed and that many independent shops will also be closed for the day.

The French National Day is the anniversary of the Storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789, a major event of the French Revolution, as well as the Fête de la Fédération that celebrated the unity of the French people on 14 July 1790. Celebrations are held throughout France.

Like in many countries around the world, May 1 is a public holiday in France. It is the only day of the year when employees are legally obliged to be given leave (except for some professions that cannot be interrupted, like in hospitals or public transport for example).

May 1st : Labor Day, May Day and Lily of the valley day in France. May 1st is Labor Day in France. So it's a holiday, and people don't work and most shops are closed. Except florists!

France at least doesn't shut down transport and you will get by fine although most museums and shops are closed. Seine cruises and Eiffel Tower are running. May 1 is on a Sunday this year. Some places are closed on Sundays year-round: most bakeries, some restaurants, department stores, and so on.

Sunday opening

Traditionally speaking, shops do not open in France on Sundays; however the rules have changed in recent years, and now across France you will find supermarkets, DIY and gardening shops open on Sunday morning. In tourist areas the rules are more flexible, and all sorts of shops can now stay open all day.

In general they are closed Monday or Tuesday. Covid-19 update: Museums are open in Paris. Online reservation is required. Weekly evening opening times (with some museums open until 10:00 pm or even 11:00 pm) are offered by most of the major Paris museums.

If you really feel like you have to shop every day of the year, yes, there are a few places open in Paris on Christmas day. Most Christmas markets and department stores are closed.