Shopping
in France
Shop
opening times:
The classic French shopping week comprises six days, Monday to
Saturday, with shops generally open from 9 a.m. to Midday, and 2 p.m.
to 7 p.m. In towns and villages, it is still the rule that shops close
at lunchtime.
However, things are changing, and the
traditional two-hour break from 12 till 2 is under threat from all
sides. In town centre shopping areas, most large shops such as
department stores now operate what is called "la journée continue", and
do not close at midday. Depending on the town or district, other
smaller shops are following them. Many smaller shops have reduced their
midday closing period, and now shut from, for example, 12.30 to 1.45 -
in order to catch office workers who have free time during their midday
break.
Out of town supermarkets
and superstores
(called "centre commerciaux") do not usually close for lunch. They
generally open from 9 a.m. (or earlier) until 8 p.m. (or later); other
large stores in out-of-town shopping centres often close a bit earlier
in the evening, often at 7 p.m.
Sunday
opening:
Traditionally speaking, shops do notopen
in France on Sundays; however, there are exceptions in the runup to
Christmas, and for shops in tourist areas, in the tourist season. Some
supermarkets also open on Sunday morning, for food. In 2009, parliament
passed a new law allowing shops to open for trading on Sundays in the
main shopping areas of Paris, Lille and Marseille, and in tourist areas
throughout France
24-hour
opening in France:
Don't expect to find this. The idea runs contrary to the French
tradition, and there are very few shops indeed that remain open round
the clock.
Changing
trends:
France is gradually removing many old trading restrictions, and Sunday
opening is an issue that is very much in the limelight. For instance,
most outlets in a large suburban shopping centre near Marseille have
long been opening on Sundays; but the courts regularly ruled that this
was illegal, and the shops got fined. But with customers voting with
their feet, there has been strong pressure for the law to change, and
in 2009 the government passed new laws allowing shops to open on
Sundays in tourist areas and in the main shopping areas of
three
cities, Paris, Marseille and LIlle. The law does not go as far as many
proponents of Sunday shopping had wanted, but it is a big step in their
direction.
Bakeries often
stay open at the start of the midday break, and close typically from 1
p.m. to 3 p.m., though there is no rule, and each bakery is free to
decided its own opening times. similarly, many bakeries stay open later
in the evening, specially in towns, and if they have bread left to
sell. See the guide to French bread.
Pharmacies (chemists)
open and close like other small shops; however, in towns there is
usually a "pharmacie de garde" or two open each Sunday too, and
sometimes even at night. In towns with several pharmacies, a rota
system usually operates, and it is easy to see a pharmacy which is
open, as its green cross will be lit.; but in small towns, where there
are perhaps just one or two pharmacies, it may be necessary to ring the
bell for service, particularly in the event of a night-time emergency.
Supermarkets
(Supermarchés) and Superstores
(Hypermarchés).
The main national chains:
The giants: Carrefour, Auchan, E.Leclerc, Géant Casino. These stores
sell virtually everything useful for everyday living.
Supermarkets or neighbourhood "hypers": Super-U, Carrefour Market (was
Champion), Simply (Was Atac), Cora, Casino, Intermarché, Ecomarché
City-centre supermarkets / department stores: Monoprix , Galeries
Lafayette
Hard Discount: Leader Price, Ed, Aldi, Lidl.
All
food supermarkets and hypermarkets
- with the exception of some hard discount stores - carry a full range
of food, including masses of fresh vegetables, a big selection of wines
and spirits, and local specialities. Though for fresh vegetables and
fruit, the shopping experience is much more enjoyable in real markets,
which can be found in all towns and cities, though not necessarily
every day.
Main
national chains other than food, found in out-of-town
shopping malls:
Sportswear: Decathlon, Sport 2000
Computer equipment: Boulanger
Furniture, white goods: Darty, But, Conforama
Clothing: Kiabi, la Halle aux Vêtements
DIY : Castorama, Leroy Merlin, Brico Dépot, Monsieur Bricolage, Weldom.
Where
to shop in Paris:
Central
Paris:
Rue de
Rivoli (running from the Place de la Concorde, past the
Louvre, to central Paris) This the area with the most chic shops in
Paris.
The
Champs Elysées: this has a few flagship outlets for large
chains or very chic shops, but beware of the prices.
On or near the Boulevard
Haussmann,
near the Opéra. This is the main boulevard for the big department
stores, including Galeries Lafayette, Printemps, la Samaritaine, C
& A.
Left
Bank (Boulevard St. Michel): book stores, including
Gilbert, the biggest in Paris.
Les
Halles and the lower end of the Rue de Rivoli; fashionable
international chainstores, and trendy outlets.
Shopping
in other French towns and cities.
Provincial
towns and cities:
town centres remain among the principal shopping areas, with the more
select boutiques and shops, including up-market and mid-market national
chains and franchises. Out-of-town shopping malls offer the big hypers,
as well as a range of small shops, mostly mid-market popular chains, in
all fields from clothing, footwear and music, to opticians and
accessories. Many out of town hypermarkets are open until 9 p.m.
Calais,
Cité Europe shopping
centre: the Carrefour and Tesco outlets in this large shopping centre
next to the Channel tunnel terminal have long opening hours, 8.30 a.m
to 9 p.m. or 10 p.m.
Grasse, Alpes Maritimes, Provence. Capital of the French perfume industry. Buy top quality perfumes direct from the producers.
Paying:
Virtually all but the very smallest shops, such as neighbourhood
convenience stores, accept credit cards, though often only cards with a
chip-and-pin. Large department stores in cities may take travellers'
cheques, otherwise most shops accept French cheques as long as the
customer
has ID. All shops accept cash (euros).
Markets:
See the markets of France
page
Vocabulary:
Here
are the French words for common types of shop:
Supermarket:
supermarché (soup-air-marsh-eh)
Grocery store: épicerie (eh-pee-siree)
Bakers: boulangerie (boo-lonje-euree)
Cake shop: patisserie (pat-ee-seurie)
Butchers: boucherie (boo-sheuree)
Chemists: pharmacie (farm-assee)
Cobblers, shoe repairer: cordonnerie (cordonn-eurie)
Tobacconists: un tabac (ta-back)
Bookshop : librairie (lee-brair-ree)
DIY store: magasin de bricolage (mag-a-zann de bree-co-large)
Clothes shop: magasin de vêtements (mag-a-zann de vet-mon)
Wine merchants: marchand de vins (mar-shone de van)
Estate agents: agence immobilière (a-zhonse ee-mo-bee-leeair)
Newsagents: maison de la presse (may-zon de la press)
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