Sunday and public holidays are the usual closing days, although there are some exceptions ... During the week, department stores all have one late-night opening day, known as a 'nocturne', until 9pm.
Department stores are usually open from 9:30am to 8pm, and until 9:30pm on Thursdays. Shops are open from 9:30am to 7pm, and sometimes closed during lunchtime. Shops and department stores are closed on Sundays, except for certain neighborhoods (Le Marais, Beaubourg...).
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.
What day of the week are restaurants closed in Paris?
Closed on Sunday
A large number of restaurants are shuttered on Sunday. (Find the main exceptions listed in my earlier blog post "Sunday in Paris.") Shopping is also very limited—most magasins are closed outside of the historically Jewish Marais and the touristy Champs-Elysées.
A lot of French provincial museums and monuments are also closed on Mondays. However supermarkets tend to be open as normal on Mondays, even in small towns. This is the day on which a lot of museums and national monuments are closed.
How NOT to Look Like A Tourist While Traveling To Europe This Summer
Is everything closed in Paris on a Monday?
The majority of shops are open all day from 9am to 7pm, Monday to Saturday. Some smaller shops may close over lunchtime between midday and 2pm, or all day on Monday. Sunday and public holidays are the usual closing days, although there are some exceptions ...
Versailles, the Musée d'Orsay, Musée Carnavalet and the Musée Rodin, to mention just a few are closed on Mondays. While the Louvre, Musée de l'Orangerie, Pompidou Centre and others are closed on Tuesdays.
The metro service starts every day – including public holidays – around 6am and ends around 12:45am (Sunday to Thursday) or 1:45am (Friday and Saturday). The metro's frequency varies according to the times and the days: at peak times, the metro runs every 2 minutes.
Major tourist attractions stay open all year (except for major holidays), but some smaller museums along with many boutiques, antique shops, Michelin-starred bistros, and art galleries close during August, the month when many Parisians leave the city for their own vacations.
Don't worry, not everything is closed on Tuesdays, actually over 3/4 of Parisian monuments and museums are open on Tuesdays. Only some major national museums/monuments are closed that day (Louvre, Pompidou, Cluny for instance) but not all since some close on Mondays instead like Orsay or Versailles.
As with most European cities, Paris quietens down on a Sunday. The city takes on a more relaxed pace, the streets are quieter, and shops are boarded up for a day of rest. But not to worry if you are in Paris on a Sunday — there are still many amazing things that you can do.
Does this entire city shut down on Sundays? The answer is, for the most part, yes. Sundays are quiet for the French — typically, the day is devoted to rest, family, and a time-honored commitment to relaxation. Most businesses shut their doors after about noon, and many don't open them at all.
You should also avoid walking at night time on the Barbes Boulevard, the Forum des halles and the Seine banks (by the river; up the street is fine). Most Paris suburbs are safe enough, but don't go to St Denis, La Courneuve, or Mantes-la-Jolie unless you want to see what a French ghetto is like.
The Tower lights and beacon are lit up every evening from dusk until 11.45pm. As soon as it gets dark, the Eiffel Tower's golden lighting switches on automatically within less than 10 minutes, thanks to light-sensitive twilight sensors.
The metro, buses, RER trains and trams all use the same ticketing system. A basic ticket costs around €2 (a little over $2), making it a very economical way of getting around Paris.
When the Metro has closed for the night, the Noctiliens night bus lines are the least expensive way to get around Greater Paris. Forty-seven lines crisscross the capital and make stops in several suburbs: Saint-Ouen, Vincennes, Montreuil, Mantes-la-Jolie, etc. Noctilien buses run from 12:30 to 5:30 a.m.
Some restaurants are closed on Sundays for lunch or all day, some restaurants are closed on Mondays....but there are about 3 1/2 bazillion places to eat in Paris, so you won't starve. some small shops are also closed on Mondays,or just Monday mornings.
But what's even more surprising is that Parisian restaurants tend to be closed, not on Sundays, but on Mondays. Since so many folks dine out on the weekend, Monday is a well-earned day off for restaurant staff. Luckily, that doesn't mean you need to go hungry!
In Paris, you can eat out at any time of the day or night … but not everywhere. Every restaurant keeps its own hours. For popular places, it is best to book and/or get there before 8pm if you want to be sure of getting a seat. Note that, after 10.30pm, many restaurants close their kitchen!
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.
The Louvre Museum is currently open from 9am to 6pm every day of the week except Tuesday. Weekends are the busiest time to visit the Louvre museum, so it's best to plan your visit for a weekday. Because the museum is closed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays are usually busier, so Mondays and Thursdays are better options.
What should you say when you enter a store in France?
Upon entering a shop – When you first walk in, scan the shop to see if you can spot the proprietor. When you do, immediately smile and greet him or her with a pleasant “Bonjour Monsieur/Madame,” and also nod to include in your greeting any other customers that may be in the store within earshot.
