Where to eat on a Monday. Paris's overworked restaurateurs need their day of rest like the rest of us. The only problem is that on our day of rest many of us like to eat out – which is why a large number of the city's restaurants opt to close shop on Mondays instead.
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.
Originally Answered: Why is it common for restaurants to close on Mondays? Monday's are typically the slowest day of the week. Closing on Monday means the owner and staff get at least one day off in a week, something that doesn't always happen in a 7 day operation. Everyone deserves a day off.
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.
Shops. 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 ...
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.
Another great thing about Paris is that it has a lively nightlife scene. There's no shortage of bars and clubs that are open until late into the night (sometimes until 6am!) so you can party away your Monday night with ease. The best places to go include Medellin, Deflower and Matignon.
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.
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...).
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.
As for Mondays, it's customarily a day off for chefs. So not only does dining on that day get you a weekend-weary staff without its head cook, it's also when you'll possibly get older food from last week's menu.
The No Fish on Mondays adage came from a time when most restaurants were closed on Sundays, meaning that any specials running on Monday were designed to move old product out before new deliveries arrived on Tuesday.
This has been a common restaurant practice long before COVID-19 times. In short, the reason for it is because opening on a Monday isn't all that financially successful. Within the restaurant industry, Monday has traditionally been known to be their slowest day of the week.
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.
Background. Pentecost Monday, or Whit Monday, is the day after Pentecost. Many Christians believe that on Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus Christ's disciples. Pentecost Monday was a public holiday in France until 2005 and again from 2008.
In France, the typical workweek starts on Monday (Lundi) and ends on Friday (Vendredi), much like many places around the globe. A standard workday usually spans from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM adding up to a 35 hour work week. Yes, you read that right!
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.
Small, owner-managed restaurants have limited staff. That usually means that there are some people that have to do lunch and dinner - meaning arriving at the restaurant in the morning and staying there working (and it's physically very demanding work!) until the early morning hours. If they don't get a break i.
Shops, boulangeries, restaurants, schools and all commerce (banks, post offices etc) usually close on official public holidays. Some supermarkets may (if you're lucky) be open, but often operating Sunday hours.
In Paris, there are two distinct service times: Lunch is typically from around 12 until 2:30, and dinner around 7:30-11 p.m. If you are hungry in between, you can always step into a patisserie or boulangerie.
Museums cannot open every day, employees have to rest too and set up the upcoming displays. Since Paris museums are highly visited at weekends, and sometimes even on Mondays, Tuesdays are the perfect day to close.
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.
Better days of the week and times to visit the museum will be on Wednesday and Friday during low season and Monday and Thursdays during high season. The Louvre is also open till 9:45 during night openings, this also proves to be the best to visit to avoid crowds.
To see the city's top tourist attractions with fewer people around, aim to visit on weekday mornings. Avoid booking with major tour companies, buy tickets that allow you to skip the line, and walk instead of squeezing onto public transportation. Paris is best enjoyed on foot anyway.
