There seems to be a view in some of the posts that there are legal retrictions forcing shops to close on Sundays. Supermarkets but not Hypermarkets are allowed to open on Sunday and bank holiday mornings throughout France since the law changed in 2009. There are also 500 towns and tourist areas given unrestricted Sunday opening. So it is clearly the individual supermarkets who decide to stop closed presumably because it it is uneconomic to open for a few hours.
I hope things stop as they are here, out of town 24/7 shopping is killing town centres and small retailers in the UK.
I found the Bank Holiday a pain when I moved to France. However, I am a convert. Everyone is entitled to Bank Holidays off work. Perhaps those of you who disapprove of the French system shouldn't be here. We managed in the UK before every store on every day was open. Even those of us that had VERY full time jobs and families to raise. Cooking from scratch and being family orientated. There is a world without shops on holidays... Sorry I now feel strongly about this.. I agree with Véronique.
Carrefour supermarket was open mornings only in our local town on 8 and 9 May.
If the supermarket wants to open, and their employees are willing to work I don't see why it shouldn't be left to them. Surely people can plan ahead for a day or two and stock up, even with fresh produce, for two days. What are fridges for ?!
I love it that the shops are shut and a bank holiday is exactly that…
Joan, I'm another who admires the balance that is found over here. In principle, Sundays & Public Holidays are considered non-retail days, but there are, in many places, enough exceptions to get round most purchasing crises.
One aspect of this seems not yet to have been mentioned: Profit margins. It was very clear that, when all the extended hours shopping was starting in the UK, gross profit margins started to rise, in order to pay the extra people being employed. The government of the day was very happy, 'coz it really helped the unemployment figures, as well as boosting GDP, but it's smoke and mirrors. People possibly buy slightly more than they would have done before the extended hours arrived, but not actually as much as would have happened if "real" jobs (those that earn income from overseas) had been created.
The overall effect of these significantly higher profit margins is that many items, especially in DIY stores such as Homebase, are lunatically expensive for what they are, and often 2 or 3 times more expensive than over here. The most extreme example I've come across was a piece of pine blockboard that was about €12.00 in Bricorama here was £49.99 in Homebase! (I took some with me to do some work at my daughter's house!) There are many further examples. No wonder UK shops are always advertising '3 for the price of 2' or 'Buy one, get one free'. These offers clearly show the profit margins they're operating. The UK public, of course, can do very little about this, and just get hooked on the "You don't have to plan ahead - We're always here" idea. I'm just very pleased to have chosen a more moderate retail environment.
I work and there is no prob to shop till 20:00 or 21:00. Some markets have already begun to be open on Sundays but if this makes economically sense? After all, its also not too bad to have at least these days "consum-free". They only winner are the big retailers, the smaller can not compete.
On the whole I prefer the shops to remain closed, I preferred the UK when there was limited Sunday opening.
No but my Wife was and she managed without shopping on a jour ferié.
Absolutely right Véronique! Paul Punchard it is only 1st May that you can refuse to work.
Ours is shut - but LIDL open...
Well for those that want 24/7 shopping you are in the wrong place, sunday morning markes are coupled with a meet with friends a coffee or a beer even lunch telling all how much you dont miss the uk with its rushing around and having to tell the kids sorry i cant take you to the park or the seaside like your friends, ASDA or IKEA have a breakdown i may be back tonight before you go to bed and you will be asleep in the morning when i go out again so will see you when i can, hopefully before you leave home to get married
I agree Karen. Weekends and bank holidays all our neighbours and friends have family visiting or go to see them. We moved here to get away from the materialistic and frantic shopping of the UK and even worse the States.
:) Good one, John. Kind of reminds me of a song... "When you comin' home, Dad?...I don't know when, but we'll get together then, son, you know we'll have a good time then."
Long live shopping online!
Shops closed - golf course open - heaven!
It would not be a free choice for those working there and if you yourself work what is wrong with shopping at lunchtime. I done that in the UK and most of the supermarkets now stay open here. I think that is enough..
Like Véro, markets are for more than shopping. I look forward to the challenge tomorrow, can I get all I want whilst my daughter is at pony club to ride out as an extra and back to pick her up in time. The shopping is easy, the meeting people can take time... But love it nonetheless. Supermarkets can close when they want as far as I am concerned, we'll always find another time to go.
Thank you, Sandra. You've summed up my feelings on the matter perfectly. In our village we see families together every weekend and holiday. I would hate to see this disappear and for France to become more like the UK and America. There is more to life than shopping. I understand the occassional frustration since we need things suddenly for our work as well, but we live with it because we chose not to be in the UK or America, and we chose this life.
I imagine every supermarket in France could open if they want to, they can do so If they sell perishable goods or leisure products. Like any other business they would have to weigh up the economics of it.