In France, as a general rule, shops are not allowed to open on Sundays. However, there are exceptions to this rule, and certain businesses can open on Sundays under certain conditions.
Let's find out which of the categories listed below can open on Sundays.
Can shops be open on Sunday in France?
Public
France
Author: Kristina Dosen
Category:
Fiscal subject related
Views:
10632
Content accuracy validation date:
13.02.2023
Content accuracy validation time:
13:35h
The following is a breakdown of these conditions:
- Opening on Sunday for shops without employees: If a business (of any type) is opened by the manager alone on a Sunday, it can do so without prior authorization, as long as no employee is required. However, the manager must make sure that no prefectural decree prohibits Sunday opening for their business.
- Opening on Sunday for food retail businesses: All food retail businesses (such as bakeries, pastries, cheese shops, butcher shops, delicatessens, fishmongers, etc.) are authorized to open on Sundays until 1 p.m., regardless of the number of employees. If employees are employed, their employment contract must mention the obligation to work on Sundays. In food retail outlets with a sales area of more than 400 m², employees working on Sundays receive a salary increase of at least 30%.
- Opening on Sunday for hotels, cafes, and restaurants: These businesses can open on Sundays without any time restrictions or prior authorization and regardless of the number of employees. However, their employment contract must mention the obligation to work on Sundays.
- Opening on Sunday for shops in tourist areas: Businesses located in international tourist areas or tourist areas are authorized to open on Sundays without prior authorization.
- Opening on Sunday in stations: Shops located in certain train stations (such as Paris Saint-Lazare, Paris Gare du Nord, etc.) are authorized to open on Sundays. However, employees must volunteer to work on Sundays, and the employer must have their written agreement.
- Opening on Sunday in commercial areas: Businesses located in shopping areas or centers can open on Sundays if they meet one of the following conditions: (a) they are part of a commercial area with more than 20,000 m² of sales area, with more than two million customers per year and accessible by individual and collective transport, or (b) they are part of a border area with a sales area of more than 2,000 m² and an annual number of customers greater than 200,000 and located less than 30 km from a foreign competing offer. Employees must volunteer to work on Sundays and the employer must have their written agreement.
- Opening on Sunday for certain non-food retail businesses: Non-food businesses that do not fall into the above categories are not normally allowed to open on Sundays. However, there are three exceptions: (a) "Mayor's Sundays": the mayor can authorize the collective opening of shops 12 Sundays a year, (b) opening if provided for in the convention or company agreement, and (c) opening with a prefectural derogation.
If a business wishes to open on Sunday but does not fall into any of the categories listed above, they can request a permanent or temporary authorization from the prefect, provided they can justify that closing on Sunday would be detrimental to the public or compromise the normal functioning of the company.
Regarding employees working on Sundays, Sunday is considered a day of legal rest for employees. However, an employer authorized to open on Sunday can ask employees to work that day, subject to certain rules, such as an increase in remuneration and/or compensatory rest and the prior agreement of the employee in certain cases.
Other news from France
New document was uploaded: S4F backoffice patch
Author: Dejan Šijačić
S4F backoffice patch is intended for users who have already installed S4F backoffice and are intended to update existing installations to latest version. To do so apply only patches that are marked with version number that is newer than your currently installed instance of backoffice. Read more
TLv6 Implementation Marks Significant Shift in EU’s Trust List Format
Public
All countries
Author: Ivana Picajkić
A new EU Trust List format, TLv6, will officially replace TLv5 in May 2025 as part of the updated eIDAS Regulation (EU 2024/1183). It introduces key technical changes like a new URI field, updated signature format, and optional phone number support. Organizations must update their systems to avoid signature validation failures and service disruptions, as TLv5 will no longer be valid once TLv6 take... Read more
France Delays the Requirement B2B E-Invoicing Deadline: A New Schedule for Companies
France
Author: Nikola Novković
France may once again delay the rollout of mandatory B2B e-invoicing, with a new draft law proposing to push deadlines back by a year. Read more
France: VAT Rates and Updates Regarding Exemptions in the 2025 Finance Act
France
Author: Nikola Novković
The 2025 Finance Act in France has significantly adjusted VAT rates, notably raising electricity and natural gas subscriptions from 5.5% to 20% effective August 1, 2025, while reducing VAT on renewable energy heat supplies to 5.5% starting March 1, 2025. Residential property renovation work, including fossil fuel boiler installations, will see an increase in VAT to 20% unless contracts are finalized before March 1, 2025; conversely, solar equipment installations in homes benefit from a reduced 5.5% rate effective October 1, 2025. Read more
VIDA regulation adopted—what does that mean for business?
Public
Author: Nikolina Basić
The EU adopted the VAT in the Digital Age (ViDA) package on March 11, 2025, introducing major changes to the VAT system starting January 1, 2027. Key reforms include mandatory digital VAT reporting by 2030, new VAT collection rules for online platforms, and expanded One-Stop Shop (OSS) registration to simplify cross-border compliance. Additional measures, such as mandatory e-invoicing, phasing out... Read more
New document was uploaded: S4F backoffice patch
Author: Kristina Dosen
S4F backoffice patch is intended for users who have already installed S4F backoffice and are intended to update existing installations to latest version. To do so apply only patches that are marked with version number that is newer than your currently installed instance of backoffice. Read more
The end of self-certification for cash register software in France
Public
France
Author: Nikola Novković
France
Author: Nikola Novković
As of February 15, 2025, self-certification for cash register software in France is no longer allowed, requiring publishers to obtain certification from authorized bodies like LNE or Infocert. Businesses using uncertified software risk fines of €7,500 per system, reinforcing measures to prevent VAT fraud. As of January 1, 2018, all retailers liable to VAT are required to utilize secure cash regist... Read more