Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Opening Hours
The following list shows
approximate
standard opening hours for businesses. Hours can vary
by season; our listings depict peak-season operating hours. Many businesses close for the
entire month of August for summer holidays.
* Banks
9am-1pm & 2-5pm Mon-Fri, some Sat morning
Bars and cafes
7am-2am
Museums
10am-6pm, closed Mon or Tue
Post offices
8am-7pm Mon-Fri & till noon Sat
Restaurants
noon-2pm & 7.30-10.30pm
Shops (clothing)
10am-7pm Mon-Sat, occasionally close in the early afternoon for lunch
Shops (food)
8am-1pm & 4-7.30pm, closed Sun afternoon & sometimes Mon
Post
Most post offices
(bureaux de poste)
are open Monday to Saturday.
Tabacs
(tobacconists)
usually sell postage stamps.
Sentier or Les Halles), five blocks north of the eastern end of the Musée du Louvre, is open
round the clock, but only for basic services such as sending letters. Other services, including
currency exchange, are available only during regular opening hours. Be prepared for long
queues.
Each
arrondissement
has its own five-digit postcode, formed by prefixing the number of
the
arrondissement
with '750' or '7500' (eg 75001 for the 1er
arrondissement,
75019 for the
19e). The only exception is the 16e, which has two postcodes: 75016 and 75116. All mail to
addresses in France
must
include the postcode.
Public Holidays
There is close to one public holiday a month in France and, in some years, up to four in May
alone. Be aware, though, that unlike in the USA or UK, where public holidays usually fall on
(or are shifted to) a Monday, in France a
jour férié
(public holiday) is celebrated strictly on the
day on which it falls. Thus if May Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, no provision is made for
an extra day off.
The following holidays are observed in Paris:
