Paris on a Sunday: what's open (2026 guide)

The rule: Sunday off, with lots of exceptions

In France, Sunday is in principle a day of rest for employees. A shop with staff therefore cannot simply open that day. Several exceptions, however, change the Parisian picture a lot:

• Food shops (bakeries, butchers, cheese shops, convenience stores, supermarkets) may open on Sundays until 1pm (13:00), all year round, without authorisation.
• Some sectors may open all day by right, because people need them that day: restaurants, cafés, hotels, museums, theatres and venues, transport.
• International tourist zones (ZTI) allow shops to open on Sundays all year round, with staff who volunteer.
• A shop with no employees, run by its owner alone, may open on Sundays, unless a prefectoral order says otherwise.
• The "dimanches du maire" (mayor's Sundays): the City can allow retailers to open on up to 12 Sundays a year, for example during the end-of-year holidays or the sales.

In practice, what's open on a Sunday in Paris depends on the neighbourhood and the type of shop.

The international tourist zones where shops open

Paris has 12 international tourist zones, created in 2015. Shops located in them may open on Sundays all year round, and on weekday evenings until midnight. According to the City of Paris, these zones are:

• Saint-Honoré-Vendôme and les Halles (1st)
• the Marais (3rd)
• Rennes-Saint-Sulpice (6th)
• Saint-Germain (7th)
• Champs-Élysées-Montaigne and Haussmann (8th)
• Saint-Émilion-Bibliothèque (12th and 13th)
• Olympiades (13th)
• Beaugrenelle (15th)
• Maillot-Ternes (17th)
• Montmartre (18th)

In these zones, opening is still up to each brand: a shop may well close on Sundays. For an afternoon of shopping, the Marais is the safest bet: pedestrian streets, designers, concept stores and vintage shops there are mostly open.

Department stores on Sundays

The three historic department stores all open on Sundays, a little later than on weekdays:

• Galeries Lafayette Haussmann (40 boulevard Haussmann, 75009 Paris): 11am to 8pm (11:00–20:00) on Sundays. The free 8th-floor rooftop also opens at 11am.
• Printemps Haussmann (64 boulevard Haussmann, 75009 Paris): 11am to 8pm (11:00–20:00) on Sundays.
• Le Bon Marché (rue de Sèvres, 75007 Paris): 11am to 7:45pm (11:00–19:45) on Sundays. Its food hall, La Grande Épicerie de Paris, opens from 10am to 8pm (10:00–20:00).

Sunday afternoon is one of the busiest times, especially on boulevard Haussmann. Arrive at opening time if you want to enjoy the domes in peace.

Supermarkets, bakeries and food shopping

Food shops may open on Sunday mornings until 1pm (13:00): it's the right time to buy bread, cheese or a picnic. In the afternoon, most neighbourhood supermarkets are closed.

A notable exception: in the international tourist zones, food shops may also employ staff on Sundays after 1pm (13:00). You'll therefore find an open convenience store more easily there in the afternoon.

As for bakeries, each one chooses its own days: some open on Sunday mornings, others close that day. Our selection of the best bakeries in Paris lists the closing days of each address.

Sunday morning markets

Sunday morning is the big day for Parisian markets. Three easy-to-reach options, with hours from the City of Paris:

• Marché biologique Raspail (Raspail organic market): boulevard Raspail, between rue du Cherche-Midi and rue de Rennes, 75006 Paris. Sundays only, 7am to 2:30pm (7:00–14:30).
• Marché Bastille: boulevard Richard-Lenoir, between rue Amelot and rue Saint-Sabin, 75011 Paris. Thursdays 7am to 1:30pm (7:00–13:30) and Sundays 7am to 2:30pm (7:00–14:30).
• Marché d'Aligre: rue d'Aligre and place d'Aligre, 75012 Paris. Tuesday to Sunday; at weekends, 7:30am to 2:30pm (7:30–14:30).

Markets close in the early afternoon: come before noon for the best choice. For bargain hunting, the Saint-Ouen flea market opens Saturday to Monday; other flea markets and second-hand fairs are in our guide to flea markets in Paris.

Museums: almost all open

Sunday is a good day for museums: most major institutions close on Monday or Tuesday, but open on Sunday. The Louvre, closed on Tuesdays, opens from 9am to 6pm (9:00–18:00) on Sundays. Just expect bigger crowds than on weekdays.

One important exception: the Centre Pompidou has been closed for renovation since September 2025, until 2030.

The first Sunday of the month

Several national museums are free for everyone on the first Sunday of the month, with different conditions:

• Musée d'Orsay: free every first Sunday, booking a time slot is mandatory.
• Musée de l'Orangerie: free every first Sunday, booking mandatory.
• Musée Picasso: free every first Sunday, no booking needed.
• Musée Rodin: free on the first Sunday from October to March only.
• Centre des monuments nationaux monuments (Arc de Triomphe, Panthéon, Conciergerie, Sainte-Chapelle): free on the first Sunday from November to March.

The Louvre no longer offers free entry on the first Sunday. The permanent collections of the City of Paris museums, such as Carnavalet or the Petit Palais, are free every day; they close on Mondays and so are open on Sundays. All the options are detailed in our guide to free museums in Paris.

What's closed or limited on Sundays

• Most shops outside tourist zones, especially in residential neighbourhoods.
• Neighbourhood supermarkets in the afternoon, outside tourist zones.
• Banks and most administrative services.
• Pharmacies, apart from on-duty pharmacies. The window of every closed pharmacy shows the nearest on-duty pharmacy; see our guide to emergencies and health in Paris.
• Markets, which pack up in the early afternoon.

A public holiday works roughly like a Sunday, with differences on 1 May, when almost everything closes: see our guide to public holidays in France.

Metro and transport on Sundays

The metro runs on Sundays, with trains generally less frequent than on weekdays. The first trains leave around 5:30am. On Sunday evenings, the last metro reaches the end of the line around 1:15am; it's on Saturday night into Sunday that it runs latest, until about 2:15am. Fares, lines and tips are in our guide to the metro and RER.

Paris Respire: car-free streets on Sundays

With the Paris Respire ("Paris breathes") scheme, several neighbourhoods are closed to cars on Sundays and public holidays, for pedestrians and cyclists. Hours published by the City of Paris:

• Marais (3rd and 4th): 10am to 6pm (10:00–18:00) from October to March, until 7:30pm (19:30) from April to September.
• Canal Saint-Martin (10th): 10am to 6pm (10:00–18:00) from October to March, until 8pm (20:00) from April to September.
• Montmartre (18th): 11am to 7pm (11:00–19:00).
• Mouffetard (5th): 10am to 6pm (10:00–18:00).
• Champs-Élysées (8th): one Sunday a month, usually the first, 10am to 5pm (10:00–17:00) from November to March and 11am to 6pm (11:00–18:00) from April to October.

The Bois de Boulogne and Bois de Vincennes also have roads closed to traffic on Sundays. These hours may change during events. To enjoy them by bike, see our guide to Paris by bike.

Summary: what's open on Sundays

Opening hours and information checked in October 2026.

An itinerary for a Sunday in Paris

• Morning: Raspail organic market or Marché d'Aligre, then coffee on a terrace. For a longer meal, see our selection of brunches in Paris.
• Late morning: the Marais, car-free from 10am. The free Musée Carnavalet tells the history of Paris.
• Afternoon: Marais shops are open, or try the Musée Picasso, free on the first Sunday of the month.
• Late afternoon: stroll along the Canal Saint-Martin, pedestrian-only on Sundays, then drinks on the banks.

If you prefer department stores, switch it around: market in the morning, boulevard Haussmann at opening time at 11am, then the Musée d'Orsay in the afternoon.

Further reading

To find out what's on during the weekend of your stay, check our selection of things to do in Paris this weekend. Free museums are gathered in our guide to free museums in Paris, and the dates that close part of the city in our guide to public holidays in France.