Christmas is a holiday and a time for family get-togethers in France, but not everything shuts down over the festive period.
In most parts of France only Christmas Day – December 25th – is a public holiday, although many offices and other workplaces close down for a few days over the festive period.
Schools take a holiday too – this year kids finished on Friday, December 20th (or December 21st for schools that have Saturday classes) and return on Monday, January 6th. During the school holidays some public buildings, such as leisure centres, have different opening hours.
You can hear the team at The Local discussing French Christmas traditions in the Talking France podcast – download here or listen on the link below
December 24th is a normal working day – although most businesses will close their doors earlier than usual so their staff can get home to celebrate with their families – while December 26th is only a holiday in the Alsace-Lorraine area of north-east France.
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Many companies do give their staff a few extra days off over the festive period, and some public buildings are likely to have altered opening hours over Christmas and New Year, so it’s advisable to check opening hours in advance if you’re planning a visit.
But even though it is a holiday, quite a few things will be open on December 25th and there is less of a total shutdown in France than there is in some other countries.
Boulangeries and pâtisseries
In most towns or city districts you will find several boulangeries and/or pâtisseries open in the morning. This allows people to buy their breakfast pastries and fresh baguettes, and also pick up a festive bûche de noël.
Supermarkets
Most large supermarkets remain firmly shuttered on December 25th. But don’t be too surprised to see a few open – especially in mountainous areas. Some will also have altered opening hours on December 24th and 26th, although almost all will be open.
In cities and larger towns, smaller mini-market stores may well open for a few hours in either the morning or the afternoon of the 25th. Handy if you’ve forgotten a crucial Christmas dinner ingredient.
Other shops
The vast majority of shops will remain closed for the day, as will most shopping malls – although, in the past, fancy Parisien department store La Samaritaine has opened in the afternoon. Some florists open in the morning of December 25th to allow people to buy gifts of flowers or plants to friends/relatives they are visiting on the day.
Pharmacies
Pharmacies operate a rota system on Sundays and public holidays. The system ensures that at least one pharmacy is open in each area – find the one nearest to you by searching on Google for ‘pharmacie de garde’ plus the name of your town.
Most doctors will not be working, but if you need a home visit you can call SOS Médecins.
READ ALSO How to access out-of-hours care in France
Hospital emergency departments and ambulances will be working as normal should you need them (and we hope you won’t). You can get an ambulance by dialling 15, or the European emergency number 112.
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Restaurants and cafés
This rather depends on the owners, but some restaurants and cafés do open on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day and often serve special menus.
On December 24th you’re likely to see groaning platters of seafood, while December 25th is usually a set menu of luxury food. Be aware, however, walk-ins are unlikely – places are often booked up a long time in advance.
Depending on where you are, however, certain fast food chains or takeaways may open on Christmas Day – remember, the French tend to do their big celebratory meal on the evening of the 24th, so December 25th is more generally geared towards gentle recovery … for which the incredible healing powers of carbs are well documented. [Editor’s note – this is not actual science].
Public transport
In the larger cities, public transport runs all day on December 25th, albeit often with a reduced timetable.
Mainline train services also run on Christmas Day, with many routes running a near-normal timetable. For example if you want to get from Paris to Bordeaux on December 25th, there are hourly TGV services to choose from.
Tourist attractions
Most tourist attractions are closed on December 25th, and others are open with limited options – the Eiffel Tower, for example, regularly opens until late into the evening.
Churches will be open but are closed to tourists when services are ongoing, which happens several times a day over the Christmas period.
Christmas markets
If you fancy getting into the festive mood, most of the bigger Christmas markets open on December 25th so you can have a vin chaud and go on some rides.
READ ALSO 10 food and drink treats to sample at French Christmas markets