Sarkozy Sees Sunday Shopping Spurring Spending International Herald Tribune Muriel Deparis glanced nervously at her watch as she rummaged through racks of dresses in a crowded H&M store in central Paris during her lunch break. "I'd love to come here on Sunday," said Deparis, a 43-year-old mother of two who works as a clerk at the Paris stock exchange. "It would make my life so much easier."
Sunday Underground Shopping Zurich Daily Photo All stores in Switzerland are closed on Sundays, with the only exception being small shops and grocery stores at major transportation hubs, such as train stations and airports.
France PM Weighing Options on Sunday Shopping Reuters The French government is examining options to expand Sunday shopping, but has not yet made a decision, Prime Minister Francois Fillon said in a joint television, radio and newspaper interview.
In the 1930s, the economy really was in the tank. But we kept our chin up. Today, if your 401(k) drops half a point, it's the end of the world.
March 19, 2008
In 1814, Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled to the island of Elba, only a decade after having crowned himself emperor in Notre Dame. A much less heralded event - but in the long run, even more important - also took place the same year. France officially declared Sunday to be a holy day.
This conception, derived from the Latin dies dominicus, "the day of our Lord," led to a 1906 law L. 221-5 du Code du travail, stating that all non-food shops must close on Sundays, leaving time for family, leisure and prayer.
But times are changing and so are old world Sunday's in Paris. Once, the extended family gathered around the table for extended hours, dining on roast chicken with figs, a bottle of Madiran, aged chèvre and chocolate mousse, endlessly discussing art, politics and philosophy.
At an outdoor market in Paris, Anne-Marie Pavillard, a retired business owner, added her two cents: "It is our tradition that we have one day of the week dedicated to something besides work. It's true, sometimes I wish I could go shopping on Sunday, but it is necessary that we think about it on the long-term."
She has been out-voted.
According to a December 2007 poll, 63 percent of the French would like the law to be amended to allow for more Sunday Shopping. And although only 47 percent of the population now would actually agree to work on a Sunday, a substantial pay increase (100%) might be enough of a lure to get the rest of the workers out of bed.
Many larger outlets have already figured a way around this with some ingenious loopholes: Ikea has remained opened seven days a week for years by maintaining that it is a restaurant. Louis Vuitton opened an exhibition space and bookshop on the top floor of their Champs-Élysées flagship store, transforming itself into a "cultural space," another exemption.
After reforms in 2005, which granted exemption to gardening, home improvement and video rental stores, and a new 2008 amendment known as the Châtel Law, it appears to be all but over, except for the shopping. Which means that even Ikea, no matter how good the salmon is, doesn't have to pretend it's a restaurant to open its doors on Sunday.
But even with the backing of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, there is still substantial cultural resistance to the concept. The typical Sunday lunch at the in-laws may be giving way to new pastimes - rollerblading along the Seine, or playing soccer or biking in the bois de Vincennes. Which doesn't mean that the French are ready to admit that their country resembles consumer-driven cultures like those in the United Kingdom or, even worse, the United States. A little, perhaps, like having their gâteau and eating it too.
Could it be that France's long-time vaunted view itself is changing and Vivre la Différence is giving way to Vivre la not Différence?
Just... gingerly, asking.
Share the Eye:
Sunday Shopping: Don't Want It, Don't Need It Letters Home With Germany slowly but surely demolishing laws which set the number of hours per day which stores can be open, this is the feeling I think I will get should the country go all the way and allow Sunday shopping across the board, everywhere.
Could French Shops Stay Open on Sunday? ParisTripTips Since the early 20th century, there has been a law in France that all non-food shops must close on Sundays, leaving time for family, leisure and prayer. Sarkozy, wanting to jump-start his lagging economy, would like to do away with that law.
Sunday Trading May Soon Come to France Lost in France Currently the price of many goods in France are set by legislation put in place to protect smaller businesses but the commission has suggested that relaxing this control and allowing supermarkets to be more competitive would help to boost consumer spending.
It's an Islamist conspiracy to destroy the non-Muslim Sabbath. Actually, no, check that. It's a...
Mar. 19, 2008 1:17 PM
What do you do on Sundays?
19% 14% 8% 42% 17%
From what I understand, only the small family-owned corner-store markets (épiceries) are open for a limited time on Sunday; which gives them an edge over the big stores (which are open on Sundays only on very special, holiday-specific occasions)...
With the open farmers' markets, we're not lacking much down here in the south, anyway. We adapt ourselves accordingly. You can get anything at the market near my house, besides fruits & vegetables: cheese, wine, juice, coffee, eggs, olives, organic personal care products, clothing... The last place I'd care to spend my Sunday (or any other day, tell the truth) is in a mall or supermarket! For real.
reedd said...
What the line of that Rascal Flatts song "Mayberry?" "Sunday was a day of rest now it's one more day for progress." Kind of sad that our culture has become so commercialized.
My grandparents were from Italy. We would sit down to Sunday dinner and my Pa would make us stay at the table for two hours, sharing food and conversation. People were much more connected to each other in those days. Now we are connected via internet, cell phones and various other electronic devices. That's progress I guess. But we should ask ourselves if we feel more connected to living life.
So I say, we all have a choice in how we spend our Sundays. Enjoy the people in our lives or feel isolated at the malls. It's up to us.
drdgscott said...
One of the greatest gifts given to civilization by Judiasm was the concept of Sabbath -- that all living things require rest and re-creation. It used to be that culture gave an imprimatur of sorts to that concept by keeping Sunday non-commercial. Now, like everything else, rest and re-creation is done on a catch-as-catch-can basis, and we are poorer for it.
TrishGA said...
I would love to do nothing more than cook, eat and socialize with extended family on Sunday's (three of my favorite things to do!). In fact, both my parents are first generation Europeans - and I grew up with this tradition as well.
But let's get real! That would now leave only Saturday to do all the other "favorite" things like errands, laundry, yard work, bill paying, hair cuts, vet appointments, vehicle maintenance, chaffeuring kids, grocery shopping - never mind other shopping....(no wonder I answered "sleep late" in the poll, even if it was a fantasy).
I say we establish a 4-day work week (another one of my fantasies). That would solve all this!
And to the French I say..."Welcome to the Rat Race"!
It's an Islamist conspiracy to destroy the non-Muslim Sabbath. Actually, no, check that. It's a joint Israeli and Islamist conspiracy. Wait, no, the Masons and the Catholics and the Israelis and the Muslims are all conspiring against France. AH! And the Dutch. Can't forget them. Bloody hell, and throw in the Basque Separatists, and Martha Stewart. Can't trust any of 'em.
more on the honor rollBlame it on the Communists. No, they're gone from the world stage. (Hey, I'm a former "cold warrior" and I wax nostalgic sometimes).
Blame it on British Imperialism. No, because sadly they're also gone. (Hey, allow me some nostalgia for my former country...).
Who remains to blame? The U.S. (Hey, we take the blame for every problem in the world anyway...Now that's something I can get "pre-nostalgic" about.
A little bit of romantic nostalgia is good for the soul, don't you agree? Even when it's bittersweet! Look forward to seeing you all at work on Sunday. You can be a few minutes late...
cherann said...
European culture, at least when it comes to mealtime, is all about relationships. Going out to dinner is not a quick way to get a bite to eat, it's an event, often lasting 2-4 hours. I personally hope that Parisian culture itself takes a very long time to be "progressive" by sacrificing relationships for the opportunity to fill their homes with more stuff which then require more time to take care of, leading to buy more stuff to take care of the stuff we didn't really need in the first place. Are we trying to avoid being close? Makes me wonder.
pa farm said...
Doesn't it seem the dollar(or the currency of your choice) always wins out in the end? Much to our detriment, I feel. A few years back I tried to adopt this two word philosophy--Use Less. That means buying less. It also means wasting less. Just how much stuff can we stand? Wilde said it best--Nothing succeeds like excess.