The 25th is coming up soon, you haven’t bought a single gift, your brow is starting to sweat, the tension mounts… Stop! Time to put things in perspective. With a minimum of forward-thinking you can avoid the crowds and make Xmas shopping a happy, zen experience (almost). Here’s our list of the special opening hours of the major department stores for Xmas 2008 in Paris…

photo taken at the BHV by bladsurb used under cc licence


Let’s start with the BHV that you’d best avoid on a Saturday. Try going on a Sunday instead (10am – 19pm) or make the most of their late night opening on Wednesday (9pm). The last time we tried it, the place was deserted!

photo by aurelient used under cc licenceForum des Halles whose all-pink Xmas decorations look rather good this year (whereas they are usually a bit crusty). Forget Saturdays there, and go for Sunday 14th or 21st between 10am and 7pm. You’ll thank us for it.

At the Au Printemps store, you’ll be able to shop in peace until 8pm on Saturdays, and from 12th – 23rd December they are expanding opening hours for all the other days of the week too, from 9.35am – 9pm! (glad I don’t work there). We suggest an early-morning run for maximum calm.

And at Galeries Lafayette it’s more or less the same story. They are open from 9.30am – 9pm every day (10.30am – 7pm Sundays).

And if you want to avoid the big shops, why no try the rue des Francs Bourgeois in the Marais district. It’s closed to vehicles on Sundays now, and all the shops are open. Careful though: in the afternoon it becomes a human roadblock…! Happy shopping!

Bigger map here