Hello, we arrive in Paris on Sunday morning. Staying just 24 hours leaving Monday morning. From my last trip there I remember many shops/restaurants/bars being closed. What part of town would have the most restaurants or shops open?
Was thinking about staying at the Vendome but I don't think much will be open around there?
When I was in Paris last May, Place Vendome was undergoing extensive renovations, so I don't think it would be a good place to stay. If you keep to the touristy areas - Latin Quarter, St. Germain, Le Marais - I think you'll find plenty of shops and restaurants open as well as museums and other sights.
Bakeries and some other food shopping are generally open before lunch on Sundays. In some neighborhoods, this includes an outdoor market, such as the Marche de la Bastille.
This is the Sunday reminder from the intro to Rick's Paris guidebook:
Sunday: Many sights are free on the first Sunday of the month, including the Orsay, Rodin, Cluny, Pompidou, Picasso, Quai Branly, and Delacroix museums. Several sights are free on the first Sunday, but only during winter, including the Louvre and Arc de Triomphe (both Oct-March) and all the sights at Versailles (Nov-March). These free days at popular sights attract hordes of visitors. Versailles is more crowded than usual on Sunday in any season, and the garden’s fountains run (April-Oct).
Look for organ concerts at St. Sulpice and other churches. The American Church often hosts a free concert (generally Sept-June at 17:00--but not every week and not in Dec). Luxembourg Garden has puppet shows today.
Most of Paris’ stores are closed on Sunday, but shoppers will find relief along the Champs-Elysées, at flea markets, and in the Marais neighborhood’s lively Jewish Quarter, where many boutiques are open. Many recommended restaurants in the Rue Cler neighborhood are closed for dinner.
One recommendation about the Marais, my partner wanted to visit there. Didn't have anything in mind, just wanted to visit "the Marais." It's not really conducive to aimless wandering, we ended up on wide busy streets with chain stores. Only saw a few little boutique-y stores. I finally directed her to the Place des Vosges which is a nice little park but still. Plan.
Where are most restaurants and shops open? Champs Elysee. A new law allows stores in touristic areas to be open on Sundays, so the Champs is open. Not all workers at all stores voted to work Sundays, but most stores on the Champs Elysee reached agreements.
Also, Montmartre will have a lot of restaurants and shops open up on the top, even if the stores are mainly items made for tourists. I like the junk I've bought up there.
On Sunday mornings we like to go to the Porte de Vanves flea market.. Go early.. Vendors start closing about 12 or 1. We also love visiting the outdoor food markets that are open on Sunday...our favorite is the Rue Morffetard ...also go in the morning...at the bottom of the hill they have singing and sometimes dancing.We have often purchased a rotisserie chicken and potatoes and eaten in the park at the bottom of the hill. There used to be a wonderful little hardware store there that had wonderful woven market baskets of all sizes and shapes.....we have used ours for over 20 years.....Another interesting place on Sundays is the cemeteries......Pere Lachaise ...being the largest. Fascinating and a real walk thru history.You can go on line and learn about all the people buried there and we have a wonderful book that I think we purchased on Amazon called " Permanent Pariesians" . The Montparnasse cemetery is amazing ,also.
If the weather cooperates, there's plenty to see in the Marais if you know where to look! Sunday is definitely a laid-back day, but you'll have plenty of opportunities to have a relaxed afternoon getting off the beaten path a bit and cafe-hopping. If I had a Sunday in Paris, here's what I'd do... Start mid-morning at the food market at the Bastille (along blvd Richard Lenoir) and wander through the market. You can piece together a breakfast or lunch here if you like - vendors sell fresh juices, pastries, or hot food (freshly roasted chicken!) if you want something heartier. I also love buying souvenirs here. Go north along Boulevard Beaumarchais toward the Marais - turn left on Rue des Francs Bourgeois to check out the Places des Vosges. If you want to see museums, the Carnavalet Museum is a couple of blocks further west, and the newly renovated Picasso Museum is a little further north -- and both open on Sundays. Lots of shops and cafes along the way (some chain stores, some cute locally owned places)! There are also some great Sunday food options in the Marais, but lines can be long -- Miznon, L'As du Falafel, etc. If you're not into that, check out St Germain. A lot of the shops are closed, but a lot of other things are also open (St Germain des Pres, Cafe de Fleur and Les Deux Magot). Have a great day!!
