Most of Paris slows down on Sunday, and some of the best of it only happens then. Here is what’s open and how to spend it.
The short version
- The big museums are open on Sunday: the Louvre, the Orsay, the Orangerie, Rodin, Picasso and the rest. Sunday afternoon is their busiest time of the week.
- The first Sunday of the month is free at the Orsay, the Orangerie and the Picasso, and at Rodin from October to March. Book a slot and expect the busiest day of the month.
- The Arc de Triomphe, the Panthéon, the Conciergerie and Sainte-Chapelle are free on the first Sunday of January, February, March, November and December.
- Most shops close, except in the tourist zones: the Marais and the Champs-Élysées open on Sunday. The Marais on a Sunday afternoon is the liveliest street in Paris.
- Sunday morning is market morning: the Bastille market, the Raspail organic market, Aligre and Monge are all on.
- Many neighborhood bistros close on Sunday, and some on Monday too. Book Sunday lunch and dinner a day or two ahead.
A good Sunday
Start at a market. The Bastille market on boulevard Richard-Lenoir runs to 14:30 on Sunday and is at its biggest; the Raspail organic market in the 6th is the beautiful one. Buy lunch there.
Spend the middle of the day outdoors. The Luxembourg Garden, the Tuileries, the canal and the Place des Vosges are where Paris goes on Sunday, so take the picnic to one of them.
Afternoon in the Marais for the open shops, or a museum you booked for a late slot. Our private Marais food tour runs every day, Sunday included, two and a half hours with ten tastings and a bistro lunch.
What closes
Most shops outside the tourist zones close: the small boutiques, many bakeries after lunch, and the neighborhood shops. Supermarkets in the center open on Sunday morning.
Many family-run restaurants close on Sunday evening and Monday. The brasseries and the restaurants in the Marais, Saint-Germain and around the big sights stay open.
Banks and post offices close. Pharmacies keep a Sunday rota; the sign on any closed pharmacy door lists the nearest one open.
Free first Sundays
The free first Sunday is real but busy. Every free museum requires a timed slot booked online, and they go days ahead. If you have the choice, pay and go on a weekday.
The Louvre is no longer free on the first Sunday. Its free evening is the first Friday of the month after 18:00, except in July and August.
If you want the big sights without the Sunday lines, a guide helps more on a Sunday than any other day. Our private Paris in a Day is eight hours with a driver-guide, the Louvre, Montmartre and Notre-Dame, all open on Sunday.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are museums open on Sunday in Paris?
Yes, nearly all of them, and Sunday afternoon is their busiest time. The closing days to watch are Monday and Tuesday, not Sunday.
Are shops open on Sunday in Paris?
In the tourist zones, yes: the Marais and the Champs-Élysées open on Sunday. Elsewhere most shops close, apart from bakeries in the morning and some supermarkets.
Which museums are free on the first Sunday?
The Orsay, the Orangerie and the Picasso every month; Rodin from October to March; the Arc de Triomphe, the Panthéon, the Conciergerie and Sainte-Chapelle in January, February, March, November and December. Book a slot for all of them.
Are restaurants open on Sunday?
Brasseries and restaurants near the sights are. Many small bistros close on Sunday and Monday, so book a day or two ahead for Sunday lunch or dinner.
Is there a tour on Sunday?
Yes. Our private Marais food tour runs every day including Sunday, and Sunday is the day the Marais is at its liveliest.
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