What hours are the shops open?
The French still maintain fairly traditional opening hours, with only the bigger shops or out-of-town shopping centres staying open all day long. Generally speaking supermarkets will open between 8am and 7pm. Other shops tend to open at 10am, closing at 12.30pm for a lunch break until around 3pm. They then reopen until 7pm or 8pm. Most shops in Chamonix remain open 7 days a week during the winter and summer seasons, including Christmas, New Year and other bank holidays. During peak season some shops may remain open throughout the day without stopping for lunch but don't rely on it. During the interseason periods of spring and autumn many shops in Chamonix close altogether. Read Shopping in Chamonix to find out more about the type of shops you'll find in resort.
