December 25th is a public holiday in France, but no law mandates the closure of businesses on that day. Only May 1st has a legal obligation for closure (Article L3133-4 of the Labor Code). Each retailer is therefore free to open or not on Christmas Day, which creates a variable situation from one city and brand to another.
In practice, the vast majority of large stores close their doors. The businesses that remain open fall into specific categories, governed by distinct economic and regulatory logics depending on the territories.
Recommended read : Discover which tennis stars play with a Wilson racket and why
Alsace-Moselle and Overseas: Local Rules That Change the Game
National lists of stores open on December 25th often overlook regional particularities. In Alsace-Moselle, local law adds December 26th as an additional public holiday. A decree from 2025 (n°2025-892 of October 10, 2025, amending Article L3133-4 of the Labor Code) confirmed this obligation to close on December 26, 2026, in these three departments.
For residents of Bas-Rhin, Haut-Rhin, and Moselle, shopping on December 25th takes on a different dimension: if a business opens on the 25th, it will be closed the following day. Anticipating two consecutive days of potential closure requires tighter organization.
Related reading : How to Correct an Error on a Residence Permit: Steps and Practical Tips
In Overseas territories, the trend goes in the opposite direction. Since 2025, local enhancements of Sunday and public holiday rest have reduced the number of businesses open on Christmas Day, contrary to the increasing flexibility observed in mainland France. To precisely identify the brands open on December 25, 2026, in your area, the website La Star du Web lists accessible businesses city by city, including in the evening.
Types of Stores Open on December 25 in France
The stores that open on Christmas Day do not do so randomly. Three categories of businesses consistently stand out.
- Gas stations and their attached shops: they operate year-round, including public holidays. They provide basic food products, drinks, or last-minute items.
- Convenience stores and franchised supermarkets: some brands like Carrefour City or Franprix leave the decision to each manager. Stores located in city centers or tourist areas open more frequently than those on the outskirts, often with reduced hours (morning only).
- Fast-food restaurants and chain restaurants: fast food remains widely accessible on December 25, sometimes with adjusted hours. Establishments located in train stations or along highways are the most reliable.
Large supermarkets (Carrefour, Leclerc, Lidl, Auchan) almost all close on December 25. Exceptions are rare and concern a few hypermarkets located in areas with high tourist traffic. Checking directly on the hours page of the relevant brand remains the only reliable method.
Exceptional Hours on December 24: The Eve Matters as Much as the Day
Many disappointments on December 25 actually stem from poor planning the day before. On December 24, most supermarkets and stores have early closing hours, often between 5 PM and 7 PM depending on the brand and the city.
Shopping centers generally apply an extended time slot in the morning (opening as early as 9 AM) but close earlier. Convenience food stores follow a similar logic, with activity concentrated in the morning and early afternoon.
This reduction in hours on the 24th creates a funnel effect. Customers who postpone their shopping until the last minute find themselves facing shelves that are already largely emptied and significant queues. Planning shopping by the morning of the 24th at the latest remains the safest strategy to avoid searching for an open store on the 25th.
Sunday Openings During Advent and Impact on December 25, 2026
Since 2024, municipal decrees allowing exceptional Sunday openings during the Advent period have multiplied. This trend allows brands to partially compensate for the decline in online sales by capturing physical traffic on the Sundays leading up to Christmas.
In 2025, the Official Journal published a decree (n°2025-1456 of November 15, 2025) regulating these authorizations. For 2026, municipalities wishing to open on Sundays in December must submit a request to the prefecture. Sundays, December 6, 13, and 20, 2026, will likely be affected in most major urban areas.
This increase in Sunday openings has an indirect effect on December 25. Retailer unions, notably the FECC (Federation of Cooperative Retail Enterprises), reported in their annual report in February 2026 an increased fatigue among employees related to extended openings on December 24 and 25, accompanied by a significant rise in sick leave after the holidays.
Brands that open every Sunday of Advent are therefore less inclined to mobilize additional staff on Christmas Day. The paradox is real: the more stores open in December, the fewer there are that open on the 25th.
Salary Increase and Collective Agreement
The Labor Code does not provide for any mandatory legal increase for work on December 25. Compensation depends on the applicable collective agreement. In the retail sector, the collective agreement generally provides for a 100% salary increase for worked public holidays. This additional cost partly explains why only businesses with high margins or low payroll (automated gas stations, small owner-operated grocery stores) find it worthwhile to open.
December 25, 2026, falls on a Friday, creating a three-day extended weekend. This configuration makes opening even less attractive for brands that would need to recall employees on a bridge day. Owner-managed convenience stores will remain, as every year, the most accessible on that day.