May 1: transport, shops, restaurants, cinemas… what’s open and closed in France

May 1 is a non-working day… but not for everyone. While most public facilities and other places will be closed this Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in observance of Labor Day, some will remain open. Without being able to create an exhaustive list, Le Parisien is compiling a list of what will and will not be open on this public holiday.

In transports

It depends on the region. In Ile-de-France, the transport network will a priori operate on Sundays. So expect to get around on Transilien, RER, metro and buses, even if there are fewer of them than in other environments. Traffic will also be affected by Labor Day demonstrations. The Paris procession connecting Place de la République to Place de la Nation will cause difficulties on the surface, with buses being diverted or even stopped, as well as underground with closed metro stations. Details of the closure are not yet known.

Outside of Ile-de-France it will be difficult to get around by public transport. Or simply impossible. In Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône), bus, metro and tram services will be suspended, RTM reports. Same thing in Lyon (Rhône): the TCL network (metro, tram and bus) will be completely inoperable. Toulouse (Haute-Garonne), Lille (North), Nice (Alpes-Maritimes), Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin) and Rennes (Ille et Vilaine) will be in the same boat. Some networks will be able to operate in other parts of France, but the volume of services will be reduced to a minimum.

Nationally, no real transport disruptions are expected on Wednesday 1 May. Trains that are sold out will run well, as will planes and buses such as BlaBlaCar and Flixbus. For both short and long distances, car use may even be made easier if traffic is less dense than on other days of the week.

In shops

There are no uniform rules for business. According to the Labor Code, May 1 is the only mandatory non-working day… with the exception of workers who, “due to the nature of their activity,” “cannot interrupt work.” In this case, they will have to pay double. This is why most shopping centers and other businesses will be closed on May 1, 2024.

Shopping centers La Part-Dieu in Lyon (Rhône), Les Quatre Temps in La Défense (Hauts-de-Seine), Belle Épine in Thias (Val-de-Marne), Créteil Soleil in Créteil (Val-de-Marne) ), Cap 3,000 in Saint-Laurent-du-Var (Alpes-Maritimes) or Parly 2 in Chenay-Roquencourt (Yvelines) will be closed among the most important shopping centers in France. In Paris, Forum des Halles and Italy 2 will also be closed, as well as department stores (Galeries Lafayette, Printemps, BHV Le Marais, la Samaritaine).

As for shops and other supermarkets, it will be haphazard. Some, but not all, Monoprix stores will open in and around the capital. However, there will be no deliveries, the brand indicates. Small businesses that require a small number of employees will also be able to open throughout France, especially for some Carrefour City, Carrefour Express and Franprix stores. Online, the brand’s website will usually indicate whether the business is open or not.

Independent “small businesses” such as bakeries, butchers, cheese shops and fishmongers will be allowed to open at the discretion of their managers.

Although DIY stores and garden centers are usually open on Sundays, this is less common on May 1st. These establishments will be largely closed this Wednesday. Florists, however, can open sales of the famous lily of the valley.

What about restaurants?

It’s the same with restaurants: there is no general rule. Most of them will not make their employees work. Things are different with large restaurant chains: from May 1 of this year, McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC and other restaurants will be able to open.

Cinemas, museums and other cultural venues

There is an opportunity to capture places of culture: to attract those who do not work to this national holiday. This is why in many of them the staff will try to keep the doors open. The same will happen with cinemas. This year, this opportunity is even better because May 1st falls on a Wednesday, and this year it coincides with the day of theatrical performances.

As for museums, it depends on the situation. For example, in Paris, municipal museums will be closed, as well as the Catacombs and the City of Industry. But the Eiffel Tower, the Atelier de Lumiere and the Grevin Museum will be open, to name just a few in the capital. Therefore, in Ile-de-France, as elsewhere in France, it is important to check the infrastructure to make sure whether it is open or not.

In the capital, as in most of the country, libraries will also be closed.

Gyms and swimming pools

Most gyms will be closed this Wednesday, May 1st. In Basic Fit, doors to “all rooms” will remain closed. For other networks it will depend on a case-by-case basis. However, some pools may be open, for example in Paris. Again, it’s important to check online or call to find out if it’s open or closed.