Updated 13 October 2026

Cheat sheet

French shop sign abbreviations: opening hours and prices

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated 13 October 2026 · About the library

Read French shop signs fast: lun.–sam., 9h–12h / 14h–19h, fermé dim. et j. fériés, TTC, prix au kg, soldes -30 %. A one-page reference with examples.

In short

Opening hours list days, then times with h: lun.–ven. 9h–12h / 14h–18h means Monday to Friday, 9 to 12 and 2 to 6. Fermé dim. et j. fériés is closed on Sundays and bank holidays. TTC means tax included.

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An unlettered French shopfront with a partly lowered shutter, baskets and a plain door. — Opening arrangements give context to les horaires. Illustration: Atelier

Panneaux de magasin · fiche

1 · Days

Three-letter abbreviations, lower case.

lun. / mar. / mer.	Mon / Tue / Wed
jeu. / ven.	Thu / Fri
sam. / dim.	Sat / Sun

lun.–sam.Monday to Saturday

2 · Times

24-hour clock with h.

9h–12h309 am to 12.30 pm

14h–19h2 pm to 7 pm

3 · Closures

Many small shops close at lunchtime.

j. fériés	bank holidays
sauf	except

Fermé le lundiClosed on Mondays

Fermeture exceptionnelleClosed today (unusually)

Congés annuels du 1er au 21 aoûtAnnual holiday 1–21 August

4 · Continuous opening

No lunch break.

Ouvert non-stop / journée continueOpen all day

5 · Prices

Units and taxes.

TTC	tax included
HT	before tax

2,95 € le kg€2.95 per kilo

1,20 € pièce€1.20 each

6 · Sales and offers

Percentages and bundles.

promo	special offer
prix barré	crossed-out (old) price

Soldes -30 %Sale: 30% off

2 + 1 offertbuy 2, get 1 free

Read these signs

What do they mean?

Sign	Meaning
Mar.–sam. 9h30–19h · Dim. 9h–13h	Tue–Sat 9.30–7; Sun 9–1; closed Mon
Fermé le midi	Closed at lunchtime
Retour dans 10 min	Back in 10 minutes
Prix TTC	Prices include tax

Small French shops often close for lunch, roughly from 12h30 to 14h or 15h, and many are closed on Sunday afternoon and Monday. Bakeries are an exception: they usually open on Sunday morning and close one other day in the week. Supermarkets increasingly open on Sunday mornings in cities.

Handwritten signs on doors are common: Je reviens dans 5 minutes, Fermé pour cause de maladie (closed due to illness), Paiement CB à partir de 10 € (card payments from €10). A sign saying Ouvert 7j/7 means open seven days a week.