SHOPPING AND DINING IN PARIS

LUNCH IN PARIS:
They typically reopen at 2:30 or 3 p.m. In those hours, the restaurants and cafes come alive. If you don’t catch lunch at lunchtime, you could go hungry for several hours (especially in smaller towns or even medium-sized cities). The French dinnertime is typically late, around 8:00 p.m. Look for shops and restaurants that have the phrase “nonstop” in the window. This does not mean this is a place that is always open. Indeed, even the ones that say 24h/24 7j/7, which is supposed to mean 24 hours a day, seven days a week, can close unpredictably. What “non-stop” DOES mean is that it will not shut-down in the middle of a day’s opening. For instance, a restaurant will not close between lunch and dinner, or a shop will not close for lunch. Almost every shop is closed in Sundays as well, so don’t plan a visit to a city you’ve always dreamed of seeing on the day of rest, because they do rest. It’s the law. Only shops that sell food are legally allowed to remain open during the luncheon hours.

TIPPING:
Cafes and restaurants in Paris and the rest of France include a 15 percent service charge in your check. This is required by French law as tips are assessed for taxation purposes. The 15 percent service charge is clearly itemized on your check, on top of the VAT tax (a French version of the sales tax). The words service compris (tip included) indicate that the tip has already been included in the total to be paid. A small extra tip is always appreciated. Extra tips may range from just a couple of Euro dimes for a coffee or a soft drink, to €1-€5 for a lunch or dinner. A nice “Thank You” is 5-10 percent of the total check. But once again, there is no obligation, and no steadfast rule as far as the percentage goes.

SHOP HOURS IN PARIS:
French shops and attractions tend to be open in the mornings until noon, and many (if not most) close for up to three hours.

DUTY-FREE:
Do you come from a country outside the European Union? And you’re over 15 years of age? Are you intending to spend a minimum of €175 on the same day in the same store? If so, you can benefit from a tax refund. For a VAT (Value Added Tax) refund, ask for a Tax free Shopping France invoice when you shop in any major store or “Tax free for tourists” boutique. The amount to be refunded is shown under the heading “Montant de la détaxe”. You should have your invoices stamped at airport customs on leaving the EU and return the validated pink copies within three months using the stamped addressed envelope given to you at the time you made your purchases. N.B. Food, services, travel, photo processing, alterations and repairs are not eligible for a tax refund. In order to receive your tax refund if you are leaving the EU by train, it’s important to know that Paris train stations, unlike airports, do not have a customs office. In this case you need to call on a specialist company. You can also buy products that are already tax-free: the famous “duty-free” shops of which most are located around Opéra and Palais Royal offer you merchandise with tax already deducted, in particular luxury items like perfume and leather goods. This advantage is only for those resident outside the European Union, which is why you will be asked to produce your passport at the moment of purchase, and often your flight ticket too. Major department stores also have their “duty-free” services, as do the international zones at the airports.
 
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