6. Hours of Service

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6. Hours of Service

Opening Hours and Hours of Service

Updated January 21 2003

Banks

Because of the long extended Parisian luch hours ,avoid doing "administrative" task during this time. Shops may be closed for an hour or so, between 12 and 2.30pm

Banks tend to open 9am -5pm on weekdays ( many closing for lunch from 12 to 2pm) and close either on Saturdays or Mondays. All banks close on major national holidays and most close early on the day before a public holiday.

Main Post Offices

These usually display a blue bird and the sign "la poste". They are usually open from 8am to 7pm Monday to Friday and 8am-noon on Saturday. The city's main post office at 52 Rue du Lourve is open 24 hours a day ,every day. The post office at 71 ,Avenue des Champs-Elysee is open until 10pm on weekdays ,and opens on Sunday and puble holidays (10am-noon, 2-8pm)

The smaller ones are open 8am-7pm on weekdays and 8am-noon on Saturdays. Smaller postoffice close for lunch from 12 to 2.30pm, an close at 5 or 6pm.

Grocers, bakeries, tobacconists, food shops

are open from 7 pr 8am to 7pm ( or later, sometimes up to midnight) ,Monday -Saturday. Food shops are often open on Sunday morning. Small shops usually shut down at lunch- time, 12.30-2pm

Other shops,department stores, boutiques are open from 9am ,9.30 0r 10am to 6.30 - 7pm (sometimes later in the summer), Tuesday to Saturday. Many store are closed on Sundays . You may also find many resturants closed on Mondays.

Museums

are open 10am-5pm, 5.30 pr 6pm (variable). Some including the Louvre, are closed on Tuesdays: others closed on Mondays. Major and national monuments including the Arc de Triomphe, Pantheon and Sainte- Chaleppe are open daily, except certain public holidays.

Buses ( autobus)

Bus transport around Paris is efficient though not always fast. Stops are marked by red and yellow signs, with the bus mumbers posted, and you will find bus itineraries displayed under bus shelters. You can obtain a general bus route plan from metro station ticket offices.

Most buses run from 7am to 8.30pm, some till 12.30am . Service is rueduced on Sunday and public Holidays. Special buses for nightowls , the" Noctambus", run along ten main routes serving the capital from 1.30am to 5.30am every hour, with Chatelet as the hub.