https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from France in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed As France's delayed summer sales period gets underway, Paris shop owners have spoken of their fears for the future after three government-enforced shutdowns. https://www.thelocal.fr/20210630/it-will-be-a-difficult-summer-six-weeks-after-reopening-paris-shopkeepers-face-delayed-sales-and-a-lack-of-tourists Wed, 30 Jun 2021 19:46:22 +0200 it-will-be-a-difficult-summer-six-weeks-after-reopening-paris-shopkeepers-face-delayed-sales-and-a-lack-of-tourists Here is a parable of modern Paris - the parable of La Samaritaine - another piece of authentic Paris grittiness reinvented as a luxury attraction for foreign tourists, writes John Lichfield. https://www.thelocal.fr/20210624/opinion-the-new-luxury-samaritaine-store-is-an-example-of-the-disneyfication-of-paris Thu, 24 Jun 2021 11:13:59 +0200 opinion-the-new-luxury-samaritaine-store-is-an-example-of-the-disneyfication-of-paris Parisians will once again be able to stroll the gilded aisles of the Samaritaine department store starting Wednesday, after 16 years of painstaking work to restore the Art Deco and Art Nouveau landmark to its former glory. https://www.thelocal.fr/20210622/in-pictures-paris-iconic-art-nouveau-department-store-reopens-after-16-year-revamp Tue, 22 Jun 2021 14:44:46 +0200 in-pictures-paris-iconic-art-nouveau-department-store-reopens-after-16-year-revamp France has extended its winter sales period by two weeks after a request from shops struggling with the loss of revenue due to the 6pm curfew. https://www.thelocal.fr/20210215/france-extends-its-winter-sales-as-shops-struggle-with-impact-of-6pm-curfew Mon, 15 Feb 2021 11:28:48 +0100 france-extends-its-winter-sales-as-shops-struggle-with-impact-of-6pm-curfew The empty shelves of British store Marks and Spencer's Paris branches are "just the beginning" of Brexit, said French trade minister Franck Riester, although he added that France was committed to trade with the UK. https://www.thelocal.fr/20210126/marks-spencer-shortages-in-paris-just-the-beginning-of-brexit-says-french-trade-minister Tue, 26 Jan 2021 10:41:04 +0100 marks-spencer-shortages-in-paris-just-the-beginning-of-brexit-says-french-trade-minister A petition for a 'Noël sans Amazon' has attracted thousands of signatures, as well as the backing of high profile French political figures. https://www.thelocal.fr/20201118/french-politicians-join-calls-to-boycott-amazon-this-christmas Wed, 18 Nov 2020 11:52:13 +0100 french-politicians-join-calls-to-boycott-amazon-this-christmas It's not yet December, but you might want to start thinking about doing your Christmas shopping soon, according to a new price comparison study. https://www.thelocal.fr/20201023/when-to-get-the-best-christmas-shopping-bargains-in-france Fri, 23 Oct 2020 12:05:57 +0200 when-to-get-the-best-christmas-shopping-bargains-in-france Toymakers and retailers in France have signed a new government charter committing to make children's toys gender neutral. https://www.thelocal.fr/20201006/france-publishes-charter-of-gender-neutral-toys Tue, 06 Oct 2020 17:38:41 +0200 france-publishes-charter-of-gender-neutral-toys Shoppers in France on Tuesday had one day left to bargain hunt as the delayed 2020 summer sales period approached an end. https://www.thelocal.fr/20200603/france-delays-its-summer-sales-to-help-struggling-retailers Wed, 03 Jun 2020 12:29:09 +0200 france-delays-its-summer-sales-to-help-struggling-retailers During lockdown, hundreds of small business owners in a small town in western France gathered on a 100 percent local e-commerce platform with a double objective: staying afloat and fighting giants such as Amazon. https://www.thelocal.fr/20200716/the-french-town-where-local-businesses-are-creating-an-alternative-to-amazon Thu, 16 Jul 2020 17:44:27 +0200 the-french-town-where-local-businesses-are-creating-an-alternative-to-amazon As the coronavirus begins to ebb in France, the country has a problem unthinkable just a few weeks ago - a surplus of masks - prompting calls for consumers to purchase French-made ones. https://www.thelocal.fr/20200611/plea-to-buy-made-in-france-face-masks-as-country-faces-a-surplus Thu, 11 Jun 2020 10:37:43 +0200 plea-to-buy-made-in-france-face-masks-as-country-faces-a-surplus You might think every day in France is a French Day, but some days are more French than others. Here's why. https://www.thelocal.fr/20190927/french-days-are-back-but-what-are-they Fri, 27 Sep 2019 18:01:01 +0200 french-days-are-back-but-what-are-they The French government is beginning work on measures to extend the rights of shops to stay open all night, something that is currently strictly regulated. https://www.thelocal.fr/20191113/plans-to-extend-247-shop-opening-in-france Wed, 13 Nov 2019 13:16:44 +0100 plans-to-extend-247-shop-opening-in-france Ikea has opened a new city-centre concept store in Paris - which the Swedish furniture giant hopes will be the first in a new direction for it stores around the globe. https://www.thelocal.fr/20190506/paris-gets-worlds-first-city-centre-ikea-store Mon, 06 May 2019 15:42:36 +0200 paris-gets-worlds-first-city-centre-ikea-store US online retailer Amazon and French food giant Casino said Tuesday they would roll out their partnership in rapid delivery of groceries to further French cities in the coming months. https://www.thelocal.fr/20190423/amazon-and-casino-to-roll-out-grocery-delivery-service-across-france Tue, 23 Apr 2019 12:20:17 +0200 amazon-and-casino-to-roll-out-grocery-delivery-service-across-france Six major French brands are joining forces to launch a sale similar to America's 'Black Friday' shopping bonanza...and shoppers in France don't have long to wait. https://www.thelocal.fr/20180419/france-to-launch-its-own-black-friday-and-its-happening-soon Thu, 19 Apr 2018 11:51:02 +0200 france-to-launch-its-own-black-friday-and-its-happening-soon Shoppers in Paris take note. Already hit by the economic crisis, and after a dismal spring season, French retailers have started this year’s summer sales early, offering drastic reductions to bargain hunters. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130624/stricken-french-retailers-start-summer-sales-early Mon, 24 Jun 2013 15:11:00 +0200 stricken-french-retailers-start-summer-sales-early The French government on Saturday confirmed that it is likely that horsemeat tainted with a potentially harmful drug is likely to have entered the food chain, adding to concerns over food safety across Europe. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130224/drug-tainted-horsemeat-in-the-food-chain-france Sun, 24 Feb 2013 09:24:00 +0100 drug-tainted-horsemeat-in-the-food-chain-france The Champs Elysées, a site high on the list of many Paris visitors, is being transformed as eye-watering rents drive out retailers like British multinational Virgin to make space for what is likely to be another foreign group looking to showcase their products to some 300,000 window shoppers per day. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130108/champs-elysees-transformed-as-rents-push-out-old-timers Tue, 08 Jan 2013 10:43:00 +0100 champs-elysees-transformed-as-rents-push-out-old-timers While others were celebrating the start of 2013, an elderly French woman spent New Year's Eve trapped in a supermarket after being locked inside, officials said. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130102/frenchwoman-spends-new-year-trapped-in-store Wed, 02 Jan 2013 15:23:33 +0100 frenchwoman-spends-new-year-trapped-in-store