Working on sunday made more easy in France, thank you the socialist !

[NadaTeTurbe]

Well, it's done. Why relax on sunday, why enjoying time with your family, why visiting a church or a natural site (if you're a tourist), (and why protecting our christian heritage) when you could be buying things ? Now, if you're part of a "commercial zone", or an "international touristic zone" (my city is one. Tell me, non french people, do you know Toulouse ? Do you think it is an "international" touristic zone ? Of course no), you can open on sunday. I used to enjoy walking in my asleep city on sunday, after mass, but it's not possible anymore. And of course, british newspapers are all happy about it, because the more we submit to our capitalist society, the better, right ? 

I'm so so so so tired of this socialist government, I can't pray for us anymore. I mean, I can tell "protect François Hollande and give him wisdom" but I'm losing hope. 

[AccountDeleted]

I understand this a little. When I first came to Australia, shops were closed from 12noon on Saturday until Monday morning. Shopping during the week was 9am-5pm only. The big shopping day for working people was Saturday morning, a big rush to get everything done before the shops closed. The rest of the weekend was for cleaning house, laundry (mainly Saturday afternoon), rest and relaxation, church, BBQs and family and friends on Sunday.

Sometime over the years, shopping hours were extended slowly. First came Friday late night shopping (some cities made this on a Thursday) and the shops were open til 9pm or 10pm. Then Saturdays were extended to 5pm, and finally Sundays were ok to be open (not all shops take advantage of this and some are open half day). The whole shopping experience has changed here, and although it has become more convenient for those who work full-time, it has also changed the pace of life and focus of the weekends, especially Sunday. I kind of have mixed feelings about it all -good in some ways, bad in others.

I'm sorry you aren't able to walk through a sleepy city on Sunday anymore though. 

[Benedictus]

Well, it's done. Why relax on sunday, why enjoying time with your family, why visiting a church or a natural site (if you're a tourist), (and why protecting our christian heritage) when you could be buying things ? Now, if you're part of a "commercial zone", or an "international touristic zone" (my city is one. Tell me, non french people, do you know Toulouse ? Do you think it is an "international" touristic zone ? Of course no), you can open on sunday. I used to enjoy walking in my asleep city on sunday, after mass, but it's not possible anymore. And of course, british newspapers are all happy about it, because the more we submit to our capitalist society, the better, right ? 

I'm so so so so tired of this socialist government, I can't pray for us anymore. I mean, I can tell "protect François Hollande and give him wisdom" but I'm losing hope. 

I suspect the British newspapers are also happy about this because they want more relaxation in the UK too. The Conservative government has speculated it will relax trading rules for the sake of business and changing consumer demand. There's the current fudge of small shops being allowed to open fairly freely but large stores being restricted on Sunday and holidays. These issues have been bubbling around for a while, since at least the 80's when Thatcher tried to relax the laws. Now it's back on the table again. When my dad first visited the UK he thought it was weird that the laws were so strict when hardly anyone went to church on a Sunday. Now all the parties want the rules relaxed more, maybe for different reasons, but with the same end.

[NadaTeTurbe]

(it's I can't pray for them, not I can't pray for us, sorry. Also, I think the right word is "easier" and not "more easy". Sorry again !) 

The thing is, the explanation given for this are the essence of cow. One of their biggest argument is "to make it easier for tourist". We are the first tourist destination in the world, it's not going to change anything. I do occasional work for a tourist company in my city, and when tourist discover that the shops are closed on sunday, they laugh/say "you really never work, right ?" or ask if there's a mountain to see somewhere, they don't say "we're never going back".

Also, it remembers me something I'm very ashamed of. I was maybe 12 or 13, and my family was not earning a lot of money. I was in a middle school with a lot of upper-class people, and was very frustrated with the fact that I could not do anything with my friends because of the lack of money. One day, I heard my dad explaining to my brothers that he could work on sunday (he's a nurse), but he did not do it because he wanted to spend time with us. during weeks after that, I harassed him to work on sunday because I wanted money. I literally harassed him because he wanted to spend time with me. urg. I'm so ashamed of this, my father is really an angle of patience. 

[Maggyie]

Interesting to read this from an American perspective as it's rare to find a major retail business closed on Sunday. We have our own version of this though as more and more businesses open on Thanksgiving Day which used to be a sacred holiday for being with family. :(

[Anomaly]

I'm in the UK for a couple of weeks right now with my family.   It's amazing to me, coming from 24 hr WalMarts, 24 hr convenience stores , and 24 hr MacDonalds in suburban South to see the Mall hours 11 - 6 in UK urban center.   Just left a pub in the country, hrs are 11-3 close, then 6-11.  

[veritasluxmea]

The government in France really dictates when stores are open or closed? Meh. I can see why the pressure to work on Sundays would upsetting to people who want Sundays off, but I wouldn't blame the government for it. Is requesting Sundays off not an option for people's jobs? That would be problematic. 

Actually I'm glad the government is open to letting stores set the hours they want. In diverse places like NYC Jewish and Muslim businesses can observe their own days off (Friday and Saturday) and Christians can close on Sundays. Stores can set the hours they want. Whatever floats your boat. I'm a little surprised it's a controversial issue.