The French government is to propose this week that shops in France open more often on Sundays, in a bid to boost the sluggish economy, reports RFI.
Shops in France are currently subject to tight restrictions on opening hours.
Although many French towns hold a market on Sunday mornings and bakeries and other food shops frequently open on Sunday mornings, larger shops are rarely open on Sundays, except in the weeks before Christmas.
Certain designated tourist zones, such as the Marais district in Paris, have separate Sunday trading rules allowing them to open every Sunday.
Under the new proposals, to be unveiled on Wednesday for debate in parliament early next year, local authorities would be allowed to grant trading licences on 12 Sundays a year, compared to the current five Sundays annually.
In addition, local officials would be obliged to grant five trading Sundays a year whereas currently they can decide to grant none.
In tourist areas and certain busy stations, the laws would be relaxed still further.
Prime minister Manuel Valls said in a television interview on Sunday that Paris in particular was at risk of seeing visitors go elsewhere to spend unless retail laws were loosened.