Hidalgo has made it clear she is in favour of shops in Paris opening on more Sundays throughout the year despite having previously been a vocal critic against the idea. Hidalgo wants shops in Paris to be allowed to open for 12 Sundays each year, the equivalent of one a month, rather than seven she had initially envisaged. Hidalgo’s change of heart has been motivated by the fact that shops in Paris have suffered, like hotels and restaurants, from the terror attacks. She blasted Macron’s "fantasy of turning Paris into a city dedicated to consumerism" and "ignorance of the commercial fabric of Paris that pulls in tourists from around the world." “The international tourist zones have favoured the big stores and created competition for the smaller shops, mostly during peak season like the run-up to Christmas.

Source: The Local October 18, 2016 09:36 UTC