Paris Scraps 225-Year-Old Bakery Closure Law

The mayor of Paris announced the abolition of a 1790 ordinance that forced bakers to notify city hall before closing for any period. The measure, originally intended to prevent the kind of bread shortages that helped spark the 1789 French Revolution, had required staggered summer vacations so that at least one bakery remained open in every neighborhood each July and August.

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The 1790 law emerged from fears after the 1775 grain crisis, when for the poor, according to historian and Paris tour guide Stephanie Paul “We have to understand that for the poor people in the 18th century, bread was their main staple of food,” — Stephanie Paul, a historian and Paris tour guide. Legislators sought to guarantee a steady supply of baguettes, a cultural staple that still defines Parisian daily life.

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With the legal requirement removed, bakers are no longer obligated to coordinate schedules. Observers noted that all four boulangeries on a single street displayed handwritten signs promising to “reopen August 31st,” though one sign clarified the closure was only for the evening.

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Corinne Mellul, a Parisian resident, described the city’s August streets as “totally empty” outside tourist zones “Outside the tourist spots, it's totally empty.” — Sponsor Message Mellul. She warned that the lack of open bakeries forces remaining residents to walk farther for basic items, adding that “even though I know that’s not a sexy item” “Even though I know that's not a sexy item.” — Parisian Corinne Mellul the scarcity of cigarettes—sold only at licensed tobacconists that also close—poses a real inconvenience. The head of the French bakers’ union downplayed the threat of a baguette shortage, arguing the greater risk is a drop in summer customer traffic.

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• “We have to understand that for the poor people in the 18th century, bread was their main staple of food,” — Stephanie Paul, historian and Paris tour guide “We have to understand that for the poor people in the 18th century, bread was their main staple of food,” — Stephanie Paul, a historian and Paris tour guide

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• “What you see here, this whole street, that's Paris in August,” — Corinne Mellul, Parisian resident “What you see here, this whole street, that's Paris in August,” — Parisian Corinne Mellul

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• “Outside the tourist spots, it's totally empty.” — Corinne Mellul “Outside the tourist spots, it's totally empty.” — Sponsor Message Mellul

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• “Even though I know that's not a sexy item.” — Corinne Mellul “Even though I know that's not a sexy item.” — Parisian Corinne Mellul

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• “You see, it's rare enough that they put up a sign,” — Corinne Mellul “You see, it's rare enough that they put up a sign,” — Parisian Corinne Mellul

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