Any one know if Paris museums are open on May 1 (or how I could find out)?

I'm particularly interested in the Louvre. The website says it is closed on "some holidays" but doesn't specify which.

If you check the French version of the Louvre web site, (I didnt check the English) http://www.louvre.fr/llv/pratique/ho...bmLocale=fr_FR it states clearly that the museum is closed on 1st May

No museums or monuments will be open on May 1st. The Eiffel Tower will be open, because it is not officially a monument, just a "curiosity".

As the monuments and museums will be closed, any suggestions on what to do that day (Monday, May 1st)? Will the open air flea markets be doing business that day? RER running I assume? Major stores like Printemps? Please give suggestions as I have a full day to fill and it's my last complete day/night in Paris! Thanks!

Hi M,

May Day is like Sunday, only more so.

Try www.onlineparisguide.com

The department stores and just about every other store will be closed. Many more cafés and restuarants will be closed than usual (because employees must be paid 200% on May 1st AND given an additional day off in compensation). Transportation runs on the normal "Sunday or holiday" schedule.
The flea market will probably be business as usual, however. May 1st is a good day just to walk around, or if it rains, go to the movies. If you have never been to a movie in France, most people find the experience very interesting. No problem finding films in English if that's what you need.

That is one of the biggest holidays in France in terms of closings -- because it is International Labor Day, I guess you know that. Kind of hard to make people work on a holiday supposedly devoted to workers' rights.

The Eiffel Tower is private, I believe, and that's why it can be open when it wants. I imagine some other tourist-oriented private activities will probably be open, such as the bateaux mouches. I'm sure you can probably hang on in cafes or bars, also, some should be open, and there will be some concerts.

Other than museums and large stores, I think things would be similar tootherwise, so you can do anything else. Like going for walks in gardens -- I'm sure small tourist-oriented shops will probably be open, like around the Seine. I imagine you can go into any church to view it (although I can't swear to that, if they have to have workers at the days to regulate that, such as in the larger tourist-interest churches like Notre Dame).

The metro runs every day of the year.

I think last year there may have been one or two museums that were open, which surprised me. The only way to know for sure is looking at individual web sites, although I think the City of Paris tourism website had a pretty comprehensive list of closings on that day last year. Maybe they'll have something closer to the date. www.parisinfo.com

May 1st is a Monday this year, and lots of things of all kinds are closed on Mondays, anyway (stores, markets, museums, etc.).

Actually The Eiffel Tower is owned by a private company which is owned in turn by the city of Paris. But it is "privately operated".
True, the bâteaux mouches will be running as normal on May 1st.

We were in Paris on May 1 a couple years ago - knowing that most of the major monuments/museums would be closed, we planned accordingly.

We visited the Eiffel Tower in the morning (VERY crowded, possibly because most everything else was closed), then did a Seine boat ride. Walked through the parks - lots of people out enjoying the day. Then we did an evening Segway tour, ending with a very late dinner.

We didn't really have any problems finding a cafe or restaurant open to eat. Most retail shops were closed.

We are running into the same problem, marmot, so we decided to head out of town and into the villages for two nights, with a day planned on May Day, back to the city on Tuesday.

Hi Fodorites! It's my first post I've spent 2 full nights reading and have learnt so much.

I also have the same problem - arriving in Paris with May Day as my first full day. I read about the parade in Place de la Bastille but was wondering if it's worth the while going, it doesn't sound like much. Would outdoorsy places like Champ de Elysees and the Arc Triomphe be okay to go or would I miss out on aspects of those places too on the day?

Thanks everyone for the information. (I love this forum!) Since the whole purpose of my brief Parisian visit was an intensive Louvre immersion I'm going to have to rethink my plans.

it's bad enough that so few of my restaurant choices are open on mondays but the two that are (le pamphlet and chez eux) are both closed on 5/1. will there be restaurants open?