In France, no shopping on Sundays has been a rule since a 1906 law consecrated the day of rest although bakeries, butchers and other small shops are allowed to open until noontime.
Keeping retail businesses closed has helped cement the tradition of the Sunday family meal that many in France still hold dear.
But there has been a clamour for change over the past two decades, with recent polls showing a majority of the French believe shops should have the freedom to open on Sundays.
So what does the French government do?
Starting on Tuesday, the National Assembly will open debate on a new bill, the latest in a string of texts that have been steadfastly opposed by the church, unions, conservatives in Sarkozy's right-wing party and the left.
This latest version will allow shops in designated tourist areas and special commercial zones to open on Sunday and states that employees can work on that day on a voluntary basis -- a provision brought in to address union concerns.
They're not even considering what the French people want, which is to allow businesses to decide for themselves. So much for liberty, fraternity, equality. Some French shops are obviously more equal than others.
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