Shop and door signs
What you'll be able to do
- Poussez (push) ≠ tirez (pull). P=push is the easy mnemonic.
- Soldes = official sales (twice a year in France); promo = anytime promotional offer.
- Congés annuels in August is normal for small French shops.
Common signs on shop doors and windows are short, repetitive, and decode-by-sight once you know them:
• Ouvert / Fermé — Open / Closed.
• Poussez / Tirez — Push / Pull. (Easy mnemonic: Poussez has a P like Push.)
• Entrée / Sortie — Entrance / Exit.
• Sortie de secours — Emergency exit.
• Soldes — Sales / discounts (a regulated French institution; full sales twice a year).
• Promotion / Promo — Promotional offer.
• Caisse — Cash register / checkout.
• Fermeture exceptionnelle — Closed today (unscheduled).
• Congés annuels — Annual holidays (typical in France in August — many small shops close for two weeks).
• En vacances — On vacation.
• Réservé aux clients — Customers only (often on toilettes / parking).
• Service compris — Service included (on restaurant bills and menus — confirms no tip required).
• Interdit de fumer / Défense de fumer — No smoking.
Key points
- Poussez (push) ≠ tirez (pull). P=push is the easy mnemonic.
- Soldes = official sales (twice a year in France); promo = anytime promotional offer.
- Congés annuels in August is normal for small French shops.
- Interdit / défense de... = forbidden / no...
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