One of the largest culture shocks of living in France is heading out to get lunch on Sunday afternoon and realizing everything is closed. In some ways, it is extremely inconvenient because people cannot buy groceries or go shopping for half of their weekend. However, people of France seem to have agreed on this cultural phenomenon. According to a 2016 faculty thesis at San José State University, there have been many legislative attempts to “liberalize the French shopping restrictions,” most notably the 2014 Macron Bill, but most were met with fierce opposition from a variety of groups. It is not just an economic phenomenon but a way of life. We were curious to find out what people in France do on Sundays to see how this social phenomenon affects their daily lives.

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We set out to interview people on the streets of Nantes, France and record their voices as well as ask them to create their own “Ferme le Dimanche” sign. Then, we created an augmented reality 3D model that will house their signs on a “closed shop” and will use the signs as buttons to play their recorded voices. Users of this AR experience will not only be able to see what other people in Nantes do on Sundays but hear it from the people directly. By hearing from these people on where they spend their time when forced and enabled to step away from work and consumerist culture, we can learn about what they value deeply in their lives.