The little cross sign (red, green, gray) means "tabac" — France's licensed tobacconist. They sell stamps, lottery tickets, phone credit, newspapers, and more. Hours are tighter than supermarkets and full of unwritten rules.
The "tabac" is one of the most useful French institutions — and one most foreigners never use. Beyond tobacco, they're a Swiss-Army-knife shop: stamps, lottery, phone credit, newspapers, sometimes bread or coffee. Knowing when they close (often 12h30–14h30 for the coupure, sometimes all Sunday) saves you a wasted walk.
The cross colors are the visual cue: red = open, green = open, gray = closed. They rotate. A blinking red = "back in 10 min." Once you know the rhythm, the tabac becomes your default 24/7 mini-supermarket (sort of).
The specific information for your topic and location.
How this differs in Paris vs rural — opening hours, Sunday rules, what's sold.
Where to go when the tabac is closed — for stamps, phone credit, lottery tickets.
No — French law strictly enforces 18+. ID checked routinely. Some tabacs refuse to anyone who looks under 25 without ID.
The owner (gérant) takes a lunch break. Most do 12h30–14h30 or 13h–15h. Some small tabacs don't, but most do. Plan around it.
Yes — most tabacs sell "timbres" (stamps). For €1–€3 each. Or buy online at laposte.fr.