France implements measures to revitalize city center commerce

French authorities are implementing new measures to combat rising commercial vacancy rates in city centers. Data indicates that vacant commercial spaces in urban centers rose from approximately 7% in 2014 to nearly 11.6% by the end of 2025, driven by the growth of e-commerce and large peripheral shopping centers.

To address this, a government plan consisting of nine measures is being deployed throughout 2026. These measures focus on three main pillars: financing revitalization efforts, supporting project leaders, and simplifying administrative procedures.

A key component of this initiative is the ‘Made in local’ pilot program launched by the Direction générale des Entreprises (DGE) in January 2026. This experimental scheme allows local artisans, producers, and merchants to test their business activities in vacant premises for a minimum of one month without paying rent or committing to long-term leases. The pilot phase aims to establish about ten trial businesses across selected volunteer municipalities.