In 2014, city centre retail hubs contained a third of the shops and a quarter of retail trade payroll employment in urban areas of more than 20,000 inhabitants, although only 7% of the population of these areas lives in these hubs. These urban centres are defined as a large and continuous concentration of shops within a limited space. In the last ten years, employment in city centre shops has remained stable overall, despite some wide disparities between urban areas. On average, it has increased in the large regional metropolitan areas, but decreased in the smaller urban areas, especially those of average size.

Although activity has tended to move towards the periphery, city centres still retain their prominent place in retail sales of personal equipment (clothing, footwear, jewellery, leather goods, perfumes) and travel agencies. Finally, tourism, interest in heritage and proximity to the coast all contribute to the dynamism of city centre retail trade.