The paper's early years as a vehicle of radical left ideas proved financially untenable, and it was sold in 1930 to businessman Jean Prouvost, who immediately turned it into a populist evening newspaper, it's politics radically changing to a staunch conservative stance, although distinctly anti-fascist in comparison to other right-wing publications.

Prouvost also attempted to bring the French newspaper industry up to date by introducing elements that had long become popular in the United States and Britain, including crossword puzzles, comic strips and features for women.

In 1934 a building was specially built for it, by Fernand Leroy et Jacques Cury, at 37 rue du Louvre, today Le Figaro's headquarters.

[citation needed] When Paris was occupied by Nazi Germany in June 1940, Paris-soir was the only newspaper to have its printing press, which was new and considered the best in Europe, handed over to the Germans right away.

Meanwhile, the paper's owner, Jean Prouvost, moved the staff out of Paris and continued the publication of a separate version of Paris-soir in Vichy France: Clermont-Ferrand, Lyon and Marseille.