The Art of French Grocery Shopping
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Going grocery shopping back in Ohio usually entailed a massive shopping cart, a long list, and half the day. When I was general manager of a restaurant, I used Kroger’s Click and Collect and would do my shopping from my cell phone and then drive to pick up my groceries. The convenience was that the Kroger was located right behind my restaurant.
Since moving to France and Paris specifically, I’ve had to rethink how I went about grocery shopping. I do not have a car, nor did I have the fridge space at the time to support my grocery habits from previous lives. I’ve embraced the almost ritualistic stop at the grocery store on the way home from work and the early Sunday morning market run.
The French way of life, in this aspect is to not overindulge, buy what you know you will consume and buy fresh. Also size has a major factor to do with it since some places in Paris your lucky to have a dorm-sized fridge.
If you’ve been here a while, you know I moved to Paris to join my husband in March of 2020. 10 days after moving here the world shut down from COVID. At that time, we were only allowed outside for very specific reasons. Grocery shopping being one of them.
When I came to live with Thomas for 3 months in 2019, I’d go grocery shopping for a few meals, nothing too extravagant, mainly his fridge was the size of a college dorm fridge back in the day. The freezer part could barely fit 2 ice cube trays, you can imagine the rest. Space really wasn’t a luxury.
At the time, we were living in a tiny studio apartment at Châtelet. I’d go grocery shopping at either the Monoprix or the G20. Since the Monoprix was closer I decided to go there. I had decided I wanted to go out once a week for groceries and I was going to make a meal plan. Well let me tell you, I became a whiz at playing Fridge Tetris and making a menu that would serve at least 12 meals that used the least amount of ingredients. Since I had practically just landed in Paris, I hadn’t started looking for a job yet, so I had time on my hands to play housewife and let’s face it, we were in lockdown for 3 months. I had nothing better to do.
The French like things fresh and simple. You’ll see specialty shops , such as the boucher, poissonnier, fromagerie, cave au vin, primer, boulangerie, pâtisserie, etc. Each carries its unique raison d’être. Then you’ve got the open-air markets that are sprinkled generously throughout the city. We had the market at Saint Eustache on Sunday mornings. There, we found our butcher, vegetables guy, cheese guy, the only thing that was missing was the wine guy (but we eventually had the Salon d’agriculture for that).
5 Things to Expect when Grocery Shopping in France
1. Markets Are a Weekly Ritual, Not a Novelty
Outdoor markets are a fundamental staple and not just an option for doing your grocery shopping. Typically, any day in Paris, you’ll find a market bustling somewhere on the streets of Paris. At the market, you’ll find un boucher (a butcher), un fromager (a cheesemonger), un poissonnier (a fishmonger), un primeur (the produce guy), un fleurist (a florist). You will also find small stands that offer meal options (the coucous or the accras de morue are always worth it) and other specialty options. You can find almost everything at your local marché.
2. You Bag Your Own Groceries (and Bring Your Own Bags)
One thing you will soon realize is that the reusable grocery bag will become your best friend or your next obsession. Please do not ask me how many reusable grocery bags I own. It’s slightly embarrassing. This is a staple that is always in my purse. You never know when you will need to make a stop at your local Monoprix to grab whatever you realized you need on the way home.
All that to say, when it comes time to check out at the grocery store, one thing you will notice is that you need to bag your own groceries as well as provide your own bags. You can, of course, buy paper or plastic bags when you are checking out. You will need to let the cashier know before the end of your transaction.
3. Freshness and Seasonality Rule
One thing that you will notice is that the fruits and vegetable section rotates quite often and you’ll see that they follow the seasons. Yes, of course you’ll have tomatoes all year round, but when they’re in season, they are in! The selection of tomatoes will go from one or two varities to over a dozen. Fruit is, in particular, very seasonal. You will find some of the staples all year long, but they may come from a farther away place.
4. Some Items Are Stored Differently (Like Eggs and Milk)
Do not be alarmed when you stumble upon the milk or the eggs not where you think you would find them. So why the heck are the eggs out in the wild on a shelf? In Europe, eggs are not washed after they are laid which means they stil have their protective layer. Whereas in the States, they are washed for health purposes. Hence why they are refrigerated.
Milk? I’ve got three letters for you, U.H.P. ultra-high pasteurized, meaning the milk is shelf stable until opened. Do no flip when you see almost the entire milk selection sitting next to the bottled water or soda. This is normal. And you know what the best thing is? This also goes for bottled beverages as well, you do not have to buy the whole pack. If you just need one or two, it is okay to rip open the plastic packaging and take what you need. This is normal.
5. Grocery Stores Close Early—and Often on Sundays
To find something open past 7 or 8 PM at night is typically unheard of. Find something that’s 24/7? Practically impossible. Google for the most part is pretty reliable, but sometimes, be prepared for a surprise. Most large chain grocery stores will be open 7 days a week, but when you’re shopping specialty stores, that’s when the hours of operation may differ. It’s always best when shopping, to plan accordingly and this includes making sure that the store you plan on going to is open.
French Grocery Store Etiquette
There are a few subtle differences to note when grocery shopping in France. Nothing major, just a few things that may take you by surprise (or not).
Reusable grocery bags are kind of essential here in France. If you do not have your own grocery bags, you can buy them at the check out, they’ll be available right before you enter the cash register or around the cash register. You’ll need to hand them to the cashier so you can start bagging your groceries right away. You could also buy plastic or paper bags if you choose so.
Cashiers don’t do small talk so don’t expect any sort of conversation while scanning your items. Depending on how much you have, you’ll want to start bagging your own groceries.
You need to weigh your own fruits and vegetables before you get to the cash register. You can tell by the sign of the item. If it indicates by the KG, you need to weigh it. If it says “pc” it is sold by the piece and does not need weighed. If you have any doubt, just ask. Although, cash registers are equipped with scales so they can weigh them if necessary (i.e. the scales are not available in the store).
Grocery caddies are not just for old ladies, they are a reliable means of stockage and transportation. If you do not plan on buying groceries on a more frequent basis, I highly recommend investing in a quality caddy. Rolser is an excellent brand and you will not be disappointed. If you live in a building where there is no elevator, like mine, you’ll want a caddy that has the 6-wheel system that allows it to be pulled up the steps.
Alcohol sales are not allowed after 1 PM on Sundays. If your local supermarket has a beer and wine section, you’ll notice that it sectioned off. Some are a bit more sophisticated than others with a special barrier that pulls across the aisle entrance. Some use caution tape. To each their own.
If you want an individual item that typically belongs in a pack, you are not obligated to buy the whole pack. Milk, water, soda, yogurt are your most traditional choices. It is absolutely normal to break the pack open to take an item out.
Navigating the French Marché
Outdoor markets are a fundamental staple and not just an option for doing your grocery shopping. Typically, any day in Paris, you’ll stumble upon a market somewhere. The hours are typically early morning to mid-afternoon. You can find your nearest marché in Paris on the Ville de Paris website.
Having cash on hand is always an excellent idea. Most vendors will have a credit card machine, but you never know. I always recommend keeping smaller bills and coins on hand because you never know when you’ll need it. Keep in mind that each transaction made on the vendor’s credit card machine, they are charged a percentage. So, if you have a smaller amount due, I’d pay in cash if you can.
Reusable grocery bags. And bonus points if you have reusable vegetable storage bags. These are just common sense. If you are at the vegetable stand, you can hand your bag over to the vendor and they’ll fill your bag as you go with the items you order. It’ll make your life a lot easier. This is also a perfect opportunity if you have a caddy!
Ask questions. If you’ve got specific dishes you’re planning on making or you see something you’ve never handled before and you’d like to try, ask. The vendors know their products the best and will be able to guide you through everything. I love asking questions in particular to the fromager (cheese monger) as I’m always looking for new cheeses to discover. And sometimes, depending on the vendor, you may even be offered sample (or two or three).
Even though the items are on display, let the vendor take pick them. They’ll ask you when you’re consuming and choose the appropriate freshness for you. If you have specific items in mind that you would like, pointing to indicate which ones is acceptable. Unless the vendor gives you the go-ahead, no touchy.
Seasonality is the main attraction. Here, especially with fruits and vegetables, you see the selection change. If you are looking for specific items and do not see them, you can ask if they’ll be available and when. Not everything will be available. To check the seasonality of fruits and vegetable, Manger Bouger has an excellent monthly calendar to help you stay on the up and up.
Know where your produce is coming from, not all stands are created equal. Resellers vs. producteurs. It may not be noticeable to the untrained eye, but not every produce stand is a local grower. Some markets will have several resellers, these are easy to spot. Their produce is pristine, clean, and well maintained. They most likely bought their food from the wholesale distributor, Rungis. Here you need to be a professional in order to enter and buy things, think of it as Costco for professionals. Producteurs, primeurs, marachîers, are all terms for local farmer/producers. Their produce will look as if it was just pulled from the ground or snipped from the vine (because it most likely was). Both of these vendors are perfectly fine to buy from, it is all a personal preference. I tend to buy my fruits that aren’t available to my favorite farmer stand from a reseller stand.
The earlier you go, the best choice you’ll have. The later you go, you’ll most likely get the best deals. Our Sunday morning market opens at 8 am and we try to get there around 9:30 AM to beat the crowds and have more of a selection. We arrived once around 10:30 AM and it was la follie! Arriving earlier allowed us to take our time, chat with the vendors, and enjoy what the market has to offer. There are some markets that if you choose to go closer to closing time, you’ll be able to score deals as some vendors are trying to get rid of as much as they can without having to bring it back.
And don’t forget to greet the vendors with a hearty Bonjour! This starts off every interaction on the right foot. If you include a smile, that will get you even farther.
Grocery shopping does not need to be intimidating, it is a simple act of every day life. If you need to, just observe what other people are doing and when in doubt ask questions.
Do you have a favorite market you enjoy shopping at? Let me know in the comments below! My favorite is the marché at St Eustache in Châtelet on Sunday mornings.
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