Grocery Shopping With a French Twist

Entering

No matter how much you love patronizing the small shops and fresh fruit/vegetable vendors flanking the sidewalk, you still need to shop at a supermarket. Just don’t go bringing those street purchases in with you!


Our local Carrefour Market has lockers located in the front of the store for just that purpose. Security will often check your backpack and fasten zippers together with plastic ties. They will gladly snip them once you are ready to check out.

Grab a wheeled frame that holds two baskets, a wheeled basket or you can pay to rent a large shopping cart like the ones we use in the US. Perhaps the fee discourages widespread use of the bigger carts, because maneuvering them through some of the narrower aisles is difficult

         

You can also bring, as many Parisians do, a wheeled vinyl or cloth sack with a drawstring and snap at the top to hold your groceries as you shop.

Then after checkout, the sack 

compactly holds your items as
you wheel it home.

  

      

                                     

This cart has stair-climbing wheels. Great for apartments without elevators and managing the stairs of the Metro stations!

Familiar and New Offerings

It’s amazing how pictures, universally shaped containers for certain products, and a rudimentary knowledge of French can aid in grocery shopping! It is fairly easy to recognize or figure out the items you want. All toilet bowl cleaners have angled spouts, and thanks to Tide Pods, I found laundry pods that are similar. I know butter is called beurre, and when I didn’t see ‘sel’ (salt) in the ingredients, I knew the package I was holding was sweet butter. Yaourt brassé à la Grecque with a scene of white-washed buildings in the background speaks for itself. 

But, what is fromage blanc? (translated as white cheese) That one wasn’t so easy. A whole aisle is devoted to its many flavors and consistencies ranging from solid like cream cheese to thick like strained yogurt. Labels proclaim lots of calcium, vitamin D, and protein. I tried Calin made by Yoplait. It is fat free and delicious - very smooth, creamy and a bit tangy like yogurt (though they are made very differently).

Eggs and most milks are sold unrefridgerated (milk is UHT/still pasteurized but has a longer shelf life). The lait (milk) choices can be confusing. In this instance, labels aren't much help in deciphering what is what (all pictures show happy people out in the sunshine or happy cows!). There’s lait écrémé (skim milk), lait demi-écrémé, lait entire (whole milk), bio (organic), reduced lactose, milk from mountain-ranged cows… I took photos and used the translation app to figure out what each was!

Daddy sugar (sucre) is a major

sugar company whose mission is 

to add a little whimsy to French households! 

(The photo doesn't show all the stick figures dancing around on the other side!)

Expensive imports in the US are a bargain here. This large jar of Dijon mustard (over 13 oz.) is only .87 euros!

  

     

Fresh produce is varied and prices are given for kilograms. For loose produce, you are expected to bag and weigh your selections. You simply put your produce on the scale, find its corresponding picture, press it, and out comes a price sticker for the bag. (Knowledge of French not required!) Cashiers do not weigh produce at checkout. 

          

Lettuces are also sold pre-washed in resealable bags. Mâche, known as lamb's lettuce, is a hardy salad green that is quite popular and plentiful. It is mild, crisp, and pairs well with other greens. 

  

Beer, wine and alcohol are sold in the markets. The drinking age is 18 and the French are very strict about not selling it in the stores to those who are underage. Of course, sitting with an adult in a restaurant is a different story.

This market also has a huge assortment of cured salmon – common on almost every restaurant menu – often served as an entrée (appetizer course, main courses are called plat).

Carrefour is the second largest

retailer in the world offering a 

huge selection of private label 

products.

The box contains organic instant oatmeal. (I have yet to find steel cut oats.) The tea is Linden honey.  Very good. The bottle is EVOO.

Below are certified organic symbols used in France.

Pastel colored toilet paper is very popular in Paris. Pink, peach and yellow seem to be favored. Pink is even found in historic buildings and parks! 

Just like any market there are canned goods, health and beauty products, and cleaning supplies. 

They also stock 

other necessities and seasonal items. 

I have not seen coupons being exchanged, (Oops, saw one the other day! But, it appears couponing is not widespread.) Carrefour does have a loyalty program. After spending a certain amount, customers receive a voucher good towards future purchases.

A Change at Checkout

Be prepared for long lines during rush hour (5-8 pm) and be prepared with something to hold your groceries - bags are not offered and are not in full view. Cashiers keep some under the counter... you'll have to ask and pay for them.

   

The most striking difference at checkout is that cashiers sit to scan your items and are often shoulder to shoulder with each other. The scanner is in front of them, perpendicular to the counter. They do not need to stand because you are bagging your own purchases. 

Cashiers’ productivity while sitting vs standing  is explored in a recent study comparing US supercenters to French hypermarkets.* 

The conveyor belt on which to place your groceries is short, causing patrons with many items to pile them. After scanning, the space devoted to bagging is even shorter. Long lines are exacerbated by customers trying to bag items in a very crowded space and pay at the same time.

One more note of caution – bring lots of coins! Cashiers are fine with waiting (and holding up the line) for you to rummage through your purse or pockets for exact payment. They dislike giving back change!

Note - We’ve been to other grocery chains where the cashiers don’t necessarily sit all the time. Some weigh produce at checkout, some have free bags, others charge for bags. All expect you to bag your own, all charge to use the large shopping carts. Carefour does sell large, reusable bags with their logo. I was referring to small plastic bags that most US stores have available for free.

* find cashier study at: http://mitsloan.mit.edu/iwer/pdf/0809-tilly2.pdf

Gratitude

Gratitude

Are you a glass half-full or a glass half-empty type of person?

An exciting part of travel is experiencing different cultures, cuisines, and situations. Though intellectually you know that, do you still have a hard time coping when reality doesn’t meet expectations? Just how far out of your comfort zone can you function and still be just fine or even happy?

We chose Paris, a world class, gorgeous city, not Timbuktu. So what is the issue??

The Apartment

Upon arriving that first afternoon, we met the owners and the rep from the real estate website we used to find and secure the apt. They showed us around (how to use the gas range, regulate the gas water heater, how to bolt/open the door). We also talked about what furnishing were in the unit and which ones were not: 

• vacuum cleaner as advertised - no, but a Swiffer-type broom is in the kitchen
• washer-dryer combo unit - washer works, dryer does not
• clothesline in the bathroom - no, but a laundromat is down the street
• extra linens for bed - yes
• towels - only one bath and one hand; she thought Jim was coming alone. We'll get another set later that day.
• microwave - yes, oven - no, actually the microwave has an infrared element that works with the microwaves to crisp food as it cooks.
• knife for preparing meals - no
• pot and pan for stove top use - yes, but Teflon interiors are completely scratched.

Okay, we will deal with those.

After they left, we went to unpack and then realized…

There was only one overarching issue with the apartment. It was filthy!

Every door frame, wall and door panel, baseboard, window, appliance, bathroom fixture, switch plate, (even those beautiful Parisian crown moldings with half-inch ledges) was covered with dust or was dirty. Shag carpet, no vacuum – enough said. No wonder we were sneezing our heads off! (Why had we not noticed this before? The white shelving unit and glass table where we sat were clean, as was the kitchen counter.)

We emailed the owner of the website, made a quick trip to the nearest market for multi-surface cleaners and paper towels, and changed the sheets. The website owner promised to do everything he could to rectify the situation. 

Within a week and a half, there was a vast improvement! The next day, a man came to clean for a few hours. With just moist towels and a mop, he removed a good portion of the surface dirt. He was stunned at the extent of what was still needed. The owner brought us a new vacuum cleaner to keep. After three full days of cleaning, the apartment was livable! We went to IKEA to buy some necessities including a table and two chairs. We could now breath, cook, and had a place to eat and work.   

Ceiling medallions in the bedroom and living room as well as those beautiful crown moldings 

By now you are noticing that everything in the living room is monochromatic. The apt. was advertised as 'clean.' I think the word clean (as in cleanliness) got lost in translation - it may have been understood to mean clean lines, uncluttered, white! (We chose the white table to fit in with the owner's taste.)

We have adjusted to the quirks that come with an older unit. Overall, I think we are quite fortunate with this apartment. 

I am grateful that:

• The website was legitimate and responded to our concerns. (we used Parisexpats.com; scams galore on craigslist/Paris)
• The apartment owner tried to make amends as well.
• It feels roomier than 441 sq. ft. with a separate bedroom, living room, kitchen & bath.
• Four windows, two with courtyard and two with street exposures provide wonderful cross ventilation.
• The stove has four gas burners; the fridge is apt sized, not tiny.
• There is enough hot water to take a decent length shower; the water can get so hot that dishes dry within a few minutes.
• The clothes washer is reliable; the drying rack we bought is working out.
• The radiators (now clean) also serve as towel warmers and drying racks.
• Internet connection is great (Jim brought our network router from home) and there is a phone to call land lines in the US free of charge.
• The furnishings are mostly from IKEA, so the décor is contemporary and uncluttered.
• The queen bed has storage drawers underneath and the wardrobe is large with several shelves and sliding wire baskets.
• We bought a relatively inexpensive espresso machine, so my in-house barista is back on duty.
• The residents are quiet and the apt. building is well maintained. It is ‘L’ shaped and each side has its own staircase and elevator with only three apartments on each floor.

I thought I would mind having the washing

machine in the kitchen, but it is fine. 

The espresso machine is on the small shelf seen jutting out in the photo.

First 'dinner' before we were able to cook. Really, how terrible is wine, bread, and cheese?!

The Neighborhood

Paris is divided into 20 Arrondissements (districts or boroughs) which spiral out from the center of the city in numerical order. We are at the northeastern edge of the 17th next to the 18th, at Paris’ northern boundary. If you read a tourist guide describing each neighborhood, very little is written about this area of the 17th. It is a residential neighborhood that is very Parisian.  

Our apartment building is at the corner of two main streets, and though traffic noise filters up, it is a glimpse into a very lively, popular, and thriving section of Paris.

I am grateful that:

• The Porte de Saint-Ouen Metro stop is a few steps from our front door. Our ligne (line#13) travels north and south through the center of Paris and through major transfer points. Within 20-30 minutes we can get almost everywhere we want in Paris.
• Our neighborhood is solidly middle class and safe. All day and well into the evening until 10 p.m., people frequent the shops and dine outside.
• There is a mixture of cafés/brassieres, Asian, Greek and traditional French restaurants.
• Almost anything we need is literally down the street. Within five blocks, we have our pick of a half dozen (or more) boulangers/patisseries (bread and pastry shops), butchers, fishmongers, flower shops, fruit and vegetable vendors, cheese vendors, pharmacies, clothing and shoe stores, key shops, hair stylists, laundromats, dry cleaners, a home appliance store (think Sears), a smattering of doctors and dentists, and three large supermarkets.
• With such abundance, we have our favorite Boulanger for croissants in the morning, another for poulet (chicken) sandwiches we often take with us when we travel for the day, and a third where we buy baguettes for dinner on our way home.
• Many of the shopkeepers and restaurant staff speak English and quite a few menus have English descriptions. One Boulanger greets us in English. I think he likes having the chance to speak it and he is very patient with our attempt to reply in French.
• We have a charming neighborhood park where mothers bring their children during the day, people of all ages eat lunch, and whole families gather after work. It spans two blocks with a tree-shaded promenade along one side. With play areas for children on one end and grassy areas on the other, a lot of activity can take place, but you never feel cramped. A covered gazebo is in the middle with benches forming an outer ring. Hour-long concerts are planned throughout the summer. It is kept clean and there is no graffiti anywhere.

Flower bouquet selections change every couple of days. Potted flowers and herbs are now available too.

Lamb, rabbit, pork, sausage, beef (many unfamiliar cuts) and chicken (both whole and quartered) are sold. Every butcher has racks of rotisserie chickens cooking in front of their stores!

Today we ventured further into the 17th, to a twice-yearly outdoor organic market in the Batignolles neighborhood. We found another beautiful park, another lovely area catering more to the local population than to tourists.

Time Out For the Big Picture

One thing we have observed is that there is a politeness and a relaxed attitude towards life by the people we have encountered. They seem to be present, appreciating the moment. We too find ourselves calmer and “appreciating life with all its messy imperfect excellence.” 

I am grateful that Jim and I have each other, for our wonderful family and dear friends, good heath, and that we gave ourselves time to live here. Knowing we can return to a place, or visit others off the beaten path, we are able to slow down and savor what we are experiencing.

Certainly, there are more affluent neighborhoods in Paris and others that are closer to historic buildings and the “must see” sights. We wanted a living arrangement that was typically Parisian. I am grateful that our choice of apartments based on price, appointments and location really turned out to be wonderful. You can call it rationalization, cognitive dissidence, or just gratitude. I feel quite happy with the last one.

What are you grateful for?