Supermarkets in France

[menton1]

As tourists in France, we always have fun at the supermarkets. Their hypermarches are unbelievable. We thought we saw the best last year when we stumbled upon an Hyper U in Pertuis.

This year, we found a Carrefour on the outskirts on Nice that takes the cake. It had about 75 aisles, selling everything and anything. The workers are, unsurprisingly, on rollerblades. A beautiful place. If this is not enough, there are about 80 more stores in the complex as concessions, selling more things, food courts, etc. The French CD selection is good, french music is difficult to get in the US; it is also fascinating to look at the way their products are packaged, merchandised, and the different styles of items-- we got some wine bottle closers that pump the air out, we got some plastic "boules" that you put in the freezer, use them like ice in drinks except they do not dilute the drink!! Also some ice cube plastic bags that you fill up and use instead of ice trays.... Cheeses are fun, not as high quality as a cheese shop, and the saucisson selection is terrific. (Bring Tums)

The only weird thing about these mega-stores are the parking lots-- they do not build adequate parking lots for the size of the store and the traffic they bring. People are parked caddy-corner, every which way, it's a maze to find your way, and the cars there are a lot smaller than American cars!! Very odd!!

Does anyone else feel the way we do about shopping in supermarkets while on vacation? Any good Supermarket stories?

[mikeycook]

We always try to spend some time at the supermarket when in France. We just rented a house for a week near Avignon and went to a supermarket or outdoor market almost every day. We try to make our trips a combination of eating out and cooking in with local ingredients. My favorite of the large supermarket chains has been Intermarche, particularly those with bakeries up front.

[Bux]

Cheeses are fun, not as high quality as a cheese shop,

The only weird thing about these mega-stores are the parking lots-- they do not build adequate parking lots for the size of the store and the traffic they bring.  People are parked caddy-corner, every which way, it's a maze to find your way, and the cars there are a lot smaller than American cars!!  Very odd!!

I've been in hypermarches that can compete with the best cheese shops in NYC on the basis of quality, although not on range. They may not compete with the best cheese shops in France, but they can have excellent examples of raw milk artisanal local cheeses.

As for the Parking. They'd park that way no matter what. This is France.

[bloviatrix]

I love going into supermarkets where ever I travel. You come out with an amazing insight into how the natives eat, how products are packaged and the marketing that goes with it, as well seeing unusual products. It's particularly fun going into markets where you are completely ignorant of the language i.e. Prague, Budapest, etc.

I love the idea of workers on rollerblades. I doubt we'll ever see that in the states due to liability issues and workers' comp.

[TarteTatin]

That's so funny! That is the first thing my husband and I do every time we go to France. We cannot wait to go to the supermarkets and buy things to take back with us!

Last year in Beaune we saw all the touristy food items such as dijon mustards, cassis mustard, Cassis, etc. and went to the supermarket to purchase the same items at about half the cost!

We also buy all of our herb de provence in supermarket packages instead of touristy containers and its very inexpensive.

I love buying jams and crackers, etc. in supermarkets all throughout France. Even in Paris, we get our water and bisquits and sometimes wine at the supermarkets. But a trip is not the same without going to the local supermarkets, just to see what the locals eat!

The same for produce/meat neighborhood markets. You have to go on market day just to look at all the beautiful colors of the fruit and veg and all the cheeses and truffles and....gosh, I'm getting hungry!

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Of similar interest, and not to be missed by those crawling around Pays Basques, are the enormous trading posts just yards over the border in Spain. The one in Dancharia, some 10km southwest of Espelette, was recommended to us by a local wine merchant as well as the owner of our hotel. These giant emporiums sell everything from whole porc noir hams, cheeses, Spanish wines and liquours, nougat and safron, canned, packaged and dry goods, paella pans (from 8" to a meter wide) and the accompanying gas rings (which my husband wanted with all his soul, but couldn't think of a need for), clay cookware and table ware, and of course, tobacco. The aisles are full of French housewives buying "tax free" in Spain. Our Paris hotelman told us of the one his father uses, due south of St. Jean de Luz, up a winding mountain road at Col de Lizarrieta.

These "ventas" (pronounced bentas), the descendants of the "comptoirs de contrabande" or smugglers, are now completely tame and legal, but still a lot of fun.

[Louisa Chu]

menton, I love the supermarkets here too - I spend so much time in them that they start to follow me around suspiciously. The best is the snack food - Nutella has a new snack cup out - looks like a cup-o-noodles - but with Nutella and little cookie sticks for dipping.

[Schneier]

There isn't a trip to Fance where I don't visit the supermarkets and buy things to bring home. I buy snails, scallops, canned cassoulet, pickles, jams, and all sorts of other things.

Bruce