FRENCH GROCERY STORE DIFFERENCES TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO!
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- Опубліковано 26 чер 2024
- I’ve always liked going grocery shopping and even after 10 years in France, I still get excited to go to the French grocery store. I always find new (or new to me) products to try and it never gets old. But there was a bit of a learning curve when I first arrived in France. French and American grocery stores look similar enough, but they aren’t the same. Whether you’re just curious or want to be more prepared for your trip, this video is for you. I discuss some little differences to be aware of between French grocery stores and those in the U.S.
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Salut! I'm Diane, an American who has lived in France since 2012 and the creator of the blog/UA-cam channel Oui In France. My channel's focus is "Everyday French life and beyond." I make videos on French culture topics, France vs. US culture comparisons, food, travel, language, and give you my thoughts about what it's like living in France as an American in the Loire Valley. Thanks for being here and if you enjoy this sort of thing, please share with friends and subscribe!
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"Caddie" est particulièrement utilisé pour désigner les chariots en métal fournis dans les supermarchés, il existe d'autre mot en français pour ceux en tissus montés sur deux roulettes, tel que "cabas" (sac de course, également utilisé quand il y a des roues dessous) ou "chariot", avec des variantes comme "chariot de courses" ou "chariot à roulettes" (vieilli).
@@AlkoLoiK stop acting like a gay man bro
I sample an ordinary supermarket in Brittany and was staggered at the variety of good food being sold. The fish counter was incredible, the cheese counter was amazing, the breads and pastries were unparalleled. The wines were kept in a cooling room, but part of the market, and the choice there was nothing like the choice back home. The mustards, the soups, the oils and sauces, all of it was mouthwatering and my wife had to hold me back from buying one or more of everything! My own ordinary supermarket was by comparison impoverished. I am embarrassed and shamed when I return to my home town’s supermarket, seriously. I’m not talking about an American supermarket here, but a British one! Why oh why can’t we do it properly!?
Me and my family spend 20 years in expat in North America and when we came back in France it was like paradise again! Much much cheaper prices, organic options everywhere that, non GMO etc. Was very pleased!
I will add few things:
1. They don't have public bathrooms, they will not allow you to use the bathroom.
2: Most of the time, you need to weigh your produce and get sticker before you get to the cash register.
3. Most stores and other places don't take American Express (yes, you can leave home without it).
4. Fruits and vegetables have "place of origin" clearly stated (from Spain, France, morrocco, etc).
5. You can buy heavy alcohocol, like Whiskey, Vodka etc.
6. You can explain your illness to a Pharmacist and he/she can actually recommend you a medicine that does not require a prescription, unlike in the US.
7. The best thing is: Everything tastes much better and much cheaper than the US.
My local Intermarche and Carrefour both have toilets, Carrefour is clean (I will say no more!)
Les magasins leclerc ont des toilettes, pour trouver une réelle propreté c'est en Suisse !
About the eggs, it's not just a difference of processing, it's just that we don't process our eggs at all x) that's why you can sometimes find feathers or mud stuck on it. The shell is naturally protected, and we never EVER wash it.
By cleaning the shells as in the US, you're removing that natural protection and that's why in those countries, eggs need to stay refrigerated.
As for the diseases, our chicken are vaccinated, so the eggs need nothing (I heard that US chickens aren't, but idk if it's true).
There are reasons why washing is superior, and reasons why not washing is superior. Obviously, I think all Americans (well, certain nutjobs aside) wish our chickens were vaccinated against salmonella
Yes ! It is more natural and it is actually not a good idea to refrigerate eggs because it makes the shell more porous to bacteria. So in the end they last longer on the shelf :)
Eggs in France are processed, just not washed with water. The brushing eliminates 99% of any nasties
I haven't seen crap or feathers on eggs, even in organic stores, in over 20 years.
@@quiggleyscripple This excessive hygienism, mainly coming from the USA, does more harm than good to the immune defenses of the human body.
Scientific studies following city families and rural families have proven to be in contact with farm animals (or others) strengthens the immune defenses.
And children living in the countryside tend to have fewer disabling allergies and fragility than children living in the city.
I know that it is not necessary to do generality since in the countryside, there are phytosanitary products, but it has been a long time since I drink tap water, it is bottled, unfortunately.
@@quiggleyscripple I have two hens and a small colony of field rats that come to feed on the grain of the hens.
So I know what I'm talking about.
You should know that the rats of the fields are much cleaner than those of the cities since they do not live in the excrement of human sewers.
It is certain that a dirty rat, it is immediately less cute than a living rat in a burrow.
Field rat = rat des champs (in French)
Bonjour. C'est toujours intéressant de voire la différence entre pays. Je suis français et ça nous permet aussi d'en apprendre plus sur les Etats Unis. Merci beaucoup.
*voir
The first time I went to Europe, I bought grocery bags as inexpensive souvenirs. I even have one from "my" store, La Vie Claire.
I have several bags (I bought as souvenirs) from my trips to Bon Marche in Paris that I use at home for my groceries.
Yesss, I love the Monoprix ones
yes me too.nice grocery bags as collection
Lol this is interesting.
My grocery bag belonged to my mother. I think it may be 50 years old, and no sign of ageing.
Just got back from my third vacation to France, this time in Lyon. On this trip, I learned that you have to scan your receipt to get beyond the gates at the self check out area. I also learned that you can’t just walk anywhere in the store and that there are gates to prevent you from going the wrong way. I’m sorry, Lidl employees and customers, for setting the alarm off. I was so embarrassed I left without buying anything and didn’t go back.
No worries 😉.
Ah ah, it happens to me too !
The ticket scanning to get out is fairly new, I guess they had theft issues with the self-checkouts. I initially saw it in Lidl, but now even the more upscale Monoprix has it too
Hahaha! you poor thing. I'm glad you told me bc that would have happened to me. I'm like Mr. Bean when I shop.
it depends where you go, I had this receipt scan thing on some of the supermarket I shop to maybe 1 or 2 years ago, but it has gone out of fashion since then. I guess it ultimately depends if there is enough security personnel to catch thieves ?
In France you used to get free bags at the supermarket until this was outlawed on grounds of environment protection. Also, little wheeled caddies used to be for older people too until the removal of the free bags a few years ago
Was just in Boulogne-Billancourt, so much truth here! Fortunately, here in the U.S. we're getting used to bagging for ourselves as we finally get used to bringing our own bags. The opening of the packs to get individual bottles of water, etc. is still strange, but once you "get it" becomes quite liberating. As an American, the non-refrigerated milk and eggs are fantastic! Since we had to get covid tests before returning, we got to enjoy how good the pharmacies in France are -- which was polite, professional, and easy to deal with. We *did* not know the milk cap colors, so I think we got lucky with our milk purchases. The biggest problem was figuring out how large of a milk we should buy! BTW, the local groceries and pharmacies were less than 3 blocks away, well stocked, helpful and polite, and wonderful!
The opening of the packs to get individual bottles is due to a French law that forbids stores from selling 6 packs of bottles or equivalent not the same 1 liter bottles and that also forbid them from making rebates to buyers that buys 6 bottles vs. buyers that buys only one. A shop that would prevent customers from opening packs and taking only one bottle would break that law. This law doesn't apply to yogurts or similar products ("article L. 122-1 du code de la consommation".....).
Not everywhere, it s forbiden now to take only one bottle..it dépends supermarket and drinks too
@@BR-fx8uyJamais vu ça en France ?
As a french, I really thought that adults where casually breaking the rules by grapping 1 bottle of water out of the six pack package. But as I grew up, I quickly learned that it was normal in our culture. This to say that it can be confusing at first even for french people xD But yeah, it's totally normal.
Hello!
Yeah, it's not forbidden.
you can even drink it before buying the bottle
@@pikminologueraisin2139not true
@@pikminologueraisin2139no, you're not allowed to do that
Moi aussi, j'ai pensé pendant longtemps que ceux qui ouvraient des packs pour ne prendre qu'un article n'avaient pas le droit de faire ça 😅
Eggs in France have a thicker shell (even the color is different than USA) and just as in nature you find eggs that are safe from bacteria, it has been studied both laboratory and over public incidents involving eggs. Hence it's been years the normes edict to NEVER EVER WASH EGGS because that break the protective surface barrier, resulting both in a shortened date and more salmonella entering the egg.
Also know that once you egg got moistered or so in any way (for instance : water condensating on it in your fridge, or just spilling water over it) then you MUST cook that egg as soon as possible, because the barrier is "hydrosensible". That should remind you those eggs in USA that are washed, completely removing the protective mucus on it, and "opening" (rendant davantage poreuse) the shell for troublesome bacteria invasions.
I LOVE going to the grocery store in France (or any European country). I always find something and think "I wish we had this in the US". I generally shop in stores in city centers. Based on my experience, they don't have extensive bakeries, butchers, or vegetable selection. There is no need since those specialty stores are generally near by.
BTW, some of products are the same as what you find in the US but some are much better. I've bought what the French consider generic cookies, crackers, and candies and then serve them during my annual Christmas party and the folks rave about them (pre-Covid). I am always embarrassed to admit that the entire box of cookies was only $3.
One thing my spouse and I experienced in French grocery stores - I am not sure how widespread this is, our experience was outside of large cities, but at what I think is a nationwide chain, Super U. There weren't scales at the checkout. We were going on a hike and wanted some fresh fruit, typically sold be weight. When we got to the checkout, the cashier looked oddly at our produce and then decided she needed take it all, go back to the produce section to weigh all of our stuff. We didn't know that we were supposed to have done that. Whoops! We felt badly, apologized, but now we know! This was in the Normandy region near Bayeux, FWIW. Great channel, love your work, hope to be back in France soon!
Yes, some stores have scales in the produce section where the customer is expected to weigh their own produce and print the sticker. That way the cashier just has to scan the bag at the register. But other stores aren't like this and the cashier will do it.
It can be majorly embarrassing at busy times when you realize the particular store you're in requires you to do it yourself and you show up at the register without weighing things first. It's happened to me at Super U (the store I regularly go to is the opposite so I wasn't in the habit of weighing and ticketing things myself). Usually it's the customer who has to hold up the line and run back to weigh and tag it. You got lucky the cashier did it for you!
Glad you enjoy my content. Thank you!
It is actually very widespread, common.
With some exceptions of course, only small shops don't have self weighting machines (because those machines would take some extra space ?)
Yes, she mentioned that in a video maybe last year. Saved me that embarrassment once in Auxerre!
Depends on the store, I am French and sometimes I ask someone from the sti3if I must do it. So being French and a man, so if I need to ask no one should be ashamed to make an er3🤣
Great love from Bayeux! hope you'll be back soon.
I have a vague memory of pink or green toilet paper back in the early ’80s. It used to be a thing in the US (and some searching online shows it was fairly common in the ’50s and ’60s) but it disappeared sometime in the ’80s. I only ever remember seeing it in the supermarket or in old people's homes. I remember the first time I was in a Carrefour or Monoprix and saw the colored toilet paper I was instantly flooded with memories of green toilet paper at my paternal grandparents' house. I'd long forgotten it until I got that visual reminder.
Colored toilet paper became since a few years very fashionnable(!!) you can find dark purple one, red, fluo punk,… the price is about 3 times classic ones.
in France the pink one is the most classic
What is funny is that almost everything that you said from the bags to the shorter hours, to the shopping trolley, is how it used to be in America pre 1970s. I remember going to the store with my grandma and her having the trolley. I am sure that anyone over the age of 50 remembers this.
Yes. I came here to say the same thing. Many of the differences cited in this video were SOP in the US. Around the time I first arrived in France (in 1969) to be an au pair, the US had gotten away from deposits on beverage containers, but the French still required a deposit. A few years later, the US (starting with my current home state, Oregon) began instituting deposits and the French dropped the deposits.
Colorful and/or scented TP used to be pretty standard in the US. At the same time, in France, I saw all sorts of unfamiliar TP. Often it came in stacks of little squares and was about as absorbent as wax paper. Some rolls were like crepe paper.
Supermarkets in France have become much bigger and similar to those in the US, but there are still enough differences to make life interesting for visitors.
Might have been what part of the country. They were bagging groceries in thick(er than now) paper bags back in the 60s in NM & Tx. Can’t say about the rest of the country. They closed early and they didn’t really have a pharmacy or cosmetics aisle. You could get baby shampoo and baby oil but not much else. I can’t even say if they carried aspirin.
So interesting! France must feel like you've gone back in time in some ways!
Yes! I forgot all about the colorful, scented toilet paper that we used to have in the 70s. I can still remember the scent of Charmin. My grandma used to get TP with little flowers printed on it that matched her bathroom.
A long time ago we had free bags at the supermarket. It is now forbidden, You have to buy or bring your reusable bags or baskets or what you want… this is the same in most of the European countries and the goal is to reduced the use of plastic. About trolley I never saw anybody with a trolley in a supermarket, except the ones locatif in center of (because people are walking) otherwise some persons use trolley to go to the open market.
I remember years ago the U.S. doing away with scented and dyed TP because it isn't healthy for the bottom. I was shocked to see pink TP in France in this day and age and boy do they love pink TP. I am finding public restrooms in the french grocery stores thank goodness. If it's an Intermarché it'll be outside of the actual store but in the mall. Grand Frais has them in the store. Other than having to weigh and place the price sticker on produce yourself I found the fact that the grocery store checkers get to sit in comfy office chairs while they work impressive.
It's been 50 years since I spent a school year in France, so I really enjoy your anecdotes on life in "la belle France".
Hi ... I've lived in Ottawa (Ontario, Canada) and across the river in Gatineau (Québec) and in both places grocery stores have given up on shopping carts that use a coin-operated money-back locking system. Too many people (of the thief variety) failed to understand that coins do not accumulate in the lock. They'd steal the carts and smash the locks to get at the money, only to find there was none there. Instead of figuring out that none of the carts had money in them, the vandals just kept attacking other carts. Grocery stores gave up because too many carts were damaged beyond use.
Hm, strange, I’m Canadian and have lived in many provinces (in Alberta now) and have seen coin - carts over the last 25 years. Definitely not everywhere but I would not say uncommon. This includes in Muskoka Ontario.
How people can be that dumb 😭
Ah ouais quand même 😂
lol, the length one could go just to gather a couple of coins
These videos are really informative. I have been in France since forever, and with most of the things you say I am like, "yeah, how else should it be done?" But then I actually learn a lot of stuff about the US along the way.
But I didn't know as french too, that we could get out a botle from its packaging. i thought it was just a thing that we could do in Morocco or other countries...
Mais je ne savais pas entant que français également, que nous pouvions sortir une bouteille de son emballage. Je pensais que c'était juste uen chose que nous pouvions faire au Maroc ou autres pays...
@@AdrienFAGOT Tout le monde sait ça en France pourtant
@@oliviercarrot3780 bah merde, j'ai loupé des petites économies 😂je suis vraiment teubé
@@AdrienFAGOT nope didn't know either, to me the people doing it were just weirdos (and still are)
I was relieved when I figured out I could remove a single bottle of water from a six-pack of liter sized bottles. As a tourist, one was enough. Fun to see these differences, thanks!
You're very welcome!
It's because of a law that was passed a few years ago at the (a bit strong) request of consumer associations.
@@lilimaka3721 Few years ago ? I'm 45 and it always has been like that as far as I remember.
@@kochka22 I wrote "a few years ago" because I forgot the date of this change. While searching, I found a law from 2001. Being a mother of two children at the time, I had not seen the merits of this change. I hadn't thought enough about it. That's probably why I remember.
Here the standard is 1.5 liter for normal water bottles. Apparently that's more than 50 fl oz, and three times a "regular" american bottle ??? I thought everything was bigger in America.
I started to appreciate the chained shopping cart/ need one, insert a coin or token system when I was a courtesy clerk at a southern California grocery store chain earlier in the year. One of the many duties of a courtesy clerk ( another is bagging groceries among other things) is to spend an hour several times during a shift out in the parking lot collecting the baskets and taking them back up to the store. The issue was the store was the center point of a busy shopping center ( which is common for the majority of supermarkets in the US) and having to not only watch for the cars while in the parking lot, there was also the fact at certain points around the parking lot, there weer sensors that if rolled over by shopping cart 🛒 wheels, the wheels will lock as a deterrent from taking the carts/ baskets out of the parking lot ( also very common for baskets to have in the US).
All courtesy clerks are provided are a safety vest, a cart lock device to unlock the wheels and a tether hook to pull the carts back to the store. 90%-95% of the time, I'd just push the carts back to the store and averaged about 3 to 4 carts sometimes 5 under my own volition.
I wish all of the major grocery stores chains would adopt that system, it makes sense.
Locked cart is used because you don't need 1 Human ressource to place carts keep on the parking
But it also can reduce theft
(Except for student Thursday evening)
In Belgium the pharmacist is the only place where you can obtain prescribed medication. In some supermarkets and shops you will find plasters and such but nothing much else medicinal. Also a pharmacist is a specialist with a medical degree, so it's normal that you ask his advice and not just take something from the shelf.
I think pharmacists are specialists pretty much everywhere in the world, but you don't need a specialist to prescribe or recommend paracetamol, pepto bismol, diflucan or a laxative in many cases.
In the UK you can just pick these things up in the aisle and take them to the till without ever explaining what is wrong out loud.
In France/ Belgium you have to ask for it... and the brand names may be different so when you ask, you might have to explain what it's for... which means other customers might realise that you have indigestion/ constipation/ thrush or whatever...
Whenever I travel to the UK I pick up a bunch of medication just to spare myself the awkward moments.
@@SunshineJoleen pharmacists yes, but I think this person also meant that people working at the pharmacy are specialists. In Australia for example, while there would obviously be some pharmacists working with prescriptions, at the back, sometimes even "behind the scenes", most employees would have 0 health/pharmacy-related degrees. In France, and perhaps in Belgium, the actual pharmacist will be at the checkout, and other employees in most pharmacies will have a degree that allows them to work in a pharmacy, without being an actual pharmacist. In really, really large ones (not common), you'll then have employees at the checkout or in the "parapharmacy" section (beauty, hygiene products...) who are not required to have any degree. But that's very uncommon.
Fun fact: a US quarter coin fits perfectly in the shopping cart token slot!
I knew about the bags and doing your own bagging before my first trip to Europe, so it was not a big deal. I did surprise a couple of people in France when they found out I was American. I will add that in many stores a simple quiet "hello" in the local language is all you need to say on entering the store. I love checking out markets and convenience stores where ever I travel.
The room temperature milk is UHT treated. Simple pasteurized milk will be refrigerated.
Thank you for this video! I think it helps us to be better prepared when we visit other countries!
You're very welcome!
When I lived in Korea for 5 years I refused to get a shopping cart/chariot/caddie because only little old ladies used them (though I wish I had gotten over it and sucked it up and got one), but once I moved to France I gave in and got one, I got one that had a lot of volume inside and could hold a lot of weight for big shopping trips, while we do grocery delivery for a lot of things (since we don't have a car) there are times I prefer to shop in person either because what I need isn't available for delivery or because the quality isn't the best/has gone bad (like fresh milk, which is available in France in the refrigerated dairy section, I only buy fresh milk because I hate the taste of UHT milk, HATE IT!!!) when it was delivered, and this is where those big rolling shopping carts come in super handy.
As for veggie milk, which I almost exclusively use on my cereal in the morning, my favorite so far that I've found in France is by Bjorg epeautre/noisette (spelt and hazelnut), it's slightly creamier, slightly sweet even though there's no added sugar, and it tastes good, though I personally don't think it works well in hot drinks, I personally don't like any kind of veggie milk in hot drinks, hence why I still by regular milk
Yes, you're right. One's reluctant to use the caddie because indeed of its "senior" connotation, but once one gets used to it, no more hesitation. Some indeed can turn out to be quite sophisticated, with multidimensional wheels enabling them to climb stairs. And the die-hard fashionista can even strut her designer-branded one, with logo all over the place !
Very interesting! May I ask how you were able to live in Korea for 5 years? What was your job? I'd like to live there one day, but the visa requirements are so strict.
@@Yellow-Rose Assuming here, but probably military, or military adjacent (industry).
@@adrien5834 thank you
Great video Diane. As for the milk, when I was in France, I pretty much only used the UHT Milk for hot chocolate and choking down cold cereal. I was invited for dinner at a friend’s and they offered me milk at dinner. I politely declined, stating that I didn’t care much for the milk in France. They laughed because they didn’t drink/care for UHT milk either. They only drank fresh milk, then told me where to find it in the store. Mind blown. This was after several visits to France.
also coz a good portion of french people don't digest milk well once in adulthood so drinking milk is not a major thing. but yes fresh/pasteurized milk taste different.
@@flirtinggracefullplatypus8496 True. I don't digest milk since adulthood and I'm not the only one. But I don't know if it concerns french people in particular ?
Were do you find fresh milk in the store?
@@ndoucette9676 refrigerated section, usually with fruit juice
@@ndoucette9676 it depends on the store but either with tropicana juices( not the clear bottle) or with the yoghourts. monoprix have it idk for the smaller groceries strores.
Every single point here is relevant to southern Spain as well! I moved here 1 year ago and had to get used to all these points. Love my shopping trolly! I don’t own a car anymore so it’s a lifesaver for those larger grocery runs. We don’t have colorful toilet paper yet but we do have scented. I remember in CDG airport on a layover the bathroom stalls were fully wrapped in graphics advertising the Renova colour toilet paper. Too funny!
Great video. I believe grocery stores in most major US cities no longer give out bags. They are for sale, and the cashier does not always fill them up like they used to. This is now functioning the same way it does in France (for the most part). I live in NYC, I take my empty grocery bags with me when I go to the store, and I am the one filling them up at the register.
I first encountered hypermarché (hypermarkets)
when I went on holiday to France as a child
in the 1970s.
We did camping trips in France, Switzerland, Italy
as well as Belgium and the Netherlands
and France had at the time the most developed
supermarkets.
The hypermarkets had places like pharmacies,
bookshops and record shops etc.
As a child from Britain it was a revelation.
Also with two years of French at school
I remember my mother pushing me to the front
at the meat and cheese counter
to order the ham and cheese slices.
Lol All parents do that, or to train the child or because they do not speak the language 😂
@@khaelamensha3624
In my case my two years of French
was better than my mother's
which she hadn't used for thirty years.
@@johncrwarner Kids learn language so fast. My children have been raised in a mmultilanguage environment, sometimes it may be... Well uncomfortable when as a parent you can not express yourself and you just had to admit that your 4 years old daughter is able to speak in 3 languages 😂 Better get used to it, as some years later she add two more 🤣
In Canada, we have the locked shopping carts at the major chains. We also have wheel locks that activate at the perimeter of the parking lot, so you can't take the carts home. Also, if you forget to bring your own bags, it'll cost you 5 cents a bag at the store. You bag yourself at the budget stores, but it's done for you at the higher grade stores. We are getting into self checking at many chains now in Canada.
Yes! I live in Toronto Canada and often see this at grocery stores that are walking distance from high rise apartment buildings
We have these l locks in in the us …..and Aldi charges for bags.
I live in the interior of BC. My favourite supermarket used to have coin locks on the shopping carts, but not any more. Reusable bags are the norm and you can even buy branded ones at my local farmers market. Vancouver is about to ban plastic grocery bags. Self checkout has been here for at least 5 years and is getting more popular. Even Shoppers Drug Mart now has self checkout. Online grocery ordering with pickup or home delivery started about 5 years ago and ballooned during the pandemic. And yes, I do have a shopping caddie.
Kroger has the wheel locks as well.
We have to pay for bags in the DMV (DC, MD, VA)
I live for your videos and I learn so much from them.. Thank you.. I've actually taken to saving your videos so that I can go over them again and again learning more French and learning what to expect.... I "pray" all goes well and I'm able to move there soon. It's been a dream of mine all my life and "now" is the time... Can't wait but learning as much as I can before I get there...
Again. Thank you so much......
So sweet, Billy, thank YOU!
Regarding the caddie, not the one From the supermaket, but the one a person can use to walk with the groceries back home: As a french, i don’t call it a caddie, because a caddie refers to the one from the supermarket and i will have trouble to understand if you just say caddie for it. So we usually call it a « caddie de mamie ». Because for many years no one except grand mothers used them. It was like an obsolet and corny object, but it came back as a useful object a decade ago and we usually refer to it as a caddie de mamie.
LOL - ma Mamie l'appelait "le panier a roulette" .
Elle me manque, mais désormais je prendrai mon caddie de mamie pour faire mes course. Trop mignon. Je ne connaissais pas ce terme. Merciiiii !
This is so funny. When I was a kid, we had scented color toilet paper in the US.. I’m talking 70s into the early 80s. I preferred peach colored paper that snelled like powder and I think it was meant to make the bathroom smell good. I was just telling my daughter about pastel colored toilet paper the other day and she thought it was a riot.
Also.. we had locking carts in the 70s at a grocery my mom went to sometimes.
(This was all in Massachusetts)
I remember being able to buy coloured - don't remember it being scented - loo paper as well. I seem to remember it came in pink or peach as well as white, again this would have been the 1970s and 1980s [New Zealand and UK] but it gradually disappeared. I always thought it was a pity because, if nothing else, it provided a point of focus as far as colour went against the white chinaware that sort of overwhelms the rooms.
This is great! Lots of familiar and lots of new stuff, too!
The eggs and milk on room temperature shelves will haunt my sleep tonight. Great video - thanks.
Near the exit you will often find empty boxes to pack your purchases. That's why my neighbors could think I consume liters of alcoholic beverages, whisky, vodka and such while I drink none of that stuff.
Thank you for another very interesting video! Here in the US we had pastel colors of toilet paper during my '70s childhood. I always wondered why they disappeared in the '80s...Hope you're having a great week, Diane.😊
The colored dye chemicals used to make fun TP colors were found to be bad for our health. I remember blue and lilac toilet paper up to mid 1980s.
I have a dim memory of seeing blue toilet paper in my grandparent's house. It went with their bathroom's decor! 😄 That was in the early to mid 1980s.
You're very welcome!
I used to buy different coloures, blue, green, yellow, pink, crem, could, match to bathroom, such fun , spending ages choosing a colour now can have any colour so long as its white
I remember the colored toilet paper too. It was discontinued after concerns that some sensitive individuals could be allergic to the dyes.
It is true that some supermarkets make sure that they produce nice bags, either for the festive season or for the year-end.
There are also shopping bags with beautiful pictures of the visited region. This is of course worthwhile as souvenirs. Others put their purchases in shopping bags with the colours and symbols of Brittany...
Thank you for covering basic information needed for Americans
Thank you for this very interesting video! My first stops in Paris are Monop and a pharmacy, and usually Monop just before departing.
You're welcome! Yes, gotta love Monoprix!!
This is great! I just moved from Canada to France and the egg and milk on shelves got me the first time… still has me scratching my head.
You are SPOT ON!!!. I lived in France for 3 years and I've been in Spain for 21 years. The supermarkets in both countries are very similiar. You probably noticed that too If you've ever been to Spain before.
If a French person read this ; The eggs that are NOT refrigerated when you buy them NEED to be in the fridge when you come home. It is literally written on the package, " Mettre au frigo " pour éviter les merdouilles 😮
Jamais mis mes oeufs au frigo, jamais eu de merdouille...Du moment qu'on respecte les dates.
@@adrien5834 C'est legit écrit sur le paquet donc faut pas prendre de chance.
Yet another AMAZING VIDEO! Thanks so much Diane. Take care! xoxoxox
Thank you! You too!
Thank you for the video!
My pleasure!
Your videos are so much fun!
Glad you like them! Merci
Hi ! I love your observations ! For the Pharmacy, there is a reason due to the french law : the qualified pharmacists must own their Pharmacie, and can't be employees !
The 50 euro cent coin also works. I tried one, but the 20 cent coin is too small. Also, as you mentioned in a previous video, your groceries come at you very fast during checkout. I often just put them back in the cart and bag them when I get to the car. Your recommended "chariot de courses" is a good brand, but I bought a Vounot 6-wheel. It uses high quality roller blade wheels in a triangular configuration of each side for "walking" up steps or small level changes in sidewalks or store entry door jams. I'm moving to a new apartment next month that is 2 blocks from a LeClerc, so won't need to drive to the store as often, hence the chariot purchase. NOTE: I'll still need to drive to Grand Frais, my favorite French grocery chain.
Very helpful, great video, thank you !
Glad you enjoyed it!
Our local Aldi you put a quarter in slot to unlock cart!. Preparing for are next visit to French grocery store fairly soon in Vendee.
I absolutely LOVE your videos!! I use them in class for my students, especially your pharmacy and grocery store videos. {I also love the Maine et Loire :) } Keep up the good work!
Thank you! Love that you use them in you lessons.
J'ai le sentiment qu'une fois à la retraite vous allez déménager dans le Maine-et-Loire.
Hello!
Thank you! It is weird to have someone who bags your groceries. I don't like when people touch my stuffs. I've already seen this in France in the end of the year. Some young people do that in order to earn money. But it makes me wanna say: "DON'T TOUCH MY GROCERIES AND MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS" 😄 It's so weird. We call the trolley "caddie" or "chariot". Both are correct. And yeah, we can grab just one bottle, it's not forbidden 🙂
Some milks bottles are refregirated. It depends on the kind of milk you choose. We can find refregirated bottles of semi-skimmed milk at Leclerc.
Carts are locked everywhere in Europe. There are many white toilet papers, but
I think pink is the most popular color for toilet papers here in France. And if you choose the cheapest toilet paper, I think it's gonna be pink 😄
Growing up during the 90s, french supermarkets still provided bags, I remember distinctly. It's only been 20 years at most since they have started this thing about bringing your own bags.
The use of tokens/coins for unlocking grocery carts is common in urban areas of Canada. However, during COVID this was partially discontinued to minimize touching. As in Europe, some grocery chains sell the tokens on a keyfob, meaning you always have it with you, just like your cloth tote bag. Ingenious.
I have quite a few of them by now - charities often sell them as a means to make money - and I ensure each different handbag or basket now has a token attached to either the zip or the handle. Means I always have a token on me.
In the US Scott used to make blue and pink bath tissue.
Some had designs, like flowers.
I loved the supermarkets and pharmacies in France. I usually shop at Aldi or Save A Lot so I am used bagging my own food.
Me too. 😊
Colored and scented toilet paper was available in the US in the early 70's. They also had prints. I had forgotten about it until I saw this video.
Yep, my grandmother always had blue or pink in her bathroom.
💝💝💝 LEARNED new stuff. Thanks! Merci!
You are so welcome!
So neat. The milk shocked me. Thank you for sharing
Why shocked ? Milk is sterilised here that's all
My hometown in Illinois USA rolled up it's sidewalks at 8pm, even restaurants, only thing open would be the local tavern
Great video. Thanks for sharing. I enjoy grocery stores in Europe. I find the best items to bring home.😊
I've never seen locked shopping carts in the US aside from at Aldi. I think they're a quarter here, since nobody uses dollar coins. But the few times I've been to Aldi I was only picking up a few times, so I never bothered with a cart.
In parts of the US it's normal to bring your own bags. California and Hawaii (and some cities/counties elsewhere) have laws against supermarkets handing out plastic bags for free. The California law was suspended at the beginning of the pandemic (back when people were washing everything they brought into their homes) but I think it might be back in force now. Not sure. Anyway, it's normal here for people to bring reusable bags. Most supermarkets still bag your groceries for you (although again, some suspended that during the early part of the pandemic) but at least in the Los Angeles area the cheaper discount grocery stores (particularly those targeted at Latinos) often require you to bag your own groceries so they don't need to hire as many employees.
Another thing you've probably noticed at Aldi (a German chain) is that the cashiers have chairs to sit in during their shifts. This is common in European stores, but rare in N. America, where they must stand for hours.
Safeway doesn't bag your groceries.
Thanks Diane, so informative. As an Australian we have the lockable carts with tokens or coins, tokens can be bought at the supermarket. We bring our own bags to the supermarket or have to buy them at the register, approx price plastic 15 cents cloth $1. Our hours for shopping seem to be like the USA. We have Aldi but the other two main grocery stores at present are Coles and Woolworths, if you cant find what you want in one try the other especially milk options. Milk and eggs will be found in the fridge unless long life options. As for scented toilet paper that is a new one to me. So looking forward to visiting France again !
Coles and woolies don't use coins for their trollies, I've only seen them at Aldi. Also, I've never seen eggs in the fridge section.
We’ve had scented toilet paper in 0z for a long time
We often go to a grocery store for fun one of the first days we are on vacation.
Your vlogsare GREAT!
Thank you!! So happy you enjoy them!
Hah Hah! I remember the first trip to France with my partner where I said we were just popping into Franprix to pick up some milk. He was very confused when I walked straight passed the fridges and started searching the aisles. 🤣🤣🤣
Another great video. Thank you for sharing this helpful video. Hope we get the chance to try it out. 👍❤️
Some carts in France even have a magnetic system to prevent them from rolling out or being pushed outside the limits of the parking lot
Truth be told, visiting grocery stores is my "go to" tourist thing when I visit France or any other country. You'll understand a country and the people better if you see what they eat. And French groceries, though they have their fair share of industrialized processed food, are much more appealing. Frozen "Navarin d'Agneau"? Mais oui!
Hi just came across your channel. Loved watching you, really interesting voice and great smile. I look forward to watching more as I have subscribed. :)
Fun video. I was surprised by the various color selection of toilet paper the when we went to the grocery store near our rental apartment in Paris (we bought pink). I've never seen the locked carts before either. Another difference at the French supermarkets I noticed is if you're buying loose fruit, you weigh it first and get a ticket to scan at the register.
Yes, some stores have you weigh your own produce but not all. It can get tricky if you go to a store where you have to weigh it and aren't used to doing that. Then you get to the register and have to hold up the line while you run back to weigh it and get the sticker. It's happened to me several times lol
I avoided buying produce at grocery stores in France for several years because I wasn’t sure of the whole sticker thing. I think I had ptsd from holding up the line and not really understanding what I needed to do to fix the problem. 😂
Very nice descriptions as always. For the carts, I am the last to defend business but in my suburban town, which is mostly walkable, a lot of people for decades used to take the carts home and leave them in the neighbourhood. An employee would be sent weekly to collect them all which can be super inconvenient. And that is even with the euro ! The city had to regulate and come up with fines for abandonning a cart.
Oh boy, now that goes above and beyond just leaving them in the parking lot! Takes it to a whole new level
African immigrants in France are known for doing that.
A friends mother used to take the trolley home but she kept it for the week and then returned with it. She was very annoyed when we returned it to the store.
We had colored toilet paper I. The 70s. Not scented. Women were getting infections from the dye so they discontinued it. I really liked it and didn’t have a problem with it.😕
You can find refrigerated pasteurized milk near the yogurt section and also microfiltered milk which tastes much more like fresh milk. By the way you can also find raw milk but it has to be on the farm, not in grocery stores. I used to buy some just taken from the cows, full skim, still at the cows’ temperature. This is something completely different from UHT processed milk.
You can find raw milk in some organic shops ; and at open markets some crémiers carry it, and most producers in small towns markets.
I never thought milk straight from a cow without pasteurization was safe to drink. Doesn't it contain certain bacteria that's not fit for human consumption?
@@Yellow-Rose if the cow is infected. If she's healthy, it will host lactobacterias and tend to ferment spontaneously if not refrigerated or kept for too long. Fermented milk is not a suitable environment for pathogenic bacterias, so it's generally safe (yogurt, kéfir, lait ribot, lbem, etc.). But pasteurised milk has lost its protective bacterias, so if there is a contamination later in the chain, it is in fact more likely to develop an unhealthy amount of pathogens.
There have been cases of listeria infection in 20th century France, which were caused by pasteurised industrial cheese, never with raw milk cheese...
@@Yellow-Rose The production and sale of raw milk are strictly controlled. But there is still a risk of contamination by listeria. It should be kept refrigerated and consumed very quickly, or boiled. The risk is low if it is bought straight after being collected (still warm), as it is still sterile. The sale of raw milk is forbidden in some countries (part of the US, Canada, Scotland, ...)
that's because microfiltered is fresh...
The title of your channel is excellent!😄
Oh thank you!
In Quebec, there are a few supermarkets in which you will have to bag your groceries, especially at self-service checkouts.
Thanks for your video which was really insightful! One other difference with the US is you can find any alcohol you want freely available in any grocery store. I find it more useful than having pain relievers at hand 😅
Un caddie refers also to a classic shopping cart (the metal ones).
The trolley one you showed is also named Sac Cabas.
Pastel/scented toilrt paoer is a throwback!!!!
Thank you darling!! This is so super!! I recall ugh no one helps bag yr groceries in Paris! Also last time in Paris I was so constipated all the sauces lack of fiber, I went to pharmacy said I needed an enema, they didn’t understand till I wrote it down lol 😂 haa plz tell us how Yv changed yr diet since living in France 🇫🇷 I’d love to hear it! Only at our local Aldi do they hv locked carts for a quarter lol love you and yr channel plz post daily!! I’d love a video on shopping for cosmetics handbags and clothes
When I buy fruit in Australia they get weighed at the cash register, but when I was in a French supermarket, they don't have scales at the cash registers, you have to weigh them yourself while you are still at the fruit section.
In the US you used to be able to separate packages of soda cans. In the 70s me and my sister did that a lot. Each of us getting about 7 cans a piece of the flavors we wanted. I'd say stores started telling me you couldn't do that anymore around the mid 80s.
Interesting, I didn't know that!
I have a shopping trolley for groceries but also when I go to the mail and expect to pick up parcels( darn Amazon boxes can be bigger than necessary sometimes)
We we lived in a bigger city and didn’t have a car, I love my rolly cart! I would take on the bus to the big hypermarché or just walk to the weekly fresh market. When I moved to a village of 820, I found I wasn’t using it. I have a neighbor and I gifted it to her. She uses all the time as she does not have a car. On the colored and scented TP, that’s a hard pass. Too irritating on the bits!
Great video! I'd just to add, in case anyone is traveling south of the US, that most all of the things you mentioned here about France are also applicable here in Mexico. I'm an American who has been living off and on (mostly on) in Mexico for the last three years and I can attest to nearly all of these being true here as well. We have the scented TP but alas, not colors, LOL. The only difference is that shopping carts here are not locked and are free-roaming just like in the US, only there's usually not a person that comes to get them often. I'm heading to France for a month in November, Lord willing and the creek don't rise!
Not surprising ,30 Millions of Mexicans have French ascendance (It's 23,44% of the population ,and 2 Millions are still fully French-blooded) (Mexico is the 2nd with the most French-ascendance in the world ,under France (of course) and
above Argentina/Brazil/Uruguay with 13,6 Millions (17% of the population and 3 country combined) ,the US with 8,06 Millions (2,41% of the population) and Canada with 5 Millions (13,51% of the population))
There was French immigration to Mexico from the 1830's until the 1950's ,sometime founding entire village .
And the reasons why it doesn' seem to be any French in Mexico or South American ,is because of this concept that is pretty much sacred to us :Assimilation ,in Mexico ,they assimilated to ... well the Mexican ,in South America they assimilated to the Italian that immigrated there (We have the exact same culture ,we just use a different language ,5 Millions of the French population is of Italian origin ,and they don't speak Italian too and unless they tell you that they are of Italian origin ,you wouldn't know (Except if they didn't Francized their family name) ,there is also 11 Millions of Italians in Italy who can speak French which is 18,64% of their population).
And it's the same in South Africa where they assimilated to the Afrikaans .
But this concept does not work anymore because the Africans that come does not know about it . (Well they know ,it's just that they don't care)
Fun Fact :The French are the reasons for why Mexico ,South Africa and Australia have a wine industry (And Argentina too ,but here it's a responsabilities shared with the Italians).
Fun Fact 2 :The reason there was French migrations to South Africa was French Protestant (Huguenot) fleeing the religious war (South Africa also happens to be one the 5 place in the world with *PERFECT* climate for Wine production), while the reason there was French migrations to Mexico ,Argentina and Australia is because they are 3 of the place with *PERFECT* climate for Wine production.
And the last (Of 5) country with *PERFECT* climate for Wine production is Algeria ,it's just that that they sabotaged it after we gave them their independance (Yup because they were utterly obliterated ,the only thing they could do in the end is terrorist attack (With bomb) in which they always ended up killing more Algerians than French each time they did it (Usually 5 time more Algerian than French) ,but De Gaulle decided to let them go so Political victory but military defeat for them)
1,8 Millions tons of wine a per year before WW2 (European France alone was the biggest producer of wine with 5,4 Millions tons, the territories of Algeria alone was 4th in the world in term of productions) 1,5 Millions in 1962 (European France still 1st with 7,5 Millions ,Algeria alone is still 4th), and 50K tons of wine produced in 2017 (They are 32th out of 52th country that produces it)
Tunisia also has the *PERFECT* climate but would need a bigger area so I didn't include them (Even tho they have fallen out too ,200K tons in 1963 ,to 27K tons in 2017)
Medicines are not sweets, they can be dangerous, in France they are sold in pharmacies where there are trained personnel capable of informing, advising, warning.
We have a proverb: "Everyone has his job and the cows will be well looked after".
In Canada, the major supermarket chains have pharmacy sections, staffed by real pharmacists. And many pharmacy chains offer grocery sections.
@@dougbrowning82 The choice of France is different. We don't mix. The reasons for this choice are manifold. The financial balance of pharmacies is fragile because the sale of prescription drugs generates little revenue. Prices are set by the state at the lowest level for the finances of our health system, which takes precedence over the profits of supermarket teachers and the dividends of their shareholders. The reserved sale of over-the-counter medication ensures the balance. Pharmacies play an important role in our health system, the state protects them from the prey of this large distribution which would quickly establish themselves where it pays and leave the rural areas abandoned. It is a choice of society that no one calls into question, even among the liberals.
I don't know why UA-cam suggested this video to me. I'm French, leaving in the same department as you and I ended up learned stuff regarding US stores!
In Houston, I’ve only noticed Aldi doing it. I don’t think any other stores have implemented that in my area.
Just to remember , any first exchange of the day with cashier or any other person in France aways begin by "Bonjour" or "Bonsoir" after says 4PM.
Bonjour.
Toujours aussi sympathique.
Cordialement
In my town in Poland there exist pharmacies in shopping males , like in the US
It's fun to watch this as a french person, it teaches me stuff about US culture in reverse :D
At Carrefour we found out you have to weigh and tag your bulk vegetables before you check out. They don't weigh them at checkout.
Hello for the question about toilet paper, the scent is for the personnal using ☺😉 for the bathroom we have a product called : désodorisant.
Thanks for your video.
Have a good Day.
9:20 - I like chamomile scent. It is merely mildly felt in the bathroom, and not for very long. No, it is not intended for scenting one's nether regions. OTOH, moist toilet paper (similar to baby wipes, but one can flush it) can have that function, too.
John's Farms in New York has the locked shopping carts, but they don't seem to be catching on. They can be annoying if you don't have a coin on you, so the token is a better idea. As you explained, they really do remove the threat of loose carts getting tossed about by the wind and denting your car.
As for bringing your own bags, I've been doing that for decades. Pretty common in LA, where they outlawed single use plastic bags years ago, and more recently it's that way in New York as well.
I have a cotton grocery bag from King Soopers in Boulder CO. It was acquired in about 1985. Made to last! It was optional though.