Grocery shopping tourism: experience local food culture in France

Visiting a supermarket while traveling transforms a typically mundane task into an enriching cultural journey, offering deep insights into a new country. From discovering exotic fruits to tasting regional delicacies, exploring local cuisine is one of the most rewarding ways to connect with a place.

Food captivates you in France, renowned as one of the culinary capitals of the world, celebrated for its crispy baguettes, exquisite wines, and countless Michelin-starred restaurants. While fine dining might sometimes be a luxury, anyone can wander through the aisles of a supermarket to savor a slice of French culture. Here, quality food is cherished daily, from grabbing freshly baked croissants in the morning to selecting cheeses and wines for a weekend apéro (apéritif) with friends on a Saturday afternoon.

This guide will help you maximize your grocery shopping experience in France, detailing what to buy, when, and where to find it.

Different types of French supermarkets and grocery stores

Supermarkets are where most French people do their daily shopping. Major chains include Carrefour and Franprix, but you'll find the best selection of high-quality food, along with popular clothing and homeware, at Monoprix. For organic, seasonal fruits and vegetables, check out Bio C Bon (primarily in Paris), Naturalia, or Biocoop—while supermarkets offer organic options, these specialized stores provide superior quality.

In France, it's still customary to visit specialty shops for specific products, especially when hosting events like birthdays or dinner parties. Common places to visit include the boucherie (butcher), which may also sell charcuterie; poissonnerie (fish market); fromagerie (cheese shop); cave (wine shop); boulangerie (bakery for bread and pastries); pâtisserie (for exquisite desserts); and chocolaterie (specializing in chocolate and sweet treats).

For specialty items like teas, jams, canned fish, and pasta, look for an épicerie or épicerie fine. The fine denotes higher-quality, artisan products, though you can sometimes find similar goods at a standard épicerie.

Markets play a vital role in French life across the nation. They’re perfect for grabbing fresh fruits and vegetables, discovering local specialties, and truly experiencing this facet of French culture.

You can also purchase fresh produce from a primeur (greengrocer), which typically offers a fantastic selection, though prices may be higher than at supermarkets.

Seasonal shopping

Historically, the French would shop based on seasonal availability: if strawberries weren’t in season, they simply weren’t sold. While large supermarket chains have made many items available year-round, organic supermarkets still honor the rhythms of the seasons.

Essential products you must buy before leaving France (and tips on what to ask for)

Cheese and dairy delights

Can you truly say you've experienced France if you haven't savored fromage? Charles de Gaulle once questioned, “how can anyone govern a country with 246 varieties of cheese?” In reality, he greatly underestimated France's cheese diversity, with estimates ranging from 1,000 to 1,200 varieties. Supermarkets typically stock a limited selection of global brands, which may curb your cravings, but the best choice is to visit a fromagerie (cheesemonger) for expert recommendations. Beyond popular options like Roquefort and Brie, consider Comté, Cantal, and Mimolette (all aged hard cheeses); Bleu d'Auvergne for a tasty blue cheese; Mont d'Or (perfect for winter melting); or soft varieties like Pont-l'Évêque and Livarot, along with the rich Brillat-Savarin.

Artisan bread and pastries

When shopping in a French supermarket, it's best to skip the bread and pastries; they tend to be of lower, industrial quality. Instead, seek out a good boulangerie or pâtisserie. Sourdough bread (pain au levain) is becoming increasingly popular in Paris, and bakers often slice it for your picnic needs. For a traditional baguette, request a baguette tradition, crafted from just four ingredients: flour, yeast, salt, and water. If you ask for a baguette without the tradition, it may not adhere to the same standards. When choosing a croissant, opt for the straight-shaped croissant au beurre, made with butter for a flaky, flavorful treat; the croissant ordinaire/nature, identifiable by its crescent shape, is made with margarine. Keep an eye out for other pastries like pains au chocolat, pains aux raisins, pains Suisses, and chaussons aux pommes. Don't forget classic sweets like financiers and madeleines.

Wine and spirits

Navigating the world of wine can feel daunting, particularly in a country renowned for it. While supermarkets offer a decent selection, for a more authentic experience, visit a cave and consult with the experts. They can introduce you to choices you may not have considered, such as trading a well-known champagne for a smaller grower-producer (artisan producers who cultivate their own grapes) or exploring lesser-known wine regions like Jura, Cahors, or Languedoc instead of sticking to Bordeaux and Burgundy.

Essential tips for navigating French supermarkets

Shopping etiquette

In many French supermarkets, you may need to weigh your fresh produce yourself and bring it to the cashier with a barcode ready for scanning. Look for touch screen scales and observe other shoppers weighing their fruits and vegetables.

In stores where weighing your own produce isn’t required, you might still find a scale available for you to check the weight of your items. If there’s no scale and you need assistance, simply ask a staff member to weigh it for you by saying, “pouvez-vous peser cela s’il vous plaît?”

French supermarkets typically offer paper bags and durable multi-use shopping bags for sale at the checkout. However, many locals prefer to bring their own bags to promote eco-friendliness.

In specialty stores, the staff are true experts. The French hold their knowledge in high regard, so it’s expected that you’ll heed their recommendations. If you really dislike something they suggest, just let them know, and they’ll guide you in the right direction. However, if they explain why certain cheeses complement each other on a platter or why a specific wine pairs well with your dessert, they anticipate you’ll follow their advice. If you’re uncertain about your preferences, don’t hesitate to ask for samples.

In Paris, most people in food shops and markets speak English, but it’s always courteous—and appreciated—to attempt speaking French. Department stores also feature excellent food halls with many English-speaking staff, such as Galeries Lafayette Le Gourmet, La Cave, and La Grande Épicerie, along with the upscale food hall at Le Bon Marché and the two floors of Printemps du Goût at Printemps Haussmann.

Optimal shopping times

While it’s becoming increasingly common for large supermarket chains to operate on Sundays in Paris, outside the capital, many places remain closed. Sunday hours for independent shops vary. If you plan to visit the supermarket after 6 PM, be prepared for queues as many people will be stopping by after work to grab dinner. Saturdays tend to be busy as well.

Markets generally operate one or two days a week, from early morning until early afternoon. For example, Marché Bastille in Paris is open from 7 AM to 1:30 PM on Thursdays and from 7 AM to 2:30 PM on Saturdays. Arriving early allows you to experience the market at its liveliest and to select the best produce. If you arrive just before closing, some stalls may have sold out or closed, though you might find some sellers offering discounted prices on leftover items at the end of the day.

Payment options

Most shops now accept contactless card payments, though there may be a minimum purchase requirement of one or five euros. When visiting markets, it’s wise to carry both cards and cash (including small change) since some vendors prefer one over the other, and some do not accept card payments at all.