A Review of French Supermarchés
Phuong Bui
As restrictions and curfews increased in metropolitan areas, progressively transpiring into a national lockdown during my time in France, the daily food shop became, like for many of us, one of the few times where I could leave the confinements of my room, as my record of attestations would testify. Before coming to live in Paris for my studies earlier this year, my memories of the city were just hazy fragments from one short Year 8 school trip which had included a visit to an unidentified hypermarché, where we all made a beeline to the sweets aisle and looked at nothing else. Thus, I had no idea what to expect when I was looking for my first supermarket to buy actual sustenance, and I realised just how much more French supermarkets had to offer. Perhaps it shouldn’t have come as a surprise, but I was struck by how French supermarkets reflected French stereotypes to a certain extent. More often than not, there is a ridiculously extensive specialty cheese section, as well as some form of boulangerie embedded in the aisles. Some things which might be considered special in the UK, such as beef tomatoes and kiwano melons, are not unusual to find in French supermarkets because they are commonly grown in France. It was also interesting to see how many supermarkets differed, and whilst my knowledge of French supermarkets is by no means comprehensive, I have been to my fair share across Paris!
Photo by Alana Harris on Unsplash
Lidl:
Like in any Lidl, you may expect to find all of your essentials in obscure knock-off brands, with the added bonus of savings which will help you feel less guilty about the extortionate rent of your Parisian box room that is depleting your student loan month after month. In France, there is also the much-coveted middle aisle where my friend and I found gems such as tinned duck confit. However, like any Lidl, it is more difficult to find fresh vegetables here, so I only came to buy non-perishables. - 7/10 -
Franprix:
As the most proliferated supermarket chain in the capital, Franprix is by far the biggest supermarket for locals and there is almost certainly one to be found around every corner, selling basic essentials like your Panzani pesto pasta. But I found that the variety was quite limited and the shops themselves, depending on their location, weren’t always very well-stocked. - 6/10 -
Auchan:
Auchan will always have a special place in my heart because it was the first supermarket that I found on my arrival in Paris. It will absolutely give you the staples on your shopping list and the vegetables are good quality. My local Auchan also conveniently had a built-in boulangerie with all the goods freshly baked every day. - 8/10 -
G20:
I have only been to G20 a couple times and I found that it is quite compact as a city supermarket, but it seems to supply all of the essentials you may need. Solid choice for daily shopping. - 8/10 -
Monoprix:
This is another very developed supermarket chain in Paris, with prices on the higher end of the spectrum, which makes it perhaps less suitable for the daily shop if you are trying to save your precious centimes. Nevertheless, I like to occasionally (or perhaps too often) go in for a little browse, and maybe treat myself to things from their fancy own-brand range, Monoprix Gourmet. One can also find the most incredible selection of Lindt chocolate bars I have ever seen, ranging from simple Lindt Excellence to dessert-inspired Lindt Création, which is made with exciting fillings such as Paris-Brest, crème brûlée, chocolate hazelnut, raspberry ganache, marzipan etc. Monoprix is usually larger than other supermarkets because it sells homeware and clothing in addition to food, but there are also smaller versions called monop’daily which only sell food. It really is just the French answer to M&S. - 8.5/10 -
Credit: Phuong Bui
51, 30 € for water!
La Grande Épicerie de Paris:
Whilst this is most definitely not the place to go for a regular food shop, it is worth a visit just to see the most extravagantly up-scaled and lavish grocers in Paris. La Grande Épicerie can only be found on Rue de Sèvres and Rue de Passy, and it is known for selling specialty products at the heart of the city. Expect to encounter bargains such as water for 51.30€! Almost everything which you could ever associate with French cuisine and indulgence can be found here, and it is a place of such fascination to me. - 7/10 -
Generally, food shopping in Paris can be a little more expensive, but there is something for every budget. It was so convenient for me because I had Lidl, Franprix, Auchan and Monoprix all within walking distance from my building, so it was never difficult to find simple everyday ingredients for my meals. And, above all, I realised just how much of a cultural experience is involved in the simple act of shopping for food.