Expatriating to a foreign country to soak up the culture, the sights and the flavors of something new and different is an experience that thousands of people from all over the world choose to explore on a yearly basis. The adventure, the change of pace and even the potential cost of living savings makes this prospect hard to pass up. Once the novelty wears off however, many expats find themselves fumbling a bit, trying to figure out how to handle the basic necessities of living.
If living in France is what you desire, you’re going to find a lot of things are the same as they would be in the UK or even America. However, there are some variations that expats will notice. One basic necessity of daily living that can require a point in the right direction for some, involves the ins and outs of visiting a supermarket!
Americans especially might be in for a bit of a culture shock on their first or even 20th visit to a French supermarket. Whilst things here appear the same on the surface, there are some distinct differences that are worth noting. This goes double for expats who are used to running to the corner grocery at any time of the day or night for products or foodstuffs that strike their fancy.
Grocery stores in France simply do not run on the 24-hour-a-day schedule many are used to in their countries of origin. Most grocery stores in France are closed on Sundays and all major holidays. They also tend to close between 6 and 7 at night, which is something that tends to strike Americans as odd.
Other things shoppers should be aware of include: -
Trolley deposit. Most Europeans are used to the practice of having to put a deposit down for a shopping trolley – Americans are not. Plan on having to pay at least a Euro down to have this privilege. Don’t worry though, the money will be refunded when the cart is returned.
Weighing produce. French grocery stores do not weigh and price fresh produce for customers. Customers have to do it themselves. Supermarkets have special scales that print out the right sticker price for purchases, so don’t worry that this process will be too difficult. Americans will need to learn to shop by kilo rather than pounds, however.
Bagging groceries. Plan to bag your own goods if shopping in a French supermarket is in your plan! Again, this is something European expats are not unaccustomed to, but American stores typically frown on self-bagging of groceries!
Selection. French supermarkets tend to have a rather wide selection of items for customers to choose from. It isn’t even out of the question to find American products in some stores. Don’t expect to find everything from home just waiting for a pickup though. And, do expect to pay a great deal more for products that are imported. One of the top foodstuffs American expats for example have noticed a lack of in certain areas of France is basic cheddar cheese. It can be had in more populated areas, but learn to love French cheese instead if the countryside is where you intend to plant roots.
Living in France is an adventure thousands of expats endeavor to undertake. Learning to live like the French, however, can be a bit of a tricky proposition for some. From grocery shopping to eating out, there are subtle differences that will take some getting used to.
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