Grocery Shopping in Paris

I had grand plans for food shopping during my time in France. The romance was irresistible: I love the idea of walking down the street with my canvas tote and loading it with farm-fresh vegetables, meats and cheeses al fresco. The reality is that I'm not that guy… I cook for one, my cooking centers more on efficiency than pleasure and my kitchen is better suited to an RV than an apartment. Thus, I've explored the frozen food aisles of grocery stores more than street markets.

All of the grocery stores in Paris are compact, but usually offer a terrific variety of frozen foods, cheese, wine and cured meats. You won't find a broad selection of American brands in any of these stores. Even though the Institut Louis Pasteur is just across the river, France doesn't look kindly on Pasteurization or over processed foods of any kind.

Here's my rundown of the French grocery chains:

Franprix:
The convenience factor plays heavily into my shopping here – there's a store right across the street from my apartment. The selection in all categories is limited, however the prices are usually quite good, especially for meats. They have a decent selection of frozen foods although the fresh produce looks a little tired. With the good prices comes a big tradeoff: inferior quality. Regularly, I see less than fresh chicken for sale. 

Monoprix: This is France's answer to Target. On the ground floor you'll find house wares, apparel, electronics, stationery and sporting goods. Upstairs (or down in some locations) you'll find the grocery section. Prices are decidedly higher than at Franprix, but so is variety and quality. Monoprix's selection of fresh seafood is lame, but their prepared foods (salads & sandwiches) are the best of the bunch.

Carrefour City: I was super-interested to shop Carrefour, because it has been competing so aggressively against Wal-Mart in the Asian market. Carrefour was – hands down – the best place to shop in Bangkok. In Paris, too Carrefour City is my favorite of the stores – they have great selection, high quality fresh foods and a well-priced private label. What I noticed most was that the look of the store was so put-together, the lighting is soft and the walls are painted a dark grey which combine to highlight the product.

Leader Price: This is the bottom of the barrel in terms of price. Much like Aldi, this is a limited assortment grocer that sells only their store brand. This can be an excellent store for budget shoppers and folks looking for packaged goods. It is a lousy place for fresh food of any kind: meats, cheese & produce.