Emily in France 🇫🇷 It's Wandering Season in Paris

French supermarkets are kinda weird.

I like to pretend I don't go to the supermarket in France, but that's a lie. While I do usually prefer to patronize my local vendors (my cheesemonger and I, in particular, have a lovely little rapport going) there are some things you just can't get at a farmstand (like shampoo, paper towels, and coffee), and that's when I go to the supermarket.

I've been living in France (and therefore frequenting French supermarkets) for twelve years now, but there are a few things that surprised me when I first got here (and, let's be honest, that still surprise me today). Here are seven of them.

1. Cheese is everywhere.

I think this is also true in fancy American supermarkets, but in France, you have a cheese fridge and also a cheese counter. (The counter is by far superior and is pretty much the only place to buy decent cheese in Paris on Mondays.)
 

2. Nuts are, likewise, everywhere.

I'm not a huge snacker, but when I do snack, I usually buy almonds. The thing is, there's no section of the supermarket in France devoted to nuts. You'll find them in the baking section in itty-bitty (expensive) bags; you'll find them in the apéro section (also in itty-bitty bags), and then you'll find them in the international section in huge bags that are vastly cheaper than the bags found elsewhere in the supermarket. I still do not know why.
 

3. Breakfast cereal = chocolate.

I don't eat much breakfast cereal, but surprisingly, the French do – and pretty much all of it has chocolate in it, in some form or another.
 

4. No vitamins.

Vitamins, Band-Aids, painkillers... none of these things can be found in a French supermarket. For these and other similar items, you'll need to go to a pharmacy or parapharmacy (which is not a drugstore – something I misunderstood my first year here that resulted in me accidentally spending an inordinate amount of money on specialty shampoo).
 

5. Milk and eggs aren't refrigerated.

Most milk sold in France is UHT pasteurized and therefore shelf-stable (think Parmalat). This is because the French prefer to consume their dairy in the form of cheese, butter, or yogurt, and actually drink very little milk. Eggs, too, are kept shelf-stable because unlike in America, they are not washed before being sold and are therefore totally safe to keep at room temperature, so don't seek either of these items out in the cold section.
 

6. You need to weigh your own produce.

A little scale in the produce section allows you to weigh your produce and will spit out a little sticker with the price on it, for easy scanning once you get to the till. This isn't true in every single supermarket, however, which is how you end up with locals grumbling as they return to the produce aisle, holding up the entire line, because they've forgotten to weigh their bagful of lemons.
 

7. There are no baggers.

You're going to need to bag your own groceries, which sounds fine in theory, except bagging your own groceries and simultaneously counting out exact change (the absence of which is sure to elicit a sigh from the cashier) is a task that I have yet to fully master.

Where I'm Eating

Burrata is everywhere in Paris these days, usually paired with tomatoes. I like this slightly sweet version with mango, avocado, and Espelette pepper at Le Hibou, which also boasts one of my favorite sun-filled terraces in the city.

As always, you can find my ever-evolving list of my favorite Paris restaurants here.
 

Where I'm Going

1. This week is Pisco Week in Paris, and as a huge fan of the Pisco Sour, I'm definitely heading to my local bar for a taste (or two!)

2. Tonight, I'm on my way to the American Library in Paris to celebrate the 99th birthday of one of my favorite places in the city.

3. It's not out in theaters yet, but I'm eagerly awaiting the release of the new Les Misérables, a contemporary film taking place in modern Montfermeil, which is in competition at the Cannes film festival.
 

What I'm Writing

1. I write a regular column for My French Country Home Magazine, which is now available in print! This month's column is all about the French love of the sidewalk café.

2. I don't talk about it quite as much in this newsletter, but I'm also a writer of fiction. While my novel is not yet available to read, I do have a published piece of short fiction entitled "Grace," which you can read in the Scream.

3. Nice weather means wine bars: here are 16 of my favorites for Fodor's.
 

What I'm Reading

I have had the immense pleasure of reading As A River, the début novel of Sion Dayson, ahead of its September release. Preorder this one, folks; it's gorgeous.

A bientôt !
Emily in France