Grocery Shopping in France.

Just as in the USA, there are giant grocery stores in France. I've heard there is one supermarche (sounds like super mar shay) that is so huge customers order online, make an appointment for pickup and show up at the drive-through-like area, where their purchases are loaded into the car.

Pas Moi

I prefer the village markets and the smaller family-owned shops, or even the smaller (but still super) marche's, to the big places.

In St. Zach there are several bakeries (Patisserie's and Boulangerie's) and at least 2 family owned small grocery shops. They are small, like a 7-11 or Cumberland Farms in the U.S., but that is where the comparison ends. I've not seen any convenience "chain" stores, maybe they exist, but I've not seen them. The convenience store in St. Zach is family-owned, it's on the main street through town and is closed from 12:30-ish until 2:00-ish for lunch.

They are super friendly and don't mind the way I butcher the French language. 

Super Fresh veggies and fruits, which you'd never see at a convenience store in the U.S. dominate the convenience store in St. Zach.

Other "regular" items include local olives and hand made sausages...and of course cheese.

Above the cheese's are pate's and spreads made with roasted red peppers, artichokes and other tummy stuff. Slather some on toast and sprinkle with a bit of that cheese and you've got a meal.

Don't forget the wine! This is wine selection at the little market. Amazing, affordable wines from the region.

Of course one can always go down the street and shop at "Super U," which is a larger chain store at the other end of town

People always bring their own bag or straw carrier. This gentleman was buying bread and chocolate.

The vegetable department is huge, and super fresh. Almost everything is tagged with where it was grown, if it is local and if it is organic. I went to the market late on a Saturday and the vegetable department was wiped out. The store is closed on Sunday and they get new produce on Monday. Late Saturday was not a good time to shop.

The cheese department is enormous and has varieties from all over Europe. The bottles above and below the cheese display suggest which wines are best with each cheese.

 The other end of the cheese counter...

More cheese...the yogurt and butter counters are also enormous. More kinds of yogurt than I knew existed and all of it exquisite.

Lots of fresh fish

Super U also sells some odd stuff...

You can get photocopies, or have your picture taken at a photo booth.

You can recycle electronics.

You can buy some lumber, or a mattress or a small couch...you can even buy a washer/dryer or micro-wave or other small appliances. This is not a big store, it's not a department store either, but it has a hardware aisle, an aisle of books, some clothing...a bit of everything.

Word of warning! The French are famous for their strikes and protest's, especially French farmers, who take their profession very, very seriously. Do NOT piss off a French farmer!

You might wake up to pigs in the supermarche!