Grocery stores in Paris are absolutely essential to visit if you are spending an extended period of time in the city, looking to visit Paris on a budget, or just want a taste of how the locals live! While everyone knows quite a bit about cute Parisians restaurants, there isn’t much information out there about French supermarkets. Grocery stores in Paris are surprisingly easy to navigate and visiting one of the many in Paris is a great experience for locals and foreigners alike.
Although it should go without saying, foreigners should note that products in Paris supermarkets are not in English. That means that you need to download some essential travel apps like Google Translate before you go grocery shopping in Paris so you aren’t completely lost. If you don’t speak French, you will have a hard time identifying ingredients and labels in French supermarkets so a little additional help is always good to have nearby.
Save money in Paris by staying at an Airbnb! Get a FREE $40 Airbnb Coupon by using our code when you book! We stayed at Aribnb’s in Paris every trip [we have been 5-6 times] and they really let you live like a local!
5 Things To Know About Grocery Stores In Paris
#1. Grocery stores in Paris really aren’t that expensive
Compared to the high price of food at Parisian cafes and restaurants, Parisian supermarkets are actually quite reasonably priced! When traveling to Paris, you can end up spending money quite quickly. Stocking up on some affordable goods from a Paris grocery store can help your wallet. For example, you can purchase an entire loaf of fresh bread for about $2USD, a liter of juice for $1.50, or fresh ravioli for $2.50.
The prices at supermarkets in Paris are surprisingly low when compared to the price of food, coffee, and alcohol in the majority of the city. If you are on vacation in Paris, head to one of the Paris grocery stores and grab lunch food and some fruit and only eat dinner out. You will get to enjoy a unique perspective on Parisian life and your wallet will thank you!
#2. Supermarkets in Paris have a super popular machine where you can squeeze your own orange juice
Who doesn’t love fresh squeezed orange juice? The kind from the store tastes okay, but if you have ever put in the effort to squeeze your own, you will know that it has a deliciously fresh taste. Pretty much all of the grocery stores in Paris have their own crazy-cool machine where you put in a whole orange and out pops fresh squeezed orange juice.
You can choose from a few different bottle sizes, depending on if you want to drink some on the go or if you want to take a liter home to enjoy over the course of a few days. If this sounds positively delightful to you, head to just about any grocery store in Paris and get ready to taste this fresh orange juice!
#3. Many grocery stores in Paris don’t offer a large selection of fruits or vegetables
While some of the larger grocery store chains such as Franprix and Monoprix do offer a wider selection of fruits and vegetables, many grocery stores in Paris offer very limited options. Don’t worry, though! There is usually always an outdoor Parisian market nearby selling a ton of fresh fruits and vegetables.
While Paris grocery stores carry some fruits and vegetables, they carry all of the frozen food items, canned items, and boxed goods. Fruit and vegetable markets in Paris just carry fresh produce and don’t carry much else. If you are looking for a specific fresh produce item, a grocery store in Paris may not have it but a smaller Parisian produce market most likely will.
#4. Franprix and Monoprix are the most popular Paris grocery stores
Franprix is the most popular supermarket in Paris and you will most likely find a few in every neighborhood. Franprix stores range from smaller corner stores to larger locations that are quite big by European grocery store standards. Monoprix is another one of the more popular grocery stores in Paris and even offers a variety of home goods, cleaning products, and more in addition to food products.
There are a variety of other Paris grocery store chains in the city along with locally owned French grocery stores. If you are after that tasty fresh-squeezed orange juice mentioned above, you can bet that a nearby Franprix grocery store in Paris has a machine waiting nearby just for you!
#5. Supermarkets in Paris make you pay for bags so don’t forget to bring your own
Europeans are all about “going green” and saving the environment and Paris supermarkets are no different. Like many other European grocery stores, French grocery stores require customers to pay for bags upon checkout. This is a great way to save the environment but can be an unexpected cost if you aren’t prepared. You can buy a pack of reusable shopping bags for just $1.50 and toss a few in your suitcase when you travel to Paris.
When going to the supermarket in France, Parisians usually always bring their own reusable grocery bag, pull a little grocery cart, or carry their produce in backpacks. Grocery shop like a true Parisian and bring your own eco-friendly shopping bags so you don’t have to pay additional money at checkout.
Quick tips for visiting supermarkets in Paris:
-Avoid going in the evening or after dinner. Many Parisians head to supermarkets in Paris on their way home from work so the 5-7pm time is often the busiest. This isn’t always the case 100% of the time but if you can visit a Paris supermarket in the early afternoon or late morning, you will most likely not run into crowds. Grocery shopping in Paris can take quite a while if it is busy and the checkout lines are long so if you don’t have time go when it isn’t as crowded.
-If you are paying with cash, make sure you have it ready. Paris is a busy city and as is customary in busy cities, people don’t want to wait around for you to take out coins while at the Paris supermarket. We don’t care if you are in Paris, NYC, New Delhi, or Portland, no one feels like waiting around when they are in a rush. Avoid stares and annoying other shoppers at supermarkets in Paris by having your cash or card ready when it is your turn to check out.
-Paris supermarkets may be closed on Sundays. On Sundays, practically half of the city shuts down and this includes Paris grocery stores. If you are hoping to shop on a Sunday, think again because your favorite supermarket in Paris may be closed. Do your shopping the night before and enjoy your time off to relax on a Sunday like the Parisians do! Pay Paris grocery stores a visit during the week and take the weekend off to eat some delicious food!
-Some Paris grocery stores are much larger or smaller than others. We would have to say that we would classify most Paris supermarkets to be “small to medium” compared to American grocery stores. That being said, Paris grocery stores can vary from being very small to quite large, comparatively speaking. Monoprix Paris stores are typically larger, but there are also smaller stores in different neighborhoods around the city.
-Many supermarkets in Paris close around 8-9pm. Make sure you note the closing time for Paris grocery stores if you want to come back later. Many American grocery stores close at 10-11pm so if you are an American visiting Paris take note that Paris supermarkets may close up shop right at 8pm. We wouldn’t want you to walk all the way there to find out the grocery store in Paris is indeed closed! Take note of the times to avoid inconvenience later.
Don’t forget to pack these 5 things for your trip to Paris:
- A packable and reusable shopping bag for when you head to the grocery stores in Paris
- A good pair of walking shoes so you can easily explore Paris by foot
- A fashionable yet warm scarf so you will fit in with the chic Parisians
- A mini polaroid camera for a unique way to capture your memories in Paris
- A chic leather backpack so you can tote your stuff in style
Shopping in Parisian grocery stores is much less expensive and stressful than one might think! As long as you keep all of these tips in mind, you will have quite an enjoyable experience. Have you ever shopped at one of the grocery stores in Paris? Tell us how it went in the comments!
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I live in Paris and compared to other European cities, I find Paris around 1.5x to 2x as expensive as other western European cities that I’ve lived in (Brussels & Amsterdam). I really wouldn’t call it cheap besides in comparison to eating out. You’re missing Carrefour, which is the main supermarket in Paris.
That is so interesting to hear!! We have grocery shopped in about 15 European countries and we actually thought the Paris ones weren’t too bad!! Ireland was super expensive though! We didn’t shop in Brussels or Amsterdam though so we really can’t compare to those countries!
Karen, I only can compare Paris to Germany and yes, it IS a bit more expensive but I wouldn’t say the difference is HUGE. I believe if you are in Paris as a tourist/visitor, you compare it with eating out and then yeah, the difference is huge. (means: the difference of eating out in Paris compared to Germany is way more expensive than the supermarkets in Paris are .. I think thats not too clear, but I hope you get anyway what I mean) 😀
(oh, I am talking about normal supermarkets, not Daily Monop`, Carrefour Express and such, they are ripping you off ^^)
Dear Lena,
Would you be able to recommend some shops where we don’t get ripped off? Just moved to Paris, in 16th arrondissement, I do find supermarkets expensive.
Any tips to make this city a bit more budget friendly would be highly appreciated.
Many thanks
I spent a fortune buying their reusable shopping bags this summer!!! But it is my first recommendation to anyone headed to France …. pack a grocery bag! or two!
I like the idea of fresh squeezed OJ as an option. That’s very cool.
I discovered one of the machines last September at Carrefour at the top of B Racine….sooooo delicious and reasonable at aprx €3.20 litre. Now there are more and more of them, even at tiny little street markets.
Hi! This was a fun and very helpful article! Thank you for posting it! ?
Thank you!!!! Glad it could help someone out!
Love Paris supermarkets. Try the Special K with shaved chocolate. Always bring home sea salt in the cute little box. And the orange juice is delicious but a bit expensive.
Omg! We need to try looking for the sea salt in the cute box!!! Thanks for sharing!
Very informative and useful!
Yay!! So glad we could be of help!
The best souvenir… buy the 2 pound poly bag of gray sea salt for about 2e, bring it home, parse it out in small cellophane bags, tie the bags up with ribbon, and attach a handwritten gift tag. Cheap, easy, and loved by cooks everywhere!
Oh my GOSH!!! Love this sooooo much! Thank you for commenting!
I learned about bringing your own reusable bag in the 60’s. I thought it was so chic then and tried to use it here to no avail until I met with Trader Joe’s. My original canvas bags are thrashed and now of legal age. The Parisian bags were plastic fishnet.
Also, it was more fun to walk and shop rather than taking the car everywhere.
When I started to travel, the shops were tiny, refrigerators not always available, and we got our fresh squeezed orange juice at the corner bar after class. Fond memories.
I love the Paris grocery stores! The best store-bought cookies ever are the Bonne Maman Galettes au beurre frais… box of 12. Buttery with a hint of salt…delish! Not available in the USA to my knowledge, although the jars of preserves are…nothing artificial with actual pieces of fruit in each yummy jar. Best price is at Walmart groceries! On one visit to Carrefour in the Rue Cler area
(my favorite), I was disappointed to not find the already bottled (and equally fresh and delicious as the do-it-yourself) fresh squeezed orange juice when a stock person offered assistance to the extent of asking me to please wait a few minutes while he stopped what he was doing and went upstairs to the stock room and brought me some. I was so touched by his kind gesture as I am by so many others whenever I visit this amazing city!
I loved the reusable fabric bags available for purchase at the French grocery stores. Only a few Euros and a fantastic souvenir or gift. I am reminded of a wonderful trip every time I use mine at home!
Good article. Be mindful..in some stores you must weigh veggies before purchase. Be sure you know your milk labels..cream labels, yogurt labels! Have fun!
I loved the grocery stores of Paris. I even got to window shop in Le Bon Market. I loved everything about Paris when my husband and I visited for 5 days in 2017. The OJ was superb. I am “ of a certain age” and I do remember having Squeezed OJ as a child and it was a special treat in North Atlantic Canada in the late 50’s. The bread is So fresh and Paul’s eclairs lived up to their reputation. Would love to return! Thanks for the remembering of an amazing time in my life
I just love your blog, Thanks for sharing such a nice information about Grocery .
Can anyone recommend where to buy a duvet / bedding and some kitchenware in Paris? I’ll actually be based in Cergy Pontoise… a bit far from everything.
I love my reusable shopping bags from Monoprix, I use them all the time. I think they are magic because I can fit a lot of stuff in them. Plus since they are nylon I wash them regularly to keep them clean. Best purchase ever. In other parts of France other stores in addition to supermarkets don’t have bags. So they are a necessity.
Recently visited Paris, 2 weeks ago, always visited Franprix, for some stuff, reasonable prices, I was really surprised by the orange juicer, awesome. Visited Brusells, went a small Carrefour, prices were comparable to Paris, but found Aamsterdam a bit cheaper. We had a great holiday…
I found this article to be extremely helpful, as well as the comments. My husband and I will be traveling to Paris this month with my daughter. Im anxious to see how all of this great info gets out to use!
I travel to France from the US at least once a year and rather than buying useless trinkets as gifts, I love bringing back interesting supermarket and drugstore finds that we can’t get in the US. Also I’ve found that where you shop matters. Some neighborhoods are cheaper than others
What a great tip!
Once I have my covid vaccine and can resume travelling, Paris is at the top of the list for a long stay (min 3 weeks). In the fall of 2019 I spent 8 days in Florence at the start of a 7 wk trip, and made use of the little supermarket on my street. All of the above recommendations, except the OJ machine applied. A fresh juice machine would have been great. Most AirBnBs provide a few basic kitchen items, and in the case of my Florence apt they left me enough tea bags and coffee pods to cover breakfast for my entire stay. I always purchase a small package of pasta and a jar (not can) of sauce. I cook up the pasta the first night and pour sauce on it. The leftover pasta and partial jar of sauce go into the fridge for quick microwave meals over the next 2-3 days. When you run out of sauce, turn the remaining pasta into a salad with veggies plus the oil usually included at the rental. I purchase fruit, pastries, yogurt and eggs for breakfasts, and get rolls, sliced meat, cheese, tomatoes and olives for lunch or evening snacks. If I’ll be away from the apartment for lunch it’s easy to take hard boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, grapes and my water bottle with me to minimize time lost to lunch when trying to get the most out of a museum pass that is valid for a set amount of time. Many stores sell rolls or croissants individually or in small quantities so I can make little sandwiches for breakfast or lunch. As a solo traveler it is sometimes tricky to plan meals without massive amounts of leftovers. I find European stores much easier in this regard. At home in Canada it’s far more difficult to buy a single piece of meat or just two rolls, rather than a family sized package. In general, fridges are smaller in Europe, particularly in rental places, and the stores reflect this. As a rule Europeans shop more often in smaller quantities. They don’t buy massive amounts of food, load up their SUVs and drag it all home to the giant fridge and chest freezer. It’s always a shock to come home after a lengthy stay in Europe and see only large quantity options again. As a single person, dealing with large packages of meat, a dozen buns, etc is always an issue. Perhaps if I lived downtown rather than the suburbs I’d see more small quantity options? When I used to travel to Europe with my husband and kids, it was just financially sensible to eat breakfast in our apartment and when possible pack lunches for later. We generally always went out for dinner. Now that I’m a widow in my 50s and the kids are grown, I have kept the same travel routine of eating dinner out (or stopping at a restaurant for take out on the way home), but now rather than just budget considerations, it’s also just nice to have a leisurely start to the morning without rushing to shower and dress to go out for breakfast. For lunch I love to either take my snacks with me (bring a collapsible lunch container and ziplock bags in your suitcase), or buy street food or hit a street market for picnic items, and find a bench or fountain to sit down and people watch. Dining alone is okay but not preferable for me and dinner alone is enough for me – I use the time to review my guide book. When I book apartments, checking for a good nearby grocery store is a major part of the decision on which one to choose. Recommendation: when you check into your apartment really look at the kitchen equipment before heading out for groceries. No shredder? You’ll need to get shredded Parmesan if you are doing pasta. No colander? Get large shapes of pasta since you’ll be draining it using the pot lid (fine pasta will end up in the sink). If there are no plastic storage containers/bags/plastic wrap and you didn’t bring any, then get bags for your lunches/snacks/leftovers. Also, before your trip take a few minutes to create a first day grocery list in your phone. It can be tweaked in the store when you see what is available, but after a long trip and jet lag, the faster you can get in and out of the store and back to your apartment with that first load of groceries the better. After a good night of sleep it’s really nice to have the makings of a great breakfast. I generally use the same list on every trip, on the first day at each new apartment. As the days pass, you can top up with more adventurous choices that reflect the local specialties. If you have food allergies, look up the names of those items in the local language. The pictures on most packages will tell you what it is, but if you have an allergy issue you need to be able to spot it on food labels or ask store staff (and waiters).