CarolJean

We will be driving around Normandy and Brittany for several weeks and I would like to have a cooler for picnic items. Would an hypermarche have such a thing (or a bricolage?) Also, is ice available?
This seem pretty elementary, but I've never tried to do this before. We usually just find a place for lunch but Brittany seems perfect for picnics.
Thanks for all your replys to such a dumb question. CJ

Kaneohe

Hmmm...try MonoPrix or one of the large grocery stores...???

Michael

If you can't find one (Leclerc might be another store that would carry them) you will be reduced to buying your picnic items on a daily basis. Things could be worse.

margyb

I bring a collapsable soft sided cooler with me because I've had trouble finding an inexpensive one in French stores. The bigger problem is ice....I never was able to find it for sale anywhere...even the largest grocery stores. I brought blue ice with me and each evening would ask our hotel to put one in their freezer and I'd keep the other one in the cooler. There wasn't always a freezer available, but it worked out most of the time.

margy

blackduff

Auchan, Carrefour or any of the other large stores.

GIFI will have a cheaper version, so it might be the best choice.

Most of the places for something sports, Decathlon would have a good choice of coolers and they would have the most price variation.

Ice can now be provided in most larger supermarkets. There are bags of cubes and larger blocks of ice. Bring/buy one of the insulation bags-a euro or so-to keep the ice from melting before you get to the car.

Have a good trip.

Blackduff

kerouac

Hypermarkets sell both ice chest and ice. Often the ice is well hidden, however. In certain cases, you can take a plastic bag to the adjoining cafeteria and load up on ice from the ice machine. This sometimes takes rare aplomb, as one tends to feel guilty doing it in front of everybody.

CarolJean

Thank you so much for all of your responses. I will look around for a collapsible cooler here. I could fill it with dirty clothes on the way home (or just toss it.) I do have an insulated bag which I will take, along with some large ziplock bags. Again, thanks! CJ

SuzieC

and during your travels, if in a small town and ice becomes a premium to you...consider the fish market or department in the stores. The mongers can be very gracious about fresh "unfishy" ice they have stored. That worked for us during our barge trip in Burgundy.

Underhill

We always buy a small cooler chest for storing water, primarily, and have nad no trouble finding them in the larger supermarkets.

CarolJean

Thanks Suzie - that's a great tip! Thanks also to Underhill. I've just looked at Ger's pictures of Locranan and now have put that on the places to visit. The pictures are great. CJ

Underhill

About the ice: we take one of those blue-ice containers with us and ask our hotels to put it in the freezer each nice.

monet77

The Picard frozen food chain sells a very nice soft-sided cooler. Last one I bought was 7 euros.

CarolJean

Monet - Another great idea! Thank you. CJ

celticdreams

I couldn't find a cooler in German grocery stores to save my life last month. However - I stumbled on a camping/outdoor store and found the perfect one for 9E

Underhill

Just remembered that many supermarkets sell insulated bags, good for keeping things at least cool for several hours. I've brought some home for use in our hot summers when taking cold/frozen foods home from the store.

starrsville

I also travel often with a very nice collapsible cooler. Usually use it as my carryon. As soon as I get in the rental car, I empty the stuff in it (purse, guidebooks, novel, and other stuff for the plane) and am ready for a stop to buy drinks and snacks. Tuck in some ziploc bags for ice.