'Monoprix uses bikes : http://www.lsa-conso.fr/mediatheque/...00012297_5.jpg'

That's really cool. :-)

thank you manachem....I had not found that when I searched. RM67....Bikes cool.....Link doesn't work for me but still cool

pvoyageuse.....Cool picture. Thanks

Photobear - I'm really sorry that you've had to justify yourself on here. Unfortunately you're not the first and won't be the last.

As you mention, there are some very odd people populating these forums who must lead very small lives and feel the need to attack someone for wanting to do some shopping.

Actually 'odd' doesn't even begin to cover it...

menachem - I've lived in cities for most of my life too including London, Lyon and Geneva (unfortunately) and spent a lot of time in Paris and have never shopped in the way you so patronisingly describe.

I'm very glad that you have the time to do shopping every couple of days but as you mention, many people do, just as many people don't. What I don't understand is why so many people seem to take offence at the way someone wants to shop. I can't believe the amount of condescending, vitriolic posts photobear's post has generated.

I realise that most posters on this site aren't in the first flush of youth, but the number of threads that quickly devolve into the equivalent of old people arguing in their nursing home over the "right" way to do something, never ceases to amaze me.

No need to even set foot in a store if you don't want to.

www.monoprix.fr
www.franprix.fr

You can order and they will deliver. Or you can try

www.ooshop.com

That's Carrefour, one of the biggest retailers in the world.

It is probably interesting to know that Franprix and Monoprix are owned by the same company (Groupe Casino) but most Franprix stores are cheaper.

I don't have a dog in this fight, but I can't help but comment that this is one of the saddest threads I've come upon, and there have been plenty.

Photobear, I'm so sorry your question has engendered such mean spirited judgement and superiority.

It's a simple and reasonable question, and I felt like I was in some parallel universe or I'd fallen down some rabbit hole reading some of the bewildering posts.

Kudos to those who were helpful. Lots of folks really are great and want to assist.

As they say in 12 step, "take what you need, and leave the rest".

I hope you have a great trip after all the difficulties you've had the last few years, not that you owe anyone here an explanation.

I thought Monoprix was Cheaper....good to know. I do believe the closest to us is a Franprix so good to know.

I actually really look forward to grocery shopping as I did grow up with my folks owning the grocery store in our town. Hubby likes odd and exotic food items.....I'm sure he will be in heaven and make grocery shopping a 3 hr ordeal...LOL

Photobear, I know the forum gets rough sometimes. I don't know why many seem to have an attitude....I occasionally drop off for a while when I need a break. However, most of the posts are helpful, so I always end up here again. Don't let the negative posts, etc...deter you. It happens a lot, unfortunately. Take the advice that is helpful and leave the rest. The same happens to many posters (and it's too bad).

I am sure your trip will be wonderful.

Monoprix is the most expensive chain in France.

http://lexpansion.lexpress.fr/entrep...e_1495533.html

Photobear : here is a list of stores which deliver groceries in Paris and area. It includes Picard (frozen food). Forget the comments about Parisians buying their evening dinner one chicken breast at a time on their way back from work. :-)

<< menachem - I've lived in cities for most of my life too including London, Lyon and Geneva (unfortunately) and spent a lot of time in Paris and have never shopped in the way you so patronisingly describe. >>>

Your mileage does vary though the mind boggles as to why my description should be "patronising" while I also go out of my way to locate bakeries and an online supermarket that delivers for the OP.

The point is (again, because apparently you don't bother to read this thread in its entirety): where their apartment is, Avenue Rapp, is one of those rare places in Paris where supermarkets are thin on the ground. So it makes sense to organize logistics. Where I often am, on Rue des Rosiers, I have to walk maybe 5 minutes before reaching a market or bakery. In Rotterdam: same. So, I can play it by ear most of the time, and don't have to plan far in advance: I can just pop out to the market, at the end of the day and/or bring home stuff I get during the day. I believe that's what cities are also for, if you have everything within walking distance, I find that behaviour does change. Before Rotterdam I lived in Amsterdam Zuidoost, a sprawling suburb, without a car, with a long walk to the supermarket. Guess what I did there: buy a trolley and stock up during a weekly shopping trip. It's also nice to try new habits, temporarily. And that's maybe why such a heated discussion developed. To me, one of joys of inner city life is this kind of casual, occasional, but high frequency shopping.

Apparently I hit a nerve with you. For that I apologize. But also no need to state that I'm "patronizing". For which I accept apologies.

Yes Kerouac, Monoprix is expensive, but it's not as if they're moving permanently to Paris. And it's about the convenience also.

Photobear, French supermarkets often have wonderful things! Have fun exploring!

This is a bizarre thread, to say the least. Water is sold in shrink-wrapped six or eight-packs of 1.5 liter bottles--that's everything from big brands such as Vittel and Evian to less expensive perfectly fine brands. They are very heavy. I can barely carry one from the store to the car. Of course you can buy singles which often aren't on the shelves, people just open the large packs and take one or two or what ever.

I guess I should confess at this point that I live WAY outside Paris in SW France but habits are similar. Many people drink bottled water--the shelving devoted to bottled water is similar to the amount of shelving devoted to baked beans in England (frame of reference for janisj). They are sold this way in Paris, leven in smaller carrefour express shops. I know because a friend and I carried one pack two blocks to our hotel, trading off every few hundred yards.

As for using a taxi, why not? If there's not a stand near the grocery, phone for one. A taxi you order by phone will already have 10 or so euros on its metre, the driver is not going to mind a short trip. If you feel guilty, give a nice tip.

I love shopping for groceries in France, Paris in particular. I haven't read all the replies but be sure to check what shops are in your immediate neighborhood, you could find everything you need. Being able to order online might be convenient depending on delivery times but you'll miss the fun of seeing and chosing from the array of foods on offer.

Interesting debate... was wondering how such a simple thread could attract so many posts.

Ker is nearly a local, with the double advantage of being born in the US but living like a local (sisi, ca esxiste des gens qui s'adaptent)...

I've never shopped in Paris - I eat at restaurant...

When we're in France, we take our car to the largest supermarket around and bring back groceries for at least one week. I'm a Belgian, we are not that different from the Frenchs.

Guess what - Frenchs also have kids, and not all of them like to shop every day to fetch eggs one by one : they also have fridges and fill those up.
Guess what : I mostly drink sparkling water - found a way to make it with tapwater but frankly, I just buy my water by packs/crates whatever but in large quantities.

Same goes for the rest of my family - not so much ecolo, ok, but if you want to save the planet, come to Europe in a rowing boat or leave others alone...

So Photo, since I'm half French, I should have warned you that Frenchs are rude, but certainly not ruder than some (most) on the thread... but at least since we're not on a triger-deletion happy forum, posts say and we can meke ourselves an opinion on those posters.

I'd follow Ker's and some other senssible one's advice and if not possible, just book a cab and fill his trunk...
Is it the Christ or the Beatles who said 'let it be' ?

But my final advice is much more intelligent : drop the water : drink only WINE if you want to live like a local :-)
Start drinking from the supermarket, it will get lighter and lighter.

Enjoy your holiday.
Wow - quite a long post... Bon, where is my glass of wine, made me thirsty.

Pariswat....Bonjour, Je suis Acadienne de la côte est du Canada. Merci pour vos mots si charmants. J'aimerais boire que du vin mais je suis allergique a l'alcool....Mon mari dit que c'est une bonne idée....LOL

I looked up pictures of the inside of a Franprix....Looks like lots of fun. So many choices. The one thing I hate to buy without knowing the right brand is toilet paper but we will play Russian roulette with that one.LOL

Ah merci Photobear...
J'ai encore un drapeau Québecois dans la maison après une année extraordinaire passée à Québec city..

Should you need help to carry your water, I'm every week in Paris !!!

We have rented apartments in several places across Europe. We had the luck in a couple to be asked by the management for a "first shop" grocery list which they stocked the apartment with prior to our arrival.

Have you inquired if your rental manager can do that? I always tip when they drag in all the groceries, but it helps a lot. Then, we only have to shop "daily" for bread, fruit and perishables. Just a suggestion.

pariswat....will do

Lotus toilet paper is good, their tissues (pur blanc) as well.

Lotus is the premium brand, but a lot of the store brands are just as good. But in any case Photobear has made it clear that as much or as little money can be spent for such things as desired. Generally, my advice is only good for helping budget travellers because I am a notorious skinflint.

Well....thank you.....I was just making a funny but I will look for Lotus cause my Mom usually likes the EXPENSIVE stuff here....I usually just get store brands.

I feel cheated as I have never had the Lotus brand!

Photobear
Have fun and laugh at the rude comments.
Wonder how long one must go without love to fuss about your shopping habits.
Then they want a trip report.
Fodors needs to weed the garden.
I have 2 trip reports ready,but Jamikins has gone along with the a few others who inspired my travels.
What a shame to keep b.s. posters like a few on this thread jj

.....

You know, I have been reading this, and am amused that so many of you will jump on the one snarky remark by a poster, and then completely ignore the insane outburst(s) by the OP here. Fodors does not need 'to weed the garden' and name calling, yes you SaylorT, about what you term a 'few b.s.posters' speaks to what I believe are your own issues with some posters here.

I wish the OP well in her shopping endeavors, but it is also quite true that what she seems to want to do is more of an North American shopping experience than what many of us see in Paris. I honestly think you will do best using a taxi service rather than trying to have items delivered, unless you care to spend time in your apartment waiting for said delivery. And besides the shopping in foreign markets is really the fun part. Enjoy whatever you choose to do. I would personally ease up a bit on the heavy items, unless of course they are bottles of wine, not water.

I am only stating the obvious.
I did not name the weeds.
If you guessed it was a certain poster
Maybe you know which weeds to pull Aye

No, you are only stating your opinion, as am I. Not the obvious. But I am also amused when relatively new posters think they know so much about people who may be quirky, but have been invaluable members of this community. For years. Off with their heads, pull the weeds, etc.

And it is BS to try and tell the OP how much water she can buy. That's not name calling.
That's calling it what it is

Silly

Fodors needs new posters
Like I told you last month.
Oh and I guess I'm no longer on your ignore list.
Give up on running new posters off

Of course Fodors needs new posters, but show some respect please. And as to last month, I can barely remember what I wrote or said yesterday, so I do hope you are not keeping score about anything. But I kind of think you are. And FYI I actually agree with the water comment, but perhaps I would have said it differently. That comment was hardly as bad as the response it got. I think the OP can defend herself quite nicely.

I have given more than I have received.
You called me stupid and I asked the moderators to remove the comment.
They removed it

Yes I do remember the insult.You also mentioned that I was new and you would add me to your ignore list.
Now you want to tell me to to be polite.
Just because people are new to the forum does not make us less
Be nice to new members and you might learn something New.
Have a nice month.
Im going Europe.

Bye, have a nice trip. But I do think you are confusing me with someone else. I doubt I called you stupid, not my style. But you do have a chip on your shoulder about something here. Maybe it will disappear on vacation.

I could not read every post, but of what I did read, I did not see an answer to the OP's question.
Dear OP,
YES the grocery stores on rue Cler deliver! There is a minimum purchase for free delivery. And as a Mom who raised a family in Paris, I can tell you that this is what locals do! I have never, ever schlepped home my water and cleaning supply purchases. The caddy that others mentioned is handy for fresh produce purchase, laundry day and the like, but if people paid attention, they'd see that many, many locals are getting their groceries delivered;
PARISWAT- Lovely to see you. Adored your comment about buying our eggs one by one.

Hello Phread,
Good to see you on Fodors. One day we'll all be here...

(It may disappointing for some here to realize that some newcomers are oldtimers from other forums who got banned or have quit...or both).

I keep seeing this thread pop up…I wasn’t really planning on posting on it, but I guess I’ll chime in with my two cents. I am a newbie here… And for the most part, I enjoy the travel forum. I love to hear about everyone’s adventures. I love to hear about your ideas, what you recommend, what you like, what you don’t like. I enjoy contributing when I can with my small amount of knowledge, feeling helpful to someone else. The beauty of a place like this is that you can learn so many things that you may find useful, or even priceless, for planning your next trip. I hate to see a great travel community get un-wonderful in a hurry by negative comments. I am sure that everyone here means well and wants to help. And I understand that sometimes we all just get caught up in a thread full of opinions and lose sight of why each one of us are here...

So…call me naïve, but why don’t we get back to the basics…why we are all here...TRAVEL…it’s a beautiful, wonderful thing that we all share in common, even though we are all different. This is a global community, all ages, all backgrounds, all cultures, all travel experience levels, all interests, all different. Which is why I come here. I want different opinions so I can gather all your input and make the most educated decision for my travel that I can. But in the end, my trip won’t be your trip; your trip won’t be my trip. But we’re each taking a trip, and loving the experience (at least I hope you are). And isn’t that the point?

It's been a few years, but when we stayed in that neighborhood, both G20 and Franprix had delivery service. I believe the G20 would only be a ten minute walk for you. But, we would just distribute shopping for heavier items as we went by every few days. Our apartment did have a grocery cart with wheels, but we never bothered with it as we'd usually pick things up on our way "home" rather than make a special trip. You may not consume as much as you would presume. I would buy one small bottle of water, then liter bottles for refilling to have while out and about. We usually had to restock the wine or pick up something else, anyway.

I admit to scanning this thread.. it got weird.. so not sure if this was mentioned.. but OP.. the tap water is actually very good.. we never buy bottled water for the apartment.. just saying that so if you are stuck and can't get bottled water up to apartment its not a huge problem.