Hypermarches in France
Mar 29th, 2007, 03:17 AM
#1
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Hypermarches in France
Just a fun question; what do you think about the hypermarches in France?
For myself; living in the Netherlands (with mostly rather small supermarkets, although they are getting bigger), I just love the huge hypermaraches. Just fun to walk around and check out all the products. Bet hey, I also love to roam around foreign supermarkets!
One other thing; when I first visited the USA in 2000, I thought that all the supermarkets would be like french hypermarches. But unfortunately they weren't. I must say I was a little bit dissappointed about the American supermarket size, big but no hypermarche!
For myself; living in the Netherlands (with mostly rather small supermarkets, although they are getting bigger), I just love the huge hypermaraches. Just fun to walk around and check out all the products. Bet hey, I also love to roam around foreign supermarkets!
One other thing; when I first visited the USA in 2000, I thought that all the supermarkets would be like french hypermarches. But unfortunately they weren't. I must say I was a little bit dissappointed about the American supermarket size, big but no hypermarche!
Mar 29th, 2007, 03:37 AM
#3
I would enjoy them a lot more except for the fact that I live and work in France and am often condemned to visit them on a Saturday afternoon, the worst possible time.
The Auchan at the Val d'Europe shopping mall is so huge, however, that even on a Saturday I find it totally bearable. It is also one of the rare places in France that offers self checkout.
The Auchan at the Val d'Europe shopping mall is so huge, however, that even on a Saturday I find it totally bearable. It is also one of the rare places in France that offers self checkout.
Mar 29th, 2007, 04:11 AM
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We sampled a few Auchans and Carrefours over the past 2 weeks. There were awesome. The selection of food is unbelieveable. My wife pigged out on the patisserie sections which were almost as good as in the independent shops , but less than half the "steet" price for sweets. The same cannot be said for their bread- stick to boulangeries if you want the good stuff.
Rick
Rick
Mar 29th, 2007, 04:14 AM
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Hypermarkets have a nice selection of things in one place (especially food, as compared to American stores); that's their advantage (which is why they are called hyper instead of super—super is smaller).
Unfortunately, you usually have to go out into the suburbs to find a hypermarket, as they are too large to fit in Paris (or other city centers) itself.
Unfortunately, you usually have to go out into the suburbs to find a hypermarket, as they are too large to fit in Paris (or other city centers) itself.
Mar 29th, 2007, 04:38 AM
#6
For those who would like to visit a hypermarket without really leaving Paris (after all, Val d'Europe is a good 40 minutes by RER), there are still some possibilities:
Auchan at La Défense (metro line 1)
Carrefour at Porte de Montreuil (metro line 9)
Auchan at Galliéni (metro line 3)
Carrefour at Porte d'Auteuil (metro line 10)
Carrefour at Basilique de Saint Denis (metro line 13)
Unfortunately, except for Auchan La Défense, they are somewhat smaller than the hypermarkets in areas with cheaper real estate.
Auchan at La Défense (metro line 1)
Carrefour at Porte de Montreuil (metro line 9)
Auchan at Galliéni (metro line 3)
Carrefour at Porte d'Auteuil (metro line 10)
Carrefour at Basilique de Saint Denis (metro line 13)
Unfortunately, except for Auchan La Défense, they are somewhat smaller than the hypermarkets in areas with cheaper real estate.
Mar 29th, 2007, 04:41 AM
#7
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>Unfortunately, you usually have to go out into the suburbs to find a hypermarket, as they are too large to fit in Paris (or other city centers) itself.<
That's true! But most of the time when I am in france I'll be with my car. So when getting of the Autoroute there is bound to be a hypermarche!
Although there are some hypermarches near or in city-centers (a Auchan in Lille for example, with two floors).
Also in Paris there is a very large Auchan in the www.les4temps.fr mall. It is in La defense, just a fwe stops by metro/rer from for example the metro-stations on the Champs Elyssees.
That's true! But most of the time when I am in france I'll be with my car. So when getting of the Autoroute there is bound to be a hypermarche!
Although there are some hypermarches near or in city-centers (a Auchan in Lille for example, with two floors).
Also in Paris there is a very large Auchan in the www.les4temps.fr mall. It is in La defense, just a fwe stops by metro/rer from for example the metro-stations on the Champs Elyssees.
Mar 29th, 2007, 04:42 AM
#8
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I do my weekly shopping at Carrefour in Dijon every Tuesday and I can tell you it is hard to stick to one's budget with all those discounts, special offers in every display! I'd rather go to a supermarket and stick to my usual list of food and spend less...
Poor Kerouac, Saturdays are really awful!
.
Use the self checkout ONLY when you have a little caddie or it will take much longer!
Poor Kerouac, Saturdays are really awful!
. Use the self checkout ONLY when you have a little caddie or it will take much longer!
Mar 29th, 2007, 04:55 AM
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Self-check-out is so convenient! In the Netherlands I have seen two systems (at least at the supermarkets I visit).
The first systeem is only convenient when you have only a few things: You do your shopping and at the end you scan your products.You then put them on a small conveyer-belt (correct word?) which then (Ithink) weighs your product to see if it is a match with the product you just scanned. After that the conveyer-belt takes the product through a small 'tunnel' and at the end of the belt you can collect your things.
The other system is very convenient for your staurday shopping; at the beginning of the store you take a mobile-scanner. While shopping, you scna the products you want to buy. At the end you put back your scanner and pay. And then right to your car!
The first systeem is only convenient when you have only a few things: You do your shopping and at the end you scan your products.You then put them on a small conveyer-belt (correct word?) which then (Ithink) weighs your product to see if it is a match with the product you just scanned. After that the conveyer-belt takes the product through a small 'tunnel' and at the end of the belt you can collect your things.
The other system is very convenient for your staurday shopping; at the beginning of the store you take a mobile-scanner. While shopping, you scna the products you want to buy. At the end you put back your scanner and pay. And then right to your car!
Mar 29th, 2007, 06:05 AM
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J'aime Carrefour! Was a Godsend when i spent several summers in France taking care of my son - the local Carrefour was just a km away.
Great memories of the cafeteria - where we'd go at lunch often for good food at a good price.
Carrefours have recently slashed prices i read to meet competition such as L'Eclerc (?sp) and Aldi types - Carrefour is called the world's 2nd largest retailer after WalMart but has been on rather hard times lately. Interesting enough seems to be owned by several interests including some wealthy Spanish families.
It's neat to see the staff roller-blading around the store. They no longer give out platic bags however as many of the 'grandes surfaces' don't anymore.
That said we have hypermarches just as big as Carrefour in my home town and have had since the 1970s - a tourist would not stumble on these and Super WalMarts dot the landscape.
Oui J'aime Carrefour - Ouf!
Great memories of the cafeteria - where we'd go at lunch often for good food at a good price.
Carrefours have recently slashed prices i read to meet competition such as L'Eclerc (?sp) and Aldi types - Carrefour is called the world's 2nd largest retailer after WalMart but has been on rather hard times lately. Interesting enough seems to be owned by several interests including some wealthy Spanish families.
It's neat to see the staff roller-blading around the store. They no longer give out platic bags however as many of the 'grandes surfaces' don't anymore.
That said we have hypermarches just as big as Carrefour in my home town and have had since the 1970s - a tourist would not stumble on these and Super WalMarts dot the landscape.
Oui J'aime Carrefour - Ouf!
Mar 29th, 2007, 06:11 AM
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LeClerc is a longtime favourite of mine.
On one week long vacation staying in a gite with friends we sheepishly admitted to having dropped into a hypermarche every day... they said they'd probably been twice daily!
On one week long vacation staying in a gite with friends we sheepishly admitted to having dropped into a hypermarche every day... they said they'd probably been twice daily!
Mar 29th, 2007, 06:46 AM
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I love the French hypermarches. They're like a mini vacation within our vacation! The first one we visited was near Caen, and I've been hooked ever since. There must have been 50 check out lanes!
Mar 29th, 2007, 07:07 AM
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I don't remember if it was Nice or Toulouse, but we went to one with 70 checkouts - and all were open.
My wife loves Hypermarches because she finds unique & interesting dinner & serving plates there - and at really cheap prices. Our dinner guests are "wowed".
As others have stated - don't go there on a Saturday.
Stu Dudley
My wife loves Hypermarches because she finds unique & interesting dinner & serving plates there - and at really cheap prices. Our dinner guests are "wowed".
As others have stated - don't go there on a Saturday.
Stu Dudley
Mar 29th, 2007, 07:09 AM
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I believe there are other reasons the big discount chain stores are not in big city centers, besides being too big.
France in particular has Draconian laws designed to protect smaller shops, like no Sunday hours for stores on the Champs Elysees.
But for the same reason Wal Mart isn't in Manhattan, Carrefour threatens smaller stores and it would also not be surprising if they skirt some of the labor laws the way Wal Mart does.
I remember looking through a wine book and some of the highest rated vintages for a particular year were house labels from the discount chains, including Carrefour IIRC.
The thing is, if you're staying in the center, it's just not worth going out to the end of a subway line to pick up some stuff at discount.
France in particular has Draconian laws designed to protect smaller shops, like no Sunday hours for stores on the Champs Elysees.
But for the same reason Wal Mart isn't in Manhattan, Carrefour threatens smaller stores and it would also not be surprising if they skirt some of the labor laws the way Wal Mart does.
I remember looking through a wine book and some of the highest rated vintages for a particular year were house labels from the discount chains, including Carrefour IIRC.
The thing is, if you're staying in the center, it's just not worth going out to the end of a subway line to pick up some stuff at discount.
Mar 29th, 2007, 07:12 AM
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At a "Giant", in the south, (I shop at a SuperG here in the states...) they had a unique "fromagerie". They had selected and cut little bits of several kinds of cheese...you know, the kind you're supposed to serve on an ideal cheese tray of a hard, soft, goats, sheet, etc.
It was PERFECT for the two of us for selected picnics or just bread, cheese wine and "vous" dinners. And was inexpensive!
... wish they'd do that here.
It was PERFECT for the two of us for selected picnics or just bread, cheese wine and "vous" dinners. And was inexpensive!
... wish they'd do that here.
Mar 29th, 2007, 07:16 AM
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>Super Walmarts weren't around in 2000?<
They were around and I have visted, but IMHO they focus more on non-food and compared tot hypermarches less on food.
But I did like US supermarkets (especially Albertson's). A lot bigger than Dutch supermarkets, a lot of products we don't see in the Netherlands and very clean and neat! But somehow I had thought they would even be bigger!
What I also like from hypermarches are the huge amount of check-outs and all the other shops before the actual hypermarche. One stop shopping!
They were around and I have visted, but IMHO they focus more on non-food and compared tot hypermarches less on food.
But I did like US supermarkets (especially Albertson's). A lot bigger than Dutch supermarkets, a lot of products we don't see in the Netherlands and very clean and neat! But somehow I had thought they would even be bigger!
What I also like from hypermarches are the huge amount of check-outs and all the other shops before the actual hypermarche. One stop shopping!
Mar 29th, 2007, 07:22 AM
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Yes Dutch supermarkets are a pain - terribly congested and often long lines - and if you are in at closing time and don't scurry to the caisse you'll get a chorus of yells to do so.
Not consumer friendly at all. Tot Ziens!
Not consumer friendly at all. Tot Ziens!
