Shopping for food

Everyone knows about the marvelous marchés in french villages but most tourists don’t venture into our local supermarchés. We have four supermarkets around our town but our local Leclerc is an attraction for all our friends who like to food shop. It is a combination of Woolworths, Big W, Dan Murphy’s, and Harvey Norman’s electrical section.

In one visit you can buy a computer, a fridge, outdoor furniture, all your tableware and kitchenware (including the stove), the paraphernalia for bottling your own wine or preparing your own preserves and jams, ammunition and fishing gear, clothing, and then, of course,  there’s the food and wine.

There are the usual supermarket aisles (two) full of pre-packaged and ‘industrial’ cheeses and then there is the gourmet cheese section.

Just too many choices

Decisions, decisions...

There are seven aisles of wine, spirits and beers, and then there is the wine cave for the better wines where you can have the chateau marked wooden box if you buy at least 6 bottles. Most of the wines are ‘local’. When asked  “why don’t you offer wines from other areas / new world ? “  , the answer is always  “why should we when we have so many good wines here “. Hard to argue with the logic.

Nooo Paul...

In the 'cave' with the upper class wines

In the charcuterie section there can be at least 20 different choices of foie gras – more at Christmas.

Graham does love his foie gras

Fresh fruit and vegetables come from all over Europe and the french territories in Africa and the Caribbean.

As we are about 2 hours from the Atlantic there is always fresh seafood and the water tank is always full of homards (lobster) and crab.

Naturally the bakery section is enormous and bread is baked 3 times each day and you can often buy 3 baguettes for €1.00.

And the desserts….. you can buy fresh eclairs packaged in half dozens with either coffee or chocolate filling ( or both if you prefer) , tartes aux pomme, jesuits and réligieuses , paris brest, petit choux sucre, pain au chocolate et croissant, layered slabs of crème patissiere and chocolate and anything else you can think of.

Our thanks to our friends Georgina and Paul for these wonderful pictures - I'm too embarrassed to be seen taking photos in my local supermarket. We have just had the pleasure of their company again here in France and we love their enthusiasm. 

This is the fabulous house warming gift from the very thoughtful Georgina and Paul bought from a local decorator shop. It will be the centre piece for many a dinner party. Thank you so much.

  It's Fêtes de grande-mère here on Sunday so "Bonne Fête" to you know who.

Merci beaucoup mes amis et à bientôt