Once you arrive in Paris after a careful review of cheap traveloptions, including cheapairplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, discounttravel deals, and cheap vacation packages, ifyou are interested in shopping at Paris markets then you should familiarizeyourself with its accepted practices.
Locals shopping in outdoor Parish markets for fresh producedo so for convenience, quickly, at the market closest to them. This is not where Parisians grab a latte andmeander around, unlike American outdoor markets such as the Union SquareGreenmarket in Manhattan.
The following are tips when exploring local Paris marketsand the standalone small shops that surround them, according to AnnieFitzsimmons:
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Lookfor three letters (M.O.F.) when shopping. These letters stand for Meilleur Ouvrier de France, which means the bestcraftsmen in France. This award is givenby the French Ministry of Labor for life for ultimate excellence. Cheesemongers, butchers, chocolatiers, andbakers are among the honorees and can be recognized by their red, white, andblue ribbons sewn into white chef jackets.
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Dontshop with an attitude and act like you have entered a strangers home. While in America most shoppers helpthemselves with minimal human contact, in France most foreign shoppers telltheir hosts what they would like via hand signals or broken French, and letthem do the rest. Almost all proprietorsspeak enough bakery-cheese-chocolate-wine English for visitors to beunderstood.
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Giventhat there are no monopolies, be aware that individual outdoor markets havemore than one cheese vendor, more than one foie gras vendor, and so on. If you are not satisfied at the first vendoryou look at, keep on shopping.
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Beaware that long queues do not necessarily suggest that is where the best foodcan be found. When looking for bakeries,look for the word artisanal, which is regulated in France for strict qualitycontrol, or the name of an actual person on the awning, such as artisan bakerEric Kayser.
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Onceyou get in line at a bakery it is important to know up front what youwant. Shoppers can customize theirbread, croissants or pastries (bien cuit for a well done baguette, pas biencuit for light) and should use the trays on the counter to place theirbills. If there are shoe imprints inflour on the floor that is a sign of a great bakery because the bread is beingmade in the shop and not from somewhere else.
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Shoppingfor cheese takes longer because Parisians often mull over the best options witha shops cheese consultants. It is worthyou time to speak to one of these experts. Be aware that the more aged the Comte is, the better and saltier it is.
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Donttouch any product (such as pressing your thumb into a tomato or peach to testfor ripeness) in shops. In Paris theaccepted practice is to point and discuss with the seller once you have decidedwhat you want.
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