Today on Facebook someone asked, seriously, whether they should stock up on underwear before moving here.
That got me thinking about one of the really big differences between France and Canada: the fact that so much of what you buy here is still manufactured in the country, or at the very worst elsewhere within the EU.
And I’m not just talking about the Renault, Citroën , and Peugot cars that positively dominate the roads. Food isn’t shipped in from China or even Africa. Clothing often as not is made here. Books, newspapers, and magazines are a thriving industry that isn’t overwhelmed by American and British publications. Television… well, OK, an exception, with American series dubbed into French. And movies are still dominated maybe 60% by US blockbusters.
Stores as well are uniquely French. You don’t see WalMart or Costco, and even Ikea is a long drive from Alençon. Fast food exists, but it doesn’t dominate the food universe like in Canada or the US, and it’s still the case that the bulk of cafés and restaurants are local, and often still family owned.
Supermarkets are of course supermarkets, but Intermarché and E Leclerc and Carrefour are still distinctly French, and all of them still have real meat and seafood counters, with real butchers and fishmongers.
What strikes me in all of this is a feeling that overall the quality of what we buy in France is just a little bit better. Whether that is because of consumer laws, or geography, or just because French retailers respect their customers and aren’t allowed to get away with selling crap is a mystery.
Or maybe it’s simpler than that. When you walk into a store, or restaurant, or any business, within moments someone will call out a cheerful “Bonjour!” And you’ll smile and respond in kind. After a few visits they know you, and you know them, and you’ll both feel respected and appreciated. Once that happens, you’re pretty much guaranteed to get good service. And at least a short conversation before you leave.
In France retail of any sort is about the relationship, not just about making money. And that’s a positive thing.