Why is everything so expensive in France?

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Leg of lamb in Monoprix - around 30 euros, Dove deodorant, over 4 euros, grotty looking lump of stewing steak in supermarket, 15 euros. Satsumas worked out at over a euro each. Cannot find children's pyjamas for less than 16 euros. And don't get me started on the overpriced and scrawny chickens. I know that part of this has to do with the exchange rate and the French propping up and subsidising the farmers, but I go to the supermarket for a few bits and end up spending 50 euros on not very much at all. Rant over.

whew! relieved to know the websites & internet shopping is alive & well!
lugging heavy bags back would be impossible, literally. I sometimes need a walking stick!

Yes, you need to watch out for your back in Paris - all the walking around is good for the heart, lungs and leg muscles, but carrying shopping while pushing a pushchair for miles a day is very heavy on the shoulders and back.

Ah yes, memories of flopping on sofa exhausted.
DH: Why are you so tired? What did you do today?
Me: Walked to the shops!

Did discover buses are better if traveling with push chair. Do not attempt metro with pushchair and any shopping! up down up down endless steps!

Definitely bus, rather than metro or even car (underground car parks often have lots of steps too, even though they are increasingly installing lifts up to pavement).

We went to france on holiday last year, cheap ferry crossing, great we thought until we saw the food prices. I'm vegetarian. Cost us a fortune.£50 a time for a basket of food and nothing for me. We returned in September, booked a cheap ferry £34- Norfolk Line up to 4 people and started getting stocked up with food. Now have enough food for this year. If you are living in France, it could be worth while getting a trip ferry to the Uk and stocking up with lots of food from Tesco. If you are planning a holiday, start buying food as soon as you book the ferry. Heard a rumour that food prices set to increase again in France. A nightmare.

yes no problem, you should see what we are bringing. We have bought a roof box for the clothes, the food will go in the car. Lots of packet rice, cereals. Wheat flakes now ?7 a box in France. cereals in offer in Tesco this week until friday. 2 for £2

I'm coming back to London this weekend for a tutorial then a days shopping. On the list- trainers, cant find cheap (under 30E) ones here. Deoderant, bodyshop stuff as its almost double price here. Cereal- bran flakes, although I recently discoved Auchon at Les Quatre Temps which does them cheap! Clothes, as I cant seem to find anything over a size 14 here. And books, because as someone who used to take out 10 books a week from the library, the idea of paying 10-15E a book is horrific!

La Halle au chaussures for cheap shoes!

And join the American Library (assuming you're in Paris)... am assuming your tutorial means you are a student of some kind and IIRC they have student membership. Or I replied on another thread to you and see that you're a nanny - get your family to get family membership for the little one then you can borrow books AND make the most of their activities. Double win.

I've looked into the American library- I might join, though its a bot expensive! I dont know about local librarys, the problem is I dont speak any French and the family dont want me taking my charge to French activities- I am here for English language only. Does anyone here know of any libraries in Paris with English book? Hijack over (for now!)

Oh local library don't bother. They have very few English books and not many activities.

The AL do english speaking activities and all sorts of things. Family membership is quite a good deal actually

Food is definitely more expensive in France, especially meat and I rarely buy fish.

However, I tend to use Lidl a lot and the LeClerc and Carrefour "eco" ranges are pretty reasonable.

i also look out for the special offers on meat and tend to stock up and freeze things.

It helps to eat seasonally and we are starting to grow some of our own vegetables.

I just miss the huge variety in the UK and have to stock up in the Indian & Chinese supermarkets so that I can make curries & chinese & thai food over here, as we really cannot afford to eat out here with the exchange rate. My DP wanted to go out for lunch and we had 2 croque monsieurs (glorified cheese on toast), one bowl of chips and a small carafe of wine 20 euros / almost 20quid!!

We shop at LIDL where they also have cheapish legs of NZ lamb.

There are also loads of restaurants/bars with repas ouvriers at lunchtime ie soup, entrée, plat, cheeseboard and dessert with virtually unlimited red wine and coffee for 11?. Mind you, I'm in 'france profonde' in the Limousin where they drive down the middle of the lanes 'cos they're not sure if they still drive on the left or if they have changed to the right. After all, it's only just over 200 years ago.

I now read in French, despite not having known the passé antérior when we first moved. Our little village library offered to get english books on loan from the departmental library for me which was very kind.

Funny though, even though I read in French without any problem, I find books that are set in uk or us easier to follow. Maybe it's a cultural thing, don't know.

There is loads on totalfrance.com about shopping services that deliver, including some recent problems. Apparently Sainsburys, I think, have decided to stop delivering orders to the carriers as they could still be liable for claims for food-poisoning if food isn't kept cool enough en route, even if it's outside their control.

Buying water! We just drink the stuff out the tap and have done with it!

we noticed this summer that everything was much more than last year but i think it was the exchange rate that did it. I assume that if you live and work there - assume if you get paid french rates french food etc is affordable - as much as possible to anyone anyway, i 'm feeling the pinch here in UK!

I have a friend who frequently goes to the UK and used to fill the car with groceries. But apparently now the only things worth bringing back are nappies, formula and specifically British things like baked beans.