Aside from architecture and language (Quebec excluded), France doesn’t appear to be very different from Canada. It is. And that’s where visitors, especially from North America, get in trouble. Over time, I will try to add chapters pointing out differences that visitors should be aware of.
In Chapter 100, I emphasized how important lunch hour is. Do not even think about going into a store shortly before noon and expect to be served. The same rule applies at the end of the day. If the sign says a store (even a large supermarket) closes at 9pm, it closes at 9pm. Lights out. Door locked. Unlike Canada, you can’t rush in just before 9pm and browse the aisles.
While you can select your own fruit and vegetables in supermarkets (but don’t forget to weigh them before proceeding to the cash register), in many small produce shops (such as the one above), that is absolutely forbidden. You must ask the clerk to select what he or she thinks is the best of what you want. If the clerk is helping another customer, you must wait. Do not even think of picking up that melon sitting in front of you! It’s another area that’s different from back home. There are so many things that at first glance appear to be exactly the same – but aren’t. I will try to add more “stumbling blocks” in future chapters.
