SHOPPING & BANKING
SHOPPING
Shops in Paris are generally open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 19:00, and shopping centers from 09:00 to 21:00. Most shops are closed on Sundays and public holidays as well as through the month of August.
FOOD
Hypermarkets like Auchan, Carrefour, and Leclerc have a wide range of food products and prices. They often have a ‘food of the world’ aisle, with exotic food. These stores, mainly in the suburbs and outskirts of Paris, also sell a variety of basic clothes, kitchen items, electronics, and more.
Supermarkets such as Monoprix, Franprix, and Casino have a wide range of food, though less than in hypermarkets. The mentioned stores are also more expensive, but the general quality of food is good. You may also find other items, in addition to food, but these will be very basic.
Discount stores such as Dia, ED, and LeaderPrice offer food and daily life products at a cheap price, but the quality of the products may vary. These are great for students on a budget, as they can make groceries and daily living a lot more affordable.
The frozen food store Picard specializes exclusively in frozen food. They have cakes and ready-made dishes but are quite pricy.
Corner grocery stores have basic food items and snacks. They are usually open on Sundays and late in the evenings, but as a result charge much higher prices than can be found at regular supermarkets. Corner grocery stores are located all around Paris.
Regular fresh food markets are held all around Paris at different times. You will find alll this informations on this site.
Having a French bank account is often required for getting a mobile phone contract and paying bills such as rent and electricity. We advise all students planning to stay in Paris for more than one semester to open a bank account.
Losing your credit card
If you lose your banking card or it is stolen, you must call your bank immediately to block the card and prevent unauthorized access to your bank account.
The relevé d’identité bancaire
Another important part of French banking is the Relevé d'Identité Bancaire, commonly referred to as a RIB. This document contains your personal bank information, including your account number, name, IBAN, and BIC, so keep it safe and don't lose it. It enables you to provide your bank details to others, for example to pay phone bills automatically or to receive wire transfers.
Wire Transferts
Wiring money is the fastest way to receive money from outside of France. You can either transfer money to your French bank account using the IBAN/BIC information from your RIB, or wire money using Western Union or TravelEx Moneygram.
Currency Exchange
Places to change your money, called bureaux de change are located all throughout the city. At a bureau de change you can either change money or travelers checks. Make sure to check the daily exchange rate at all change agencies to ensure that you receive what is owed to you upon the exchange