While you may initially come to Paris and love practicing ordering glamorous meals in French and enjoy all that French cuisine has to offer, when you stay in France for a longer period of time you will eventually miss particular comforts from home. Yes, I am talking about American or English comfort foods, as well the absolute necessity to speak English in select places where your French vocabulary does not extend. The INSIDR team, as it is comprised of many expats living in Paris, has created this article to refute any arguments that anglophone products and services do not exist in Paris!
GROCERY SHOPPING
All cuisines
The Grande Épicerie is not only an incredibly beautiful and fun food hall to spend the day shopping in, but it also has an entire row of food shelves divided by areas of the world. The sections include American, British, Italian, Indian and Asian products, imported for expats living in Paris from all over the world to enjoy. Prices for your favorite treats will naturally be higher than they are in their home country, however for country-specific holidays such as Halloween, the Grande Épicerie may be the answers to your prayers as homesickness can often set in around certain holidays you might be missing. For more American products, you can head further into the 7th arrondissement and shop at The Roy McCoy shop.
La Grande Épicerie
Address: 38 Rue de Sèvres, 7th arrondissement
Schedules: everyday 8:30am-9:00pm, closed on Mondays
British produce
Marks and Spencer, one of Great Britain’s leading grocery stores, is very much present in the city of Paris. With over 10 locations within Paris, Parisians themselves have even begun to shop for their groceries there. While M&S sells traditional produce, poultry and drinks, they also have many pre-prepared dishes and quick-bites for lunches on the go, which make many of their smaller shops in Paris great for a cheap and tasty lunch.
Marks & Spencer
Major locations:
Beaugrenelle Paris, 15th arrondissement
12 Rue Duban, 16th arrondissement
Gare Châtelet les Halles, 1st arrondissement
Health & Beauty
Hair Salon
Stephanie Vanderlip, American hairdresser based in Paris, has many clients that are expats and as an American herself who fully speaks and understands you hairstyle desires in English, her work does not disappoint. Most salons in Paris will however have english-speaking stylists, such as Polished Hair Care and David Mallet. At these salons, while some hairdressers are English-speakers, you still must request an English-speaking hairdresser upon booking. If you are most comfortable with a native English speaker, Stephanie Vanderlip’s studio in Paris is waiting to hear from you!
Stephanie Vanderlip’s salon
Address: 154 Rue Saint Honoré, 1st arrondissement
Health
One of the greatest fears of both tourists and expat residents of foreign countries is getting sick and not being able to communicate with doctors. Luckily in France, there are extremely helpful pharmacists in pharmacies on nearly every block that will be able to provide you with remedies for any symptom you may have. Additionally, there are many English speaking doctors that you can make a same-day appointments with for a co-pay of less than 70€, should you need specific medical attention. Lastly, there are quite a few “Anglo-American” pharmacies in Paris that have American and English products and medicines if you are in need of something specific from your home.
Large Anglo-American pharmacy
37 Avenue Marceau, 16th arrondissement
Recommended English-speaking doctor
Dr. Patricia Nizard, office in the 7th arrondissement
WELL-BEING
Yoga
For all you yogis out there, there is no need to stop your practice when traveling to Paris! Because of the large expat community in Paris, many studios have classes taught in English, and they are really well-attended. For a traditional vinyasa yoga class, Yoga Yoga Paris in the 7th arrondissement is where to go, and for bikram yoga, Yoga Bikram Paris has many classes taught in English as well as 2 different locations within Paris.Yoga Yoga Paris: 6 Passage de la Vierge, 7th arrondissementYoga Bikram Paris: 13 Rue Simon le Franc, 4th arrondissement and 17, rue du Faubourg Montmartre, 9th arrondissement
Fitness
If you are not willing to give up your exercise regime during your vacation in Paris, the fitness program featured at Galeries Lafayette Wellness Galerie includes a range of classes and services designed to promote physical health and wellness.
You can participate in group fitness classes, such as yoga, pilates, and HIIT workouts, led by qualified instructors. These classes are held in a dedicated studio space within the store and are suitable for all fitness levels.
In addition to group classes, you can also book personalized training sessions with a certified personal trainer. These one-on-one sessions are tailored to the individual’s fitness goals and can include strength training, cardio, and flexibility exercises.
Furthermore, you can benefit from a range of wellness services, such as massage therapy and physiotherapy, to help reduce stress and alleviate muscle tension.
Galeries Lafayette Haussmann Wellness Galerie
Address: 40 Boulevard Haussmann, 75009
Metro: Chaussée d’Antin – La Fayette (Line 7 / 9)
Watching Sports
If there’s a big football, hockey or even rugby game you may be missing back home, many bars in the Latin Quarter in Paris screen foreign games and there is usually a large expat crowd. While many bars screen European football (soccer), select internationally owned bars will also have international sporting games to watch. One of these bars is The Great Canadian Pub, just a couple minute walk from Notre-Dame and The Moose, close to the Odéon metro stop. Another pub is called The Bombardier, just next to the Pantheon. The Bombardier is a British pub and will usually display sporting events pertaining to Great Britain. Often times bars such as the ones listed above will advertise the games they will be screening on chalkboards outside, so don’t forget to look around during the day for advertisements about what games you can watch!
The Great Canadian Pub
25 Quai des Grands Augustins, 6th arrondissement
The Moose
16 Rue des Quatre Vents, 6th arrondissement
The Bombardier
2 Place du Panthéon, 5th arrondissement