French pride on their local products
September 4, 2012 56 Comments
I envy the French on their pride for everything French and it is no wonder that the local industry is alive and well. Local markets and shops selling traditional French products are everywhere and I am always drawn to them. There are times that I need to remind myself that my eyes seem bigger than my tummy at those mouthwatering goodies of theirs.
Every region takes pride of their local products which also show what are endemic in the area. Wines, pates, cheeses, sweets, sausages, honey, hand-painted chinas, baskets, etc. are just among the many things that can be found in these shops.
Here are some snapshots of the local goods on one of the local shops beside a petrol station along the French peage.
I could have taken more pictures but I was later told that it was actually forbidden to take pictures inside the shop. 
French wines
French wines and spirits
Various types of honey
Various sorts of caramels
Caramels
Cookies and sweets
French hand-painted chinas
Hand-painted ceramics
Hand-painted ceramics
Various shop merchandise
About Malou
Lovely photos, as always!
Very nice post and photos, Malou! Quite informative.
Thanks a lot for the appreciation of this post.
haha i am amazed at how many pictures you managed to take before they stopped you!
I took pictures without the flash so as not to arouse attention but still in the end, one of the ladies saw me taking pictures.
They have a huge pride in their terroir! You couldn’t sample everything in one lifetime.
That’s very true. We can spend every summer holiday there each year and still not see and sample everything.
Wonderful little shop Malou. France is quite something.
France has so much to offer, Don. I love it there.
Wonderful photos. I love pictures of food
Thanks a lot, Georgia About.
I wish we had shops like this next to service stations in Australia
Maybe you can start one out there, EllaDee.
Great photos again – wouldn’t go so far and say that all shops looks like this – but good products they have – they have such nice way to look at life – just like the italian – the food, drinks and friendship is really more important than what shape their houses and gardens are. Very socialable people the french and italians. Beautiful photos from a beautiful shop. The French use all senses.
Thanks a lot, Viveka. I truly agree with you. The French have their own way of looking at life and beauty. I love the country and will never grow tired going there. There’s always something new to discover.
Yes, so true .. I love France to – but I can’t agree fully with Paris yet. The rest of the country I adore …
We were on bikes on our trip in June-http://cyclingrandma.wordpress.com/2012/06/13/dordogne-cycling-chateaus-cows-chocolate-shoes-2/
So couldn’t do that much shopping ! But loved the little shops!
That must be a lot of fun to see the Dordogne on your bike. Lots to see especially the many chateaus (in this area known as the land of 1,001 chateaus) and the lovely markets and little shops.
I’ve found the French to be funny about have photographs taken of their merchandise unless you ask beforehand. One woman actually accosted me and grabbed for my camera . . . and that was at an outdoor market.
I guess they think that we are going to imitate their products and be their competitor.
OMG! Look at all those goodies! I love wine, cheese, pate, chocolate, sweets! You’re lucky Malou to be able to visit such nice places. Thanks for sharing!
You will love these shops and their goodies that your eyes will be far bigger than your tummy. I used to hoard a lot of the stuffs from these shops before but has learned to now control that by taking pictures.
Awesome…I just love shops like that!!!
True, these shops are awesome and really showcase the country and its goods.
Did they give any explanation for the ‘forbidden pictures’ rule?
Not really but I guess they think their products will be copied.
ah .. lovely memories .. lovely shops .. thanks for sharing …
Glad to know you like this post.
I’m glad you were able to take the pictures! I had the same experience when we lived in Japan. I wandered around my local grocery store taking pictures to share with people back home only to be told later that that was against the rules. I still treasure those photos!
That’s the best way of justifying why we take pictures – to share with people back home.
Great – you caught some pictures anyway
Lots of goodies there!
Thanks a lot, RoSy.
Great pictures and thanks for letting us know about the no picture rule…I had no idea.
Thanks a lot. Some places have this no picture rule like shops, castles or palaces.
An amazing array…. great pictures Malou!
Thanks a lot, Dor.
Great photos & I’m glad you didn’t get arrested…you didn’t get arrested did you?
Ha, ha, ha! No, I did not get arrested. One time though, I was chased by an Orthodox priest in Crete for taking pictures in the courtyard of the Greek Orthodox Church. To be chased by this guy with long beard made me almost collapse in fear while my husband couldn’t control his laughter.
LOL! Now that would be priceless if you had it on video.
That was the time before mobile phones with video functionalities. My husband still makes fun of me when that incident gets mentioned in the conversation.
Great photos! They make me miss France. I’m glad that you managed to snap shots of the store before they intervened!
Thanks a lot. Time to visit France again, hmmm….
Hi Malou! Nice posts and pics as always. For whatever it’s worth, I nominated your blog for the One Lovely Blog Award
http://simplycessie.wordpress.com/2012/09/05/first-lovely/ 
Thanks a lot, Cessie. I truly appreciate the nomination.
Wonderful sight, those products are really inviting. Top local products and well displayed. I would definitely spend money in that shop. Nice pics, they should have paid you for the publicity!
You are spot on there, MIke. I should be commended for my appreciation and promotion of their products rather than be reprimanded for it.
Love many things French! We are kindred spirits!
So true, Mary-Anne. Who can’t love anything French?
Isn’t that the truth about reminding yourself that your eyes are bigger than your tummy! But sometimes when you see so much good stuff, it’s hard to remember that!!!
That’s true, Alisa. I still have a good hoard of French stuffs in the store room and they come in handy when we need emergency stuffs especially on wintery days and we’re too lazy to go to the shop. Tinned pate on biscuits downed with white wine on a stormy autumn evening is always nice for instance (that’s how I sell the idea to the Mr. who has to carry the stuffs).
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Oh the wine!! yum…
Lots of choices and French wines are tops.
they certainly are along with wonderful French cheese! Both things sadly lacking in Bangladesh…
Yes, Malou, the French do take great pride in their products – and rightly so given the generally high quality of their products.
As to photography in public places, France has strict privacy laws (yes, the same country where Diana was chased by paparazzi and Kate M has now had her private holiday photos printed) and the French are generally very sensitive about their right to privacy. That’s probably why it’s the foreign celebrities who get hounded by paparazzi there. By the way, one of my French friends once told me about an incident when he took a photo of some landmark in Paris and a woman happened to pass by. The woman demanded that she hand him the film! Personally I am always very careful when I’m taking photos with people in them in France or elsewhere. I myself wouldn’t want my photo landing in some stranger’s Facebook page without my permission.
I am green with envy! I lived in Italy for a year and they, like the French, take pride in their own products. I miss the fresh fruit and veg, the excellent cuts of meat, cheese and of course, the sublime cakes. Here in Jakarta most everything is fried or American-influenced; vegetables are rare in restaurants!