Diapers in Paris???

[egoldber]

We are going to France next month with our (then) 8 1/2 month old. Where is the best place to buy diapers and formula in Paris? Do all the regular "corner" stores (like Leader Price, etc.) carry them? Or do only particular stores carry them (pharmacies, etc.)? We will be staying in the 7th near the Rue Cler (metro stop Ecole Militaire), if anyone can recommend a particular store!

I am assuming that in the countryside (where we will be most of the time) that they are available in the hypermarche type stores (Auchun, E LeClerc) that are everywhere.

I have been to Paris and France many times but never with a baby, so of course, never paid attention to these things! :-)

Any help is appreciated!

[Cara]

You will pay too much if you purchase diapers and formula in pharmacies in Paris. The best prices will be at Auchan, Leclerc or Carrefour. If you want to find something downtown, go to Franprix, G20, Monoprix or similar mid size stores. Their prices are reasonable. Formula is cheaper in France than it is here, but diapers are slightly more expensive.

[egoldber]

Thanks for your help! My baby uses Enfamil with Iron formula. I was told by Enfamil customer service that Enfamil is only available in pharmacies in France (I think it is called Enfalac there). Is this so? Or can I get Enfamil in the Franprix type stores also?

(And I know exactly where there is a Franprix around the corner from my hotel so thank you!!!!)

Thanks!

[Cara]

If you can read French, you will see on this webpage that Enfalac is not exactly the same as Enfamil: http://www.doctissimo.fr/html/nutrit...prepa_1age.htm

When we went to France last summer with my 3 month old baby, we brought all the cans of Enfamil with iron we needed for a 3 week stay. My French family thought we were nuts, telling us that there was nothing wrong with French formula, but I explained that I did not want to force my baby to adapt to new formula and then change again when we returned to the US. I knew the ingredients were different and I knew I didn't want to go all over town to try and find Enfamil. However, we were not able to fly back on Sept 12 as originally planned and had to stay in France for a week longer. We did not have enough Enfamil, so we had no choice. We went to Franprix and bought Gallia (or was it Guigoz?) 1er age. The look and the texture looked different (more grainy and more yellow) but the baby did not seem to mind the change. I improvized a short transition period, mixing 2/3 Enfamil with the French formula, then 1/2 and 1/2, then 1/3 Enfamil and 2/3 French formula, until all the Enfamil was gone.

On our subsequent trips, when she was 6 and 9 months old, I travelled with a 2 day supply of Enfamil and went to Franprix to buy Gallia or Guigoz 2eme age. No transition was needed. She went back on Enfamil when we returned here with no transition.

One more note on the topic of comparing French and US products: my family thinks the French Pampers wipes are much better than the American ones: they are softer. Even Pampers wipes are not a standardized product!

[egoldber]

Thanks so much for your help! All the info has been terrific. The website was helpful also. (I can read French much better than I speak it.) FYI, I posted for help on several bulletin boards and yours was the only response I got. This board is terrific! :-)

My ped says it is no problem to use whatever formula is available in France, so I am not too concerned about that. I, personally, prefer the texture and consistency of Enfamil to other (US) formulas. My baby couldn't care less! When in Rome (or Paris...)

Thanks again!

[elovesme99]

Beth,
I don't have an answer. Just wanted to say you posted to me about cleaning used toys and I saw your signature and wow - my daughter Alison is born the same day - 8/14/01!
Amy

[egoldber]

That was a very good day. :-)

Also, I had no trouble finding diapers in Paris or outside Paris. I bought "le Pampers Baby-Dry" size 4, just like at home. :-) They were only very slightly more expensive. And formula was so cheap there I thought about stocking up and bringing a bunch back with me!!!!

[zane]

Beth,
I've got a question for you. DH is in Paris on Biz right now, and contemplating us moving there for 3 months. Do you think it would be a wonderful experience with a 9 mth and 4 yr old, or would we be better off waiting till they are older.?
I am forseeing a great experience for all, but at my (the MOMMY) expense ( trying to cope with all the newness and getting settled, help, etc).
What do you think? I lived in Paris for about 5 months when i was 20 yrs, and loved it, but now,16 years later, (!!!) with young kids, is it better to stay put, and do it when they are both walking and able to comprehend what is going on? What do you think?
zane

[egoldber]

Argh!!!! I AM SO JEALOUS!!!!

If we had the opportunity to live there for any length of time, we would go in a heartbeat. All of our trips there have been great. The French love children, are very tolerant of children and were never anything but helpful to us.

To be honest, if your older child was a little younger (like if you had two kids under 2 or 3), I would say maybe wait, just because it might be hard to manage 2 really small kids on the metro. But I would think that you would do fine with your 2. And you are probably right that it would be hardest on you as mommy to cope. But you would be living in Paris!

If you have the opportunity to do it now, I would so go for it! You never know what might happen in later years (job changes, etc.). To me, this would be too good an opportunity to pass up. But you would have to PROMISE FAITHFULLY to post updates so that those of us here could live vicariously, imaging themsleves at a little cafe off the Champs du Mars... Sigh.

Still very jealous,

[newbelly2002]

Ah, the international crowd. It's nice to finally find a few people who don't think I'm crazy for agreeing to move to germany with my husband (he received a grant to do doctoral research there) for tow years and our soon=to-be born and then-6-week-old son. And the cat and dog, of course.

We did it from 2000-2001 with just the dog and cat for one year and it was an amazing experience. With a brand new baby I'm a little more nervous (all the stuff that I barely know in English never mind trying to translate it into Deutch)but I think it will be a great time for all involved. And DH wants to spend a summer with us living in Paris--though that is still much more up in the air

Just wanted to second the above vote to go, enjoy and live it up.

Fellow "wanderluster"
Paula