A beautiful bouquet can give a space an all-new energy and feel and I’m on board with that! Over the past couple of years, I’ve taken an interest in flowers and have tried to become more knowledgeable about the different types and how to care for them. Flowers are stunning after all, and if we’re spending money on a bouquet, we might as well do what we can to keep them alive for as long as possible.
Flower culture in France seems to be a bit more prevalent than where I was living in the U.S., so no matter if you’re in Paris or a smaller town, you’ll find a variety of fresh flowers to brighten up your home. If you’re looking to buy flowers in France, here’s what you need to know. Plus, I’ll get into popular French flower names so you know what to ask for when you go.
Buying flowers in France
OK first, let’s get into some of the best places where you can pick up some beautiful flowers in France. There are three main places where you can buy them:
1. Florists
Florist shops are quite common in France and are open during business hours and usually on Sunday mornings as well. There are chain florists that you’ll see in many different towns as well as higher-end privately owned florists.
You’ll find arrangements all ready to go complete with a decorative pot or vase as well as loose flowers (packaged and priced as a mini bouquet of 5-6 stems), often outside in the front of the florist that you can pick up yourself.
This is more common at your everyday florist. Once you choose your flowers, bring them inside to be arranged into a bouquet.
I like to grab two or three different colors of the same type of flower, as there’s often a nice color selection for each variety. Or I’ll stick with one hue and get a couple of types of flowers in that shade.
Florists in France also do flower delivery as you’d expect, so feel free to call a local or online florist to have a sunny bouquet delivered to a loved one. Flowers carry the same sentiment and make the perfect gift in French culture, too.
2. Markets (le marché)
The second place where you can find flowers in France is the marché. Many farmers’ markets have flower vendors where you can find a nice selection of fresh flowers.
They generally do not have pre-arranged bouquets or potted plants available. But you can choose from the colorful selection and they vendor will put together a beautiful bouquet in no time.
At the market, you usually just point to what you want and the vendor takes everything out of the buckets to then wrap for you. But have a look at what others are doing and do that. At bigger stands, it would make sense for you to grab what you want yourself and bring the flowers around to the register to pay.
This is the flower selection at Super U.
3. Supermarkets
Most supermarkets have a flower section where you can find a basic selection of ready-made bouquets, loose flowers, and potted plants. My local Super U even has a small dried flower section as of last year.
The selection and quality varies by supermarket but it’s quite common to see flowers available at the supermarket. Potted orchids are common as shown above, and you’ll even see some bright yellow mimosas, which are common in the winter months.
Top tips for grocery shopping in France to know before you go >>
DOs & DON’Ts for buying flowers in France
DON’T buy chrysanthemums as a gift for someone. They tend to be reserved for adorning graves at a cemetery and popular during the October Toussaint period. While pretty, they should never given as a hostess gift at a dinner party or anything like that since they’re associated with death. They would also look a bit strange in a French home so don’t even buy mums for yourself. Remember, mums of all colors should be for honoring a loved one who has passed away at a funeral ceremony or on a gravestone and that’s it.
DO try something new! You’ll see flowers you are familiar with, but why not try something in season that you don’t have the occasion to buy at home. Go for it and buy some new-to-you French blooms for a unique bouquet!
DON’T mix too many colors. A good rule of thumb is to stick with two or three different colors to avoid having a bouquet that is all over the place color wise.
DO ask about how to care for the flowers. The florist will usually give you a packet of flower food, but don’t be shy if you have other questions about trimming the stems or changing the water.
DON’T buy a bouquet of red roses unless they’re for a romantic partner on Valentine’s Day. Also, all-white bouquets are generally reserved for weddings.
DO be patient on Sunday mornings. Florists are one of the few shops open on Sunday mornings (especially in smaller towns). You’ll find families picking up flowers for Sunday lunch with family, so it can be a busy time to go. If you want to get in and out, go right when they open and not at 11 a.m.
Most popular flowers in France vocabulary
une fleur: a flower
une fleuriste: a florist
un bouquet de fleurs: a bouquet of flowers
une fleur sauvage: a wildflower
coloré: colorful
les feuilles: leaves
les pétales: petals
une tige: a stem
Quel est votre budget ?: What is your budget?
C’est pour offrir ?: Is it a gift?
About that last one… when it’s your time to pay at the register, listen for this common question. They’re asking if they’re a gift for someone or if they’re for you. If they’re a gift, just say oui and they will most likely arrange them into a bouquet with some foliage, a paper wrap and ribbon so they look even more beautiful.
Buying flowers in France by season
Like produce, the selection of beautiful flowers in France depends on the season. There are exceptions of course, but most mainstream florists wouldn’t invest in loads of peonies in the winter, for example. You can find other beautiful blooms instead during the colder months.
Some of the most popular French flowers tend to be in season for about 3-4 months and before or after that, they’re either more rare, more expensive, or of lesser quality. Buying flowers in season means you might get more bang for your buck, as they will most likely last longer than an imported flower from a different climate.
Some flowers in France which are often available year-round are roses, baby’s breath, calla lilies, carnations and more.
On a personal note, during the winter months, I love buying ranunculus. They’re my favorite flowers and look like peonies, just a bit smaller and that’s what I thought they were the first time I saw them. They are also called buttercups and I see them in yellow, pale pink, white, and lavender the most often.
Here are some flowers in France by season that would make a lovely floral arrangement:
Winter
Windflowers (anémone)
Touch-me-nots (mimosas, yellow flowers)
Buttercups/ranunculus (renoncules)
Spring
Tulips (tulipes)
Peonies (pivoines)
Poppies (fleurs de pavot, red poppies are wild flowers you’ll see everywhere)
Lilacs (lilas)
Summer
Hydrangeas (hortensias)
Achillée (yarrow)
Delphiniums (similar to larkspur)
Fall
Dahlias (dahlias)
Chrysanthemum or mums (chrysanthème)
Asters
Popular names of French flowers
Maybe the most popular flower is the the national flower of France, the fleur-de-lis, which means “lily flower.” You’ll have seen this national emblem depicted on France’s coat of arms.
If you’re looking for your favorite flower to buy, here are popular French flower names:
un azalée: an azalea
un bleuet: a cornflower
une calla: a calla lily
un coquelicot: a wild poppy
un gardénia: a gardenia
une jacinthe: a hyacinth
une jonquille: a daffodil
une marguerite: a daisy
un muguet: a lily of the valley
un oeillet: a carnation
une orchidée: an orchid
un souci: a marigold
un tournesol: a sunflower
NOTE: The noun “flower” is feminine (une fleur) but note that each type of flower isn’t necessarily feminine. Way to complicate things, right?!
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Are you a flower fan and do you buy flowers in France regularly? What are your favorite French flowers?
PIN my flowers in France post:
Very informative but most flowers apart Miimosas and some from the markets are not from France they are from abroad heavy with pesticide ! Hydrangeas from Brittany get sent to the flower market in Holland and is then sent back to Brittany!! If you are not bothered about buying local then there is a great selection and the florist free wrapping service is excellent.
It’s very important to ask where the flowers are from for sure! And even more reason to buy flowers in season (and as locally as possible). But I feel like pesticides are a “buying flowers in general” problem and not specific to France. There are concerns about pesticide residue in the profession globally if I’m not mistaken. Just the sad reality unless we make a bouquet from our garden.
I noticed in my hypermarché they will list the daily Saint and what flowers go with that Saint.
Thank you for this very detailed post about buying flowers in France. You did well point out the cultural aspects about giving chrysanthemums as a gift for someone in France which could be seen as weird.
As for me, I love orchids 🙂
You’re very welcome. Glad you enjoyed it!!
I loved this posting. Of course I love all flowers…! I was particularly interested to know about chrysanthemums and how they are reserved for funerals only and about the white roses – that they are reserved for weddings. I love white roses and often buy them for my home.
Thanks Diane for a very interesting and beautiful post!!
Hi Diane, lovely post! Spring is just round the corner. The picture of the tulips in the “cafetière” is gorgeous.
I would add that you can also buy flowers in “une jardinerie” (another idea for a video?). Is there a Gamm Vert, for example, close to where you live? “Jardineries” are called “garden centres” in the UK but I don’t know what the American equivalent would be.
I believe in France, bouquets should have an odd number of flowers. I don’t now where this tradition comes from. Is that the same in the US?
I was also told that bringing a bouquet to a hostess might not be such a great idea as it means she will have to start looking for a vase etc. It kind of makes sense. But now, you can buy “bouquets bulle” where the water is included in the packaging, so to speak.
I love anemones and renoncules too!
Hello! I am trained in floristry but don’t have my own business. I would like to do my own flowers for my wedding in Normandy in September, please can you advise where there best place in Normandy or surrounding areas is best to buy a big selection of fresh cut flowers and greenery? Gem x