A Redditor Went To A French Costco, And Now We Want To Visit

Supermarkets aren’t really liminal spaces, but they sure feel like it sometimes. To be a truly liminal space, a place has to be a site of transition – an airport, a bus station – but liminal spaces also have a certain vibe to them. A set feel, a kind of anonymity, no matter which location you’re visiting. 

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When you go to different countries, though, that’s when supermarkets really become fun (and a bit less liminal); you get to find items you’d never see in your home country, you have a sense of what products they prioritize, and everything feels fresh once more. We were reminded of this recently, after a Redditor went to a French Costco – and now I wanna go. Let’s see what they found. 

Aller Au Supermarché!

A few days ago, the Redditor in question posted about their experiences travelling to a French Costco, and it’s a lot of fun seeing how the store’s layout compares to its locations both in the US and around the world. Firstly, the aesthetic is largely the same: Costco’s industrial warehouse feel remains, as do its endless stacks of bulk-buy goods. Certain items, like its rotisserie chicken, also look near-identical; well, hey, why mess with a classic?

Elsewhere, though, the Costco feels distinctly French. The wine section, for example, is given way more floorspace than in a lot of other Costcos, and is full of premium French vintages that we don’t doubt are very reasonably priced. Same with the cheese section: Full wheels of French cheese are piled high, with a bunch of selections you wouldn’t find elsewhere. 

And then there’s the food court of it all. Again, a similar vibe here to other food courts around the world, and its chicken bake and hot dog are proudly on display – but it also has its own version of the combo pizza, which was so cruelly snatched from US Costcos in 2020. This caused some Redditors great pain: “Posting combo pizza on here should lead to an immediate ban,” said one person. “Only because I’m jealous.”

A Global Affair

As you’d expect, Costco’s regional variations around the world are similarly fun to take a peek at. In Sweden’s Costcos, for instance, you’ll find local foods like shrimp sandwich cakes and crispbreads; in Japan, you can find Wagyu beef, an impressive sushi selection, and bulgogi bakes. I’m not recommending you plan your vacations around going to these stores…but if you’re in the area…