“Would you like some parsley?”
A strange sentence to start off the week… but a common enough one in Provence.
There is a custom in Provence that when you buy your fruit and vegetables, either at the market or in the village shop, you will be offered a bunch of parsley at the checkout.
It’s given with a generous smile and the suggestion that it’s the ultimate prize.
I have been taking this gesture for granted… I gladly accept the bouquet of parsley and generally think nothing of it.
Except this past Saturday.
After weeks in the city where life is fast paced… exciting… but anonymous… I appreciated the personal touch.
In Provence, everything is personal… especially when it comes to food shopping.
Great discussions are had about the big and the small and sometimes I find it very frustrating… waiting in line as recipes are exchanged and family dramas caught up on.
“Hurry”, “quick” and “fast” are not words that take priority in the Provencal service industry.
That is the charm, as is the gift of parsley and it is important to see it that way.
Big city impatience won’t get you far in Provence.
The French love a cadeau when they shop.
They expect an abonnement, a deal or a subscription, whether it’s three for two at the supermarket, the car wash or the lingerie store.
It’s how business works… there is always an option for a discount, a gift with purchase.
The French pharmacy is the best example.
Not only are the cosmetics, skin care and hair products bundled up in multiple packs for savings but also samples are given away with every purchase.
At the pharmacy in Saint Rémy they are so generous. I could travel for a month with the little pots and vials that they throw in with my toothpaste.
It’s also clever marketing… I suspect that the French know what they are up to… give a little, buy a lot.
Even if the gift or the saving is a focus for marketing, it is still refreshing.
A present, something offered makes us feel happier, appreciated… and it is so individual.
A thank you for your custom and a reason to return. It works on me.
When it comes down to it… whether it’s parsley or a smile… it is all about the giving… xv
