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Home , Atac, Auchan, Ed (supermarket)

Carrefour ou E Leclerc – which is the best French ?

Pile 'em high ... the wine aisle at a Photograph: Gary Calton

Wednesday 1 June 2011 00.05 BST First published on Wednesday 1 June 2011 00.05 BST What is the hierarchy of French ? I've always considered Carrefour to be best and Super U worst. It depends what criteria you use. We like to shop for things we can't find in the UK in places that are as "French" as possible, but at the keenest prices we can find. Our list goes like this: 1 For the total, gobsmacking hypermarket experience. Wide aisles, huge selection and cheap fuel. I especially like the mini-clouds of iced water they spray over the fresh fish and vegetables, and the cheese counter the size of the Ark Royal. 2 Best of the cheapies: basic, no-frills shopping, including giant jars of herbs and £7-a-litre rye whiskey. 3 Carrefour A bit ordinary, but since they took over they seem to have a more diverse range of goodies. The only place we know that sells Aligot in packets. Cheap fuel, too. 4 Intermarché A bit run down now, but always in useful, easily accessible places. It also has cheap fuel, and Merlot at £1.50 a litre! 5 Géant Casino Big and very French, but doesn't compare with Auchan. 6 E Leclerc Basically a mega-Sainsbury's, so very clean, with good, middle-of-the-road quality at mid-range prices, but hardly a continental experience. 7 Super U Chaotic, much too cluttered, but even cheaper fuel prices. 8= In the low-cost end of Intermarché; plus Simply, and , the local-stores part of Auchan. Happy shopping!

John Tedder, Wirral When I asked 17 members of my family, spanning three generations, "which is your favourite French supermarket?", all 17 replied "Eddie's" (as we lovingly call E Leclerc). Not a scientific survey, but as annual visitors to France who have shopped in all the main supermarkets and , such unanimity must count for something. Mike Garnier, Bristol Not sure of its place in the hierarchy, but when I was in a Super U in Loir-et-Cher, English produce (Fray Bentos pies, Bird's custard, Marmite etc) could be found next to the pet food. Reizin, London NW3