Under the Weather in Paris
I'm not a hypochondriac, but having been raised in the US, I have a certain affinity for the large Walgreens-type drugstores. Whenever I go back to the US, I cruise the aisles the way visitors to Paris cruise the open-air markets. I marvel at entire rows dedicated just to runny noses, others just for upset stomachs. Then I fill up on the brands I know and love, the ones I never see in France: Nyquil, Dayquil, Tums with Calcium, Tylenol 12-hour Allergy & Sinus, and Extra Strength Midol, ahem. I also stock up on band aids and Neosporin, gigantic bottles of generic vitamins, and 'Buy 5, Get 5 Free' tubes of mint toothpaste. Despite the obvious rattling sound of pills in bottles coming from my suitcase, I haven't been stopped and searched at French customs, yet.
And a good thing, too, because I'm not sure how I'd defend myself. After all, France has medicine, bandages, and even vitamins. Toothpaste may now often be found in traditional American flavors like spearmint, Maalox has crossed the borders, and supposedly Actifed is available. Why don't I know this for sure? All of the resident expats reading this are probably already snickering. Getting used to the French medical system is one thing. The French 'Pharmacies' are a completely different matter.
Keeping The Neon Industry Alive
Next to the Eiffel Tower, you know you're in Paris when you see the flashing neon green plus symbols on every street corner of the city. La Pharmacie. When you're in fine health, those neon signs can be downright annoying, since they ruin the Old World feel of your travel photos. When you're ill, they're the beacons of health we seek out. Not only are there plenty of late-night pharmacies, almost every pharmacie will post a sign on their door with the address of the nearest 24-hour pharmacie. The regular pharmacie is a small shop filled with a few items of make-up, baby care, hair care, sun block and blister pads for your weary feet. There might be some soaps and frou frou bath items, but what the American visitor will notice right away is the lack of medicine.
Behind the Counter
In the beginning, I only went to the pharmacie if I had a prescription from the doctor. Everything else I got at the supermarché or from the States. Then one day I needed something for what I was sure was a sinus infection brewing in my head, and I had a trans-Atlantic flight that evening. You don't need a prescription to get medicine, but you do have to ask for it from the pharmacist. No browsing the aisles reading all of the boxes and bottles and deciding yourself. Knowing the name of the medication you want is best, but I rarely know what the names of French medicines are, and I haven't yet tried reading off the list of American names in hopes they'll carry one. It would be a bad start. I go by friend's recommendations, maybe even a convincing ad I saw on TV (why not?). Otherwise, you're pretty much at the mercy of the pharmacist. You describe your problem, they give you what they think will work.
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