Buying French Supplies

I review a lot of French products for this site, from books to CDs, and someone recently pointed out to me that they can be expensive. This is true - some of the best products, like Champs-Élysées audiomagazine and Le Grand Robert dictionary, are very pricey. As a die-hard francophile, I tend to cut other corners in order to be able to afford the very best French tools, but since that's not always possible, I've come up with this list of tips to help you find your "must have" French supplies at the best possible prices. If you have other money saving tips, please share them below and they'll be added to this article.

Amazon.com - The online giant sometimes comes through. New books usually have some discount off the cover price, and there's a low threshold for free shipping. There might also be a few used copies available from sellers, which can be hit or miss - pay attention to the condition of the book and the seller's rating, and don't forget about shipping fees.

Buy from France - If you're buying a product that is actually produced in France, it's often cheaper, even with overseas shipping charges, to buy it directly from a French store rather than buying it from a store in the US or wherever. Keep a list of items you want and order them all at the same time to minimize shipping fees. I find that Amazon.fr is a good source for French books and software.

Compare prices - Most of my reviews include a "compare prices" link which takes you to a price comparison of that item. You can also try typing "compare prices for (name of item)" in a search engine for more results.

Download - Some software is available for download or with an online subscription, which means no shipping charges as with the purchase of a CD.

eBay - Regular searches for those items that are just too expensive anywhere else can reveal some terrific deals. I recently purchased a new book for $14, including shipping, that has a list price of $73. The cheapest I could find anywhere else was a used copy for $22 plus shipping.

Garage sales - Might not find much in the US, but in France I've picked up some nice little books for a euro or two at vide-greniers (garage/yard sales) and marchés aux puces (flea markets).

Libraries - It's not as handy as owning the item, but libraries sometimes have dictionaries and other tools that you just can't afford on your own.

Multipropriété - Consider "timesharing" a big ticket item with one or more friends. An audiomagazine, for example, could be used by each "owner" for a week or two before it gets passed on to the next member, and then a new issue will be along before you know it. Or create a study group and listen together.

Older editions - If you're not concerned about having the up-to-the-second latest edition, see if a previous edition is available (at Amazon, eBay, etc). It will be considerably cheaper.

Publisher's sites - On occasion, I've found that publishers offer their products on their own sites cheaper than any retailer.

Swap meet - Get together with French-loving friends and classmates to swap books that you no longer need for ones you do.

Textbooks - Live near a university? Check out their bookstore for used textbooks and dictionaries.

Used bookstores - If you don't mind older editions, used bookstores sometimes have dictionaries and grammar books at a fraction of the cost.


One other thing - don't forget that my site has thousands of pages of French lessons, quizzes, sound files, vocabulary lists... and it's all free. Find whatever you need with Trouvez-le ! Find it!


About Francophilia

• What is a Francophile?
• Quiz: Are you a Francophile?
• Quiz: Are you a French fanatic?
• Gifts for Francophiles