Petrol Station, Corner Shop and Tabac in France
Fill up the car, grab late-night essentials at the corner shop and pick up stamps or a phone top-up at the tabac.
Many French petrol stations are self-service, with an automate at the pump that takes your card before you fill up, and supermarket stations are often unstaffed at night. Watch the fuel names: gazole is diesel, while unleaded is sans-plomb (SP95, SP95-E10, SP98). The local épicerie often stays open late, and the tabac-presse sells stamps, newspapers, bus tickets in many towns and phone top-ups. Shopkeepers use vous, you always say bonjour when you walk in, and some small shops set a minimum for card payments.
- 1
Je paie avant ou après avoir fait le plein ?
Do I pay before or after filling up?
- 2
C'est la pompe numéro 4.
It's pump number four.
- 3
C'est du gazole, ça ?
Is this diesel?
- 4
L'automate ne marche pas.
The pay-at-pump machine isn't working.
- 5
Il vous reste du pain ?
Have you got any bread left?
- 6
Vous fermez à quelle heure ?
What time do you close?
- 7
Une bouteille d'eau bien fraîche, s'il vous plaît.
A really cold bottle of water, please.
- 8
Les œufs, c'est où ?
Where are the eggs?
- 9
Je prends aussi un paquet de chips.
I'll take a bag of crisps too.
- 10
Un carnet de timbres, s'il vous plaît.
A book of stamps, please.
- 11
Vous vendez des tickets de bus ?
Do you sell bus tickets?
- 12
Je peux payer par carte ?
Can I pay by card?
- 13
La carte, c'est à partir de 10 €.
Card payments are from 10 euros.
- 14
Sans contact, ça marche.
Contactless is fine.
- 15
Vous avez de la monnaie sur 50 ?
Have you got change for a fifty?
- 16
Il vous faut un sac ?
Do you need a bag?
- 17
Gardez la monnaie.
Keep the change.
- 18
Ce sera tout, merci.
That's all, thanks.
- 19
Je voudrais une recharge pour mon portable.
I'd like a top-up for my phone.
- 20
Bonne soirée !
Have a good evening!