When I moved to France I brought my gas grill. It was large and nice looking but I wasn’t sure if I should bring it. We didn’t know where we were going to live and even if we would have outdoor space at first. Maybe we shouldn’t have brought it. I couldn’t bring the canister of gas in the container because it was not allowed. I worried about finding the right canister and if it could be adapted at all.
We brought it but it has been almost 2 years since I used it, never in France. The gas canisters are different. If you go to a store they will tell you it is against French laws to change the coupling because it is not safe etc. So I never really forced the issue. I am preparing for a party next Friday on my terrace and I’d love to use the BBQ.
Today we went to a store in the center of Toulouse called Midica. I find it generally more expensive than other stores but since it is in the center where I live you don’t have to drive and it is easy to get to, i went there. We ran into the same problem again. Messieurs it is against the law, blah, blah, blah. I said basically that I am relatively handy so I would have no problem making a connection with a new hose so the gas would work. The employee must have repeated 10 times that it was against French law etc.
Finally I said, here’s my address, why don’t you call the police if it will make you feel better, but will you show me where the hoses are? He acted so offended but in the end he showed me where everything was that I needed and even told me he would throw in the regulator for free if I bought the canister of gas.
It all goes to support my theory that the French love to argue. If you go somewhere to buy something or ask a question, you will get no respect until to provoke an with them. Win or lose, it is “having” the argument that counts. In the US I generally try not to provoke the people I am asking for help but in France I think it is a law that you must do that.
Midica has everything and is a great store, but a little on the expensive side, but you can find it here.
Popularity: 8% [?]
When I read this,,,I rolled,,you are right they like to argue for some reason. So did the police come and arrest you?
No police came, I’m still using the grill, with no problems. I may even go camping in Corsica with a gerryrigged camping stove, but don’t tell the French, they might take away my wine.
This is funny, and painfully true too. My own personal story is very similar. I relocated to France and had just bought a very nice weber grill, and since I have a garden with my house I thought I should bring it (it was actually still in the box).
After assembling it, I too went to get the connector for French Gaz (a friend had said you need a different hose fitting– made sense). I got 3 employees at the BHV in Paris saying, “you are playing with dangerous fire, you will blow everything up, it’s against the law…etc” Well I argued that I was going to do it anyway and he actually began to help me find the right fittings (they had obviously done this before).
I also tried with the manufacturer in both France and USA. Both claim it’s impossible to sell me the burners and hoses required for my grill despite the fact that it is a new model sold in both countries. I want to comply, I said, and they said “Buy a new grill”.
I am very frustrated and would love to know what connector you bought. A photo would help me a lot.
Thanks for posting this! I thought I was the only one.
This weekend I will take a picture of the grill setup. When I purchased the gas the regulator came with it, I just needed to run ahose from one to the other, on one end I had to use a, I have no idea what the name is, vise like thing to get a better connection. Hopefully the picture will explain.