France: Rare — Mostly Fixed, Occasional Exception.
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Rare — Mostly Fixed, Occasional Exception. Shops and restaurants have fixed prices — don't try. Flea markets (marchés aux puces) like Saint-Ouen in Paris are the one place where a polite counter-offer on unmarked antiques or secondhand goods is normal.
France: Rare — Mostly Fixed, Occasional Exception. Shops and restaurants have fixed prices — don't try. Flea markets (marchés aux puces) like Saint-Ouen in Paris are the one place where a polite counter-offer on unmarked antiques or secondhand goods is normal.
Most shopping in France is fixed-price — haggling is only really possible at flea markets or with independent craft vendors.
Flea markets or informal craft stalls, if you find any — regular retail is fixed-price and negotiating there would be unusual.
This reflects general local norms, not a rule for every seller or situation — always haggle with a smile, know when a price genuinely is fixed (posted price tags, receipts, government shops), and never negotiate over small amounts that matter far more to the seller than to you.
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