You can find these all over the city, identifiable by their blinking, neon-green signs. It’s always better to stop into a pharmacy before going to the doctor or emergency room. Unlike their American or British counterparts, French pharmacists are able to bandage minor wounds and recommend medicine for common ailments.
On the downside, everything in French pharmacies is kept behind the counter, including headache pills, throat lozenges, and condoms. And since brand names of most medicines are different, you’ll just have to describe what ails you and hope the pharmacist gives you the right product. A good translation app (or good ol’ fashioned phrase book) can come in really handy here!
Pharmacies Open 24/7 in Paris
“Pharmacies de Garde” are the pharmacies that stay open on holidays, often later than usual. You can find these listed on the window of every pharmacy, or search one closest to you on the SOS Médecins website. There are only a few in town that are open 24/7 year-round:
- Pharmacie Européenne: 6 place de Clichy, 9th, metro Place de Clichy, tel 01 48 74 65 18.
- Pharmacie de la Porte de Montreuil: 2 ave de la Porte de Montreuil, 20th, metro Porte de Montreuil, tel 01 43 73 81 04.
- Pharmacie de la Place de la République: 5 place de la République, 3rd, metro République, tel 01 47 00 18 08.
- Pharmacie de la Porte Maillot: 68 ave de la Grande Armée, 17th, metro Porte Maillot, tel 01 45 74 17 31.
- Pharmacie du 13ème: 5 Bis ave d’Italie, 13th, metro Place d’Italie, tel 01 45 82 86 60.
Most pharmacies have someone who speaks English these days, but you can also try:
Anglo-American Pharmacy
37 Avenue Marceau, 16th
M° Alma-Marceau
Tel 01 47 20 57 37
Pharmacy Delivery in Paris
Since Covid, you can get almost anything delivered in France, including prescriptions and other hygiene and beauty items from the “parapharmacie”, 24/7, within an hour in Paris using apps like LivMeds. If you’re in the French health system you can just upload your prescription and Carte Vitale to get your delivery for free. Other non-prescription items seem to be normally priced (like ibuprofen), although the convenience comes at a price, as the delivery fee can be quite stiff (calculated by time of day and the distance, so opt for a pharmacy close to you). Livmeds has a huge selection (over 30 different choices for dental floss, for example), but the real value added is that you can “chat” directly with the actual pharmacist at any point, and follow your delivery (or call the delivery person) directly via the app, which isn’t a possibility if you’re using Amazon Prime. It might be a bit too complicated if you don’t understand French, but for those living here who are too sick to drag themselves to the nearest pharmacy for Smecta and tissues, this app is worth a try. Another I found is Pharmao.fr, which has a “click & collect” option if you just don’t want to be waiting in line while coughing up a lung (or in front of someone else who is).
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