The hashtag #Frenchpharmacy has racked up 42 million views on TikTok as visitors to France – mainly Americans – share tips with their followers on which pharmacies to visit and what to get. 

The pharmacy – with its distinctive green illuminated cross – is a ubiquitous feature in French towns and villages, and a vital place to get prescriptions, medical advice and over-the-counter medication.

But the larger ‘para-pharmacies’ also stock an impressive range of health, well-being and beauty products.

American influencers and travel bloggers can be seen on TikTok sharing their tips for which pharmacies to visit and what to buy – particularly popular are French beauty brands such as Avène, Caudalie, La Roche-Posay and Vichy which are significantly cheaper in France than the US (unsurprisingly, as you’re not paying transport costs).

@elizabethvictoriaclark come to the iconic french pharmacy CityPharma in Paris with me – aka heaven on earth. Will do a haul next. #frenchpharmacy #a313 #biafine #frenchbeauty ♬ Shooting Stars – Bag Raiders

We hope Elizabeth Victoria Clark wasn’t too disappointed when she tried the “teas that can cure almost any ailment” – most pharmacies do stock a nice range of herbal teas, some of which claim to aid with certain conditions or to promote relaxation, good sleep or boost energy. (If they truly did cure ailments, they would probably be more expensive than they are.)

@rudiberry Replying to @grace I could have spent all day in there 🤩🇫🇷✨ do you want to see a haul of what I picked up?! #frenchpharmacy #frenchpharmacie #frenchpharmacyskincare #frenchpharmacyhaul #frenchpharmacyproducts ♬ French scented fashionable accordion waltz(874070) – Single Origin Music

Pharmacists seem slightly bemused by not unhappy about the trend, with Paris-based Mounir Khedja telling French TV channel BFM: “French para-pharmacies have always offered quality products and product diversity. The ‘French para-pharmacy’ has always been recognised, but I also think that consumer habits have changed a lot.”

So are pharmacies in France really better than in any other country?

READ MORE: The 7 over-the-counter meds Americans might want to bring with them to Europe

They’re certainly very widespread, even small towns have at least one and in cities you can find a pharmacy every few hundred metres – this is largely because over-the-counter medicines such as painkillers and cold and flu remedies can only be sold in pharmacies, it is illegal for supermarkets or other stores to stock them.

France is home to about 21,000 pharmacies, with about 33 pharmacies per 100,000 people.

They’re very recognisable, thanks to those green crosses outside which also display the time, date and temperature.

And they offer a lot of services – from dispensing prescriptions to wound care, administering vaccines including Covid vaccines and the seasonal flu shots and checking your mushrooms.

More than prescriptions: 10 things you can do at a French pharmacy

Careful that you don’t develop ‘heavy legs’ during a visit, however.