Can you buy British-style cream in French shops?

Crème fraîche usually refers to a soured cream (with a slight tang, though not as acidic as American-style sour cream, which the French call crème aigre) which has been left to ‘mature’ and, especially if described as épaisse (thick) has usually had a bacterial culture added to it.

For ordinary mild, runny cream you should look for crème (sometimes ‘crème fraîche’) liquide or crème fleurette.

When it comes to whipped creams, the French distinguish between Chantilly, which is whipped crème liquide which has been sweetened, and crème fouettée, which is unsweetened, neither of which should be confused with the crème pâtissière used to fill pastries such as éclairs, which is made from egg, flour, sugar, vanilla and milk.

Pure, unadulterated cream that has not been pasteurised is called crème crue and is typically found in markets and health food shops, rather than in supermarkets.