boucherie

A boucherie is a shop or workshop where meat is prepared, cut, and sold to customers. In French-speaking contexts the term denotes a butcher's shop. A typical boucherie offers fresh cuts of beef, pork, lamb, and poultry, along with offal products. Many establishments also provide prepared meat items such as sausages, pâtés, and marinated products, and some operate as a boucherie-charcuterie combining fresh meat with cured meats.

Historically, butchers were skilled tradesmen organized in guilds, and the boucher would slaughter, trim, bone, and portion meat for sale. Modern practices emphasize hygiene, portion control, and customer service, with activities including receiving carcasses, cutting to order, wrapping, labeling, and maintaining refrigerated storage. Shops are subject to meat inspection, labeling rules, and food-safety standards that ensure traceability from producer to consumer.

In many Francophone countries, the boucherie operates alongside or within larger retailers. The related trade of charcuterie focuses on processed meats, such as cured sausages and pâtés; in some shops these functions are combined under the designation boucherie-charcuterie. Independent butchers often emphasize local sourcing, quality cuts, and customized service.

Beyond its commercial role, the boucherie is part of culinary and cultural traditions in rural and urban areas, reflecting regional preferences in meat choices and preparation styles. Regulation and market dynamics vary by country and over time, but the core function remains the sale of meat in properly prepared, labeled, and safe forms.