That's not the vegetable we are talking about, but a piece of French cultural heritage. Our clients are often shocked by how many French people smoke, and the carrot in question is connected to smoking. Everywhere you go you will see a distinctive orange diamond shaped sign above newsagents or bars that tells you that they sell tobacco. It is known as 'la carotte'.
The origin of the shape of the sign comes from how tobacco was sold in the 16th century. In those days tobacco was sold as leaves that you chewed or smoked. The leaves were not attached to their stalks, but in rolls that were wrapped in calico and tightly wound round with string in a way that made them resemble carrots. In order to use the tobacco one grated the 'carrot'. Later, the form changed to cigars and cigarettes, but the carrot symbol for shops stuck.
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