You can find Gillette Bleu in any big supermarket in France, a pack of ten should cost around 1,50-2 €.
I switched to cold shaves about two months ago. I get great results and it's quicker because I don't have to wait for the water to get hot.
After 35 years using the Gillette Super-Speed I inherited from my great granddad, I ordered a new Merkur 34c for home use and a Parker travel razor. Just in time before I leave town for three days.
i finally bought a saftey razor about a month ago. Im pretty happy with it, honestly it feels slightly rougher to me than a mach three while drawing it across my face, but i make less passes with it so my face is still less irritated after a shave. Im kind of light on facial hair, but ive been shaving 4 to 5 times per blade with no issues so far. Pretty stoked.
The great thing about DE safety razors is the variety of blades available (and the savings over multiple-blade razors). Feather's are real popular but some people find them too sharp. Derby's are also pretty highly rated by some, but to me the Derby's feel dull and tend to chew my face up. I personally prefer the Astra brand. The Astra SP's with my EJ razor give me a great 2-pass shave; the Astra SS's are a little less smooth and tend to give me razor burn but not like the Derby's. Get yourself a sampler pack somewhere and try several brands until you find one the suits your face, your razor and shaving style.
I like Shark and Lords (both made by the same Egyptian company) but I also like Feather. Get a sampler pack from West Coast Shaving then you can try a bunch of different brands.
Meanwhile, on a lighter note (Enough politics for the day)--I have used the Merkur 34C Heavy Duty Safety Razor for 5 days now with Astra Superior Platinum blades and here are my thoughts. Wow, great freaking razor, after using my Great Granddad's 50+ year old Gillette Superspeed razor for 35 years, I had no idea what a close shave really felt like. No knock on old faithful, it just can't compete with the Merkur--The 34C renders a shave that is comfortable, while being modestly aggressive. The weight means you don't have to apply pressure on your face, the razor does the work effortlessly for you. The handle is a tad shorter than I am used to, but it's wideness makes the 34C very maneuverable. Not so much as a nick so far and zero irritation. I get why this is the favorite razor of so many people--It's very good, I am pleased. Highly recommended if you are in the market!
