What can't I buy in France and should bring from UK?
Discussion
A conversation with our friends who live in Lille revealed that decent washing up liquid is unavailable in France and we should stock up on bottles of Fairy before we go.
We're also aware that French paint is crap, so we bought some Leyland to take with us.
What else would you suggest.
I don't care about 'British foods' like teabags so much, more the things I wouldn't expect.
We're also aware that French paint is crap, so we bought some Leyland to take with us.
What else would you suggest.
I don't care about 'British foods' like teabags so much, more the things I wouldn't expect.
Cheddar is a good one. Much as I love French cheeses a crunchy mature cheddar is a fine thing.
I was looking at the screwfix type stuff when we were originally going to arrive by train as you cannot take tools on the Eurostar. Castorama and Brico Depot are also Kingfisher group so you can get a lot of the same things. Now we're taking a car over I can bring my tools with me, but I think I'll buy a 2nd Titan/MacAllister wet & dry there as it's much the same price.
I was looking at the screwfix type stuff when we were originally going to arrive by train as you cannot take tools on the Eurostar. Castorama and Brico Depot are also Kingfisher group so you can get a lot of the same things. Now we're taking a car over I can bring my tools with me, but I think I'll buy a 2nd Titan/MacAllister wet & dry there as it's much the same price.
trunnie said:
I'd agree about medicines, as Pharmacies have a monopoly of selling medicines, the basic stuff that you pick up in Tescos is more expensive here.
Decent beer is less of a concern now, France has seen a huge expansion of microbreweries in the last 10 or so years and whilst some is terrible, most is pretty good, though finding a good bitter is more of a problem. Brewdog appears in a lot of supermarkets throughout France as well.
Anything extremely spicy - unless there's a local Caribbean or Indian community. Metropolitan French tastes are in general not atuned to really spicy food.
Given Beaufort and other seriously good hard French cheeses, I dont feel tempted to buy the cheddar that our local cheese merchant sells...
I shall look out for Beaufort. As for beer the only trouble I usually have is finding something weak enough In supermarkets who have embraced Belgian brews. I think Charente Ales are worth a try for English style beers, and there are some superb local craft beers. Decent beer is less of a concern now, France has seen a huge expansion of microbreweries in the last 10 or so years and whilst some is terrible, most is pretty good, though finding a good bitter is more of a problem. Brewdog appears in a lot of supermarkets throughout France as well.
Anything extremely spicy - unless there's a local Caribbean or Indian community. Metropolitan French tastes are in general not atuned to really spicy food.
Given Beaufort and other seriously good hard French cheeses, I dont feel tempted to buy the cheddar that our local cheese merchant sells...
Cheers!
The burner is still there. At least it was in July, and they mentioned it on the paperwork, so it better had be. There's also an insert in the living room, which apparently they never used and could be in any state.
I need to get a chimney sweep in before we light anything though.
The cellar had a nice sizeable log pile in the summer. I'll find out on Friday if it's still there.
The burner is still there. At least it was in July, and they mentioned it on the paperwork, so it better had be. There's also an insert in the living room, which apparently they never used and could be in any state.
I need to get a chimney sweep in before we light anything though.
The cellar had a nice sizeable log pile in the summer. I'll find out on Friday if it's still there.
rdjohn said:
Macron said tonight that you might need a negative Covid test to enter France on Friday.- worth checking the detail will come tomorrow.
Hope things go OK for you.
Annoying little president! Hope things go OK for you.
Í’m arriving on Thursday thank goodness. But he’s probably buggered our plans to pick up all the furniture we’ve bought on Saturday. Why couldn’t he wait till next week, the t
t?Bullet-Proof_Biscuit said:
My friend has discovered on 'Le bon coin' that motorbikes are mucho cheaper in France than UK, specifically old stuff, contrary to voiture prices. Given not something you might wish to take in hand luggage on a Ryanair flight.
Thanks for that info. I shall check that out. I’m planning to start a business restoring and selling old things. Initially furniture, but later cars. I hadn’t thought bikes but I can rebuild a small frame Vespa with my eyes closed. Having been here for a while it seems that the only food item I want I cannot find in supermarkets is nice crackers to go with cheese. In particular I really like Jacobs salt and pepper flatbreads and their square cracker equivalents, so I picked some of those up when I popped back to the UK.
Are these really a thing the French don't do, or am I looking in the wrong place? I need something nice to splodge my melty Chaource on.
Also soups based on meat (e.g. cream of chicken), and chorizo sausages intended for cooking rather than the charcuterie board.
Are these really a thing the French don't do, or am I looking in the wrong place? I need something nice to splodge my melty Chaource on.
Also soups based on meat (e.g. cream of chicken), and chorizo sausages intended for cooking rather than the charcuterie board.
Thanks. I'll double check the next time we're in Hyper U. Still haven't found cheddar, except some orange grated stuff, but I'm fine with that.
I found a nearby Welsh pig farmer who has set up here and will sell sausages, back bacon, pork pies and sausage rolls (M. Chochon) so we shall give them a try when we've cleared some space in the Freezer.
I found a nearby Welsh pig farmer who has set up here and will sell sausages, back bacon, pork pies and sausage rolls (M. Chochon) so we shall give them a try when we've cleared some space in the Freezer.
rdjohn said:
Great news! The fresh Chorizo arrived in our LeClerc this morning.
Yay! I picked up 4 packs of it yesterday. Tonight I shall cook Nigella’a Spanish chicken this eveninghttps://www.nigella.com/recipes/spanish-chicken-wi...
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