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.
Torx screws! You can buy them in France but at twice the price.
We buy bacon and cheddar from an Irish company delivered to our door. Pay in euros.
Bacon by the box is the name of the Irish outfit.
A couple of UK tape measures so you have metric and inches on the same tape.
Pataks curry paste's.
Hand saws as they are very expensive here.
If you use nails then bring a decent selection.
Engine oil is a complete ripoff. Buy online or bring it with you.
We buy bacon and cheddar from an Irish company delivered to our door. Pay in euros.
Bacon by the box is the name of the Irish outfit.
A couple of UK tape measures so you have metric and inches on the same tape.
Pataks curry paste's.
Hand saws as they are very expensive here.
If you use nails then bring a decent selection.
Engine oil is a complete ripoff. Buy online or bring it with you.
Edited by Magooagain on Wednesday 21st October 20:20
My brother lived in France for 10 years
When we visited, the list was:
Marmite, and Bovril - he likes both
Sausages - British sausages that you take for granted. His village did sausages make from horses !
Bacon - ditto
Branstons
Bottled Ale - eg Greene King IPA, Guiness, all of which are substandard compared to draught, but better than nothing.
I used to pile up the back of the car and drive down with a solid lump of frozen food slowly defrosting in the back of the car. And that's why we had to drive so fast on the autoroute
My wife has suggested that you fill the car with what whatever you can, so that you can acclimatise to paying higher French prices, more slowly.
We reckon that it is at least 30% more expensive here, but offset by higher quality.
I read only this week about loi Egalim which ensures supermarkets cannot buy and sell aggressively despite producers benefitting from the CAP.
We reckon that it is at least 30% more expensive here, but offset by higher quality.
I read only this week about loi Egalim which ensures supermarkets cannot buy and sell aggressively despite producers benefitting from the CAP.
Sebastian
You know sometimes I think it is the other way round, some of the stuff one can get in France, one can't get in Blighty.
Food
-Smoked Bacon... although I have found 'poitrine' available everywhere is a good if not thicker alternative. we do 'import' and freeze.
-Fresh Milk... You can find it...but it isn't mainstream.. it all appears to be UHT
- Herbs... In supermarkets, hard to find corriander, fresh chillies.. possibly more of a market thing.
- Tea.. the English sections in most supermarkets may have overpriced PG tips or Typhoo, Mrs C is rather fond of Yorkshire Tea, so we tend to 'import'
- Fevertree Tonic.. yes available sometimes from Intermarche, seems to sell out instantly.
- Salt & Vinegar Crisps... again a bit random, some places have Tyrells or other brands some of the time.
It took us a couple of years to discover ' Grand Frais' You have one in Angouleme or a 3 in Limoges... this is the closest you will get to a premium supermarket experience. Cheddar always available and fresh herbs.
DIY
Enormous choice and variety. I have settled on LeRoy Merlin... as my 1st choice. again Angouleme and Limoges for you. I can honestly say I can get anything I can get in UK there... and loads of extra things I have never seen in the UK.
French paint is designed for French walls.. All English need to have a French wall tutorial.. they are different... It is worth leaving it to a decorator, it is the least risky option.
Skips... the big metal things, not the prawn cocktail snack, in our region they do not exist.. You need a combination of a friendly chap with a tipper truck who has an understanding with the local dechetterie ( I am sure Wirral Paul chap will correct me here (
That is all I can think of..
Are you in residence yet? More Photos?
You know sometimes I think it is the other way round, some of the stuff one can get in France, one can't get in Blighty.
Food
-Smoked Bacon... although I have found 'poitrine' available everywhere is a good if not thicker alternative. we do 'import' and freeze.
-Fresh Milk... You can find it...but it isn't mainstream.. it all appears to be UHT
- Herbs... In supermarkets, hard to find corriander, fresh chillies.. possibly more of a market thing.
- Tea.. the English sections in most supermarkets may have overpriced PG tips or Typhoo, Mrs C is rather fond of Yorkshire Tea, so we tend to 'import'
- Fevertree Tonic.. yes available sometimes from Intermarche, seems to sell out instantly.
- Salt & Vinegar Crisps... again a bit random, some places have Tyrells or other brands some of the time.
It took us a couple of years to discover ' Grand Frais' You have one in Angouleme or a 3 in Limoges... this is the closest you will get to a premium supermarket experience. Cheddar always available and fresh herbs.
DIY
Enormous choice and variety. I have settled on LeRoy Merlin... as my 1st choice. again Angouleme and Limoges for you. I can honestly say I can get anything I can get in UK there... and loads of extra things I have never seen in the UK.
French paint is designed for French walls.. All English need to have a French wall tutorial.. they are different... It is worth leaving it to a decorator, it is the least risky option.
Skips... the big metal things, not the prawn cocktail snack, in our region they do not exist.. You need a combination of a friendly chap with a tipper truck who has an understanding with the local dechetterie ( I am sure Wirral Paul chap will correct me here (
That is all I can think of..
Are you in residence yet? More Photos?
Edited by AndrewCrown on Saturday 24th October 04:39
I was the friendly chap with the tipper , but I had an understanding with the local quarry for hardcore tipping , it was closer than the decheterie and I could pick up sand at the same time .
The best part about property in france is it usually comes with some land , I built an elevated terrace , put my building rubbish in and decked it over !
The best part about property in france is it usually comes with some land , I built an elevated terrace , put my building rubbish in and decked it over !
We always try to have a good stock of over the counter medicines, things that you take for granted in the UK but you will be lucky to find the same thing in France. Beechams powders that sort of thing any painkillers that you prefer, hay fever tablets, insect bite cream ( lots of). Think of a first aid kit and keep it stocked up.
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...
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...
Good call on painkillers and over the counter medicines , I did my best to embrace French life , We chose to live there so we did as the French did mainly but we did miss certain things , early 2000s there was no such thing as salad cream in le'clerc , it was only when we sold the second house it appeared on the international food isle !
We did buy numerous things in England when we built there so I was backwards and forwards between the countries in a pick up ,one stand out example was skimming beads , 75p in England or 2 quid in france , we weren't short of the money but the percentage difference was shocking , I actually took a truck full of board finish plaster as I was traveling down empty . I remember my neighbor popping over to help me unload the pick up truck once when I'd arrived and he questioned why I'd brought main stream heidseck champagne from England to France , when I told him it was cheaper in Tesco than French supermarkets he was as angry as he was embarrassed.
We did buy numerous things in England when we built there so I was backwards and forwards between the countries in a pick up ,one stand out example was skimming beads , 75p in England or 2 quid in france , we weren't short of the money but the percentage difference was shocking , I actually took a truck full of board finish plaster as I was traveling down empty . I remember my neighbor popping over to help me unload the pick up truck once when I'd arrived and he questioned why I'd brought main stream heidseck champagne from England to France , when I told him it was cheaper in Tesco than French supermarkets he was as angry as he was embarrassed.
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.
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