Not been to France for years - what's good in French supermarkets?

[Standstilling]

Indulge me - I am off to France soon with the DCs and LOVE a foreign supermarket. Am idly planning and looking forward but I need some specifics. Do they still do those peanut flavoured wotsit things? Obvs cheese and wine... what else is good?

If you could hear the noises I am making... I have try the duck legs and the remoulade.

Belin crackers! Eating all the cheese!

Croque madams? And is hot choc in a bowl for breakfast still the law?

What about some supermarket names - I remember Leclerc and one with an elephant logo?

Yes, belin crackers, forgot about those. They make some that are like mini pizza biscuits.

Also, they do some grated carrot in a vinaigrette type dressing which is lovely.

Croque madame has an egg
I think we come home with a whole shop whenever we go
My mum goes every year and buys as much pasta as she can fit in her suitcase, little cheveux d'ange pasta for homemade chicken or vegetable soup and coquiettes pasta, both panzani brand. I once had to pay €60 as she was 6kg over the weight limit and we both emptied our cases and wore all our clothes. Just what you want when it's 36.c out.
Keeps us stocked for a year though!
There is a warehouse in London that sells French stuff though I can't remember the name of it....

We got the duck legs and then had them with sarladaise potatoes from the freezer section. Amazing.
Also baby nail clippers when we forgot ours - they're much better than the ones we had.
Kinder bueno ice creams.

And yes hot chocolate in a bowl with a pastry on the side (and possibly dip in)

I spent ages in the sirop section of auchan a few days ago. Not everything was full sugar and some stuff had glucose-fructose syrup instead of good old fashioned sugar.

However, we bought full sugar orangina (hell yes to the tiny glass bottles), Capri sun, san pellegrino and iced tea. Also got Perrier (tiny glass bottles again) and Perrier citron in cans. We did get some sirop, including a cola flavoured one.

Other purchases included mayo, mustard, saucisson, biscuits, pain aux chocolat, orangina haribo and what appear to be sugar cubes in the shape of the four suits froma deck of cards. Obviously.

I’m definitely going to be looking for the duck legs, they sound amazing as it’s such a faff to make. I know there’s a Casino in walking distance of where we’re staying, the a Super U a short drive so I’ll be hunting them down!

My teens love Dop shower gel. There are loads of lovely and realistic smells. They love hot chocolate and pistachio ice cream. Only 2 euros and allergy parabin free I think.

The French must think the UK doesn't sell shower gel. Our trolley is filled with Le Petit Marseillaise and Dop for the kids.

Love the back to school section. My children were all for loading up the car with compote this time, they have something of an obsession with it

They look like this

I was in a cafe once and not feeling well, they brought me a mint verbena tisane. Since then I stock up on verveine menthe teabags, you can't get them in the UK.

Little pots of pure fruit compote - they do long life and fridge versions, both good.

Le Petit Marseillaise Afghan oil shampoo and conditioner

Sorry, my message was confusing. I meant to say that some of the sirops have artificial sweeteners, even the non 0% added sugar ones, others had the syrup which we went ahead and bought but I know some people would prefer just sugar, nothing else. I would too, really, but I'd got too excited!

I got all our back to school stuff in France last year.

Aw, Les ambassadeurs du Mumsnet, you are spoiling me! SO EXCITED!

Also just found out we can't check til 5pm so we now HAVE to do le supermarche grande shop on the way.

at lapenguin and your excess baggage!

And sugar cubes in the four suits - classique!

No sucre tax I am guessing? Vive la France!

Verveine menthe sounds lovely Notme.

The Petit Marseillaise seaweed and minerals range is lovely,ditto their almond milk shower gel,mandarin and lime,apricot and basil shower gels. The lavender hand soap is fab if you have sensitive skin. This is the salt we love. Enjoy shopping,we're not going this year- boo hoo. My mum stocks up for me though.

Beware! Les supermarchés sont fermés le dimanche. many’s the time I’ve sat Arnhem the Eurotunnel terminal weeping at the shut cité so tantalisingly near actually I lie, they’re open Sunday morning, so renseigner-vous!
Peanut wotsits very much available and we always stock up boxes of sachets of apple purée.

I do love a French supermarket but blimey, it's not cheap! Some stuff is like wine and cheese but we spent a lot more than we would at home on pretty normal stuff. If you consider that a euro is basically a pound these days.

Ebly in sachets (or microwave pouches) to take back home.

The Lindt chocolate bar range which is meant to be eaten straight from the fridge (lemon, mint, passion fruit type fillings). They have a snowflake logo on the pack.

Suchard chocolate

Chestnut flavour dairy desserts (in yoghurt aisle)

All the petit sale - don't bother with crisps, plenty of better stuff like comte cheese twists in the crisp aisle.

Wow. We missed a bit. We will have to go back.
I bought the sturdiest clothes pegs I have ever seen from the hyper U. So happy as I can't find anything like it where I live.
Roast Chicken crisps. Tastes like drinking the fat out of the roast chicken tray. So bad but so good.
Enjoy your trip

Yes to vervine teabags and full sugar syrup! Will be stocking up on the way home. Enjoying the budget rose now.