French supermarket / must have / tips?

[lesoignons]

Bon matin🇫🇷

I’m in Brittany on holiday this week and am off to the ‘big’ supermarket later.

Are there any must have items I should be bringing home that I can’t get in England?

Particularly thinking of things like toiletries, kitchen cupboard staples, amazing chocolate brands or treats..

Already planning to bring home some jambon, cheese and wine in the cool box (we have the car) but would love to hear any top tips for French brands 💙🤍♥️

I'm not a cake fan but omg KA is sooooooo good!

Le Petit Marseillaise?

You can get confit vacuum packed now, not so heavy to carry.

Amazing! Love these suggestions - keep them coming!!🇫🇷🥖🧀🐩

@meatbaseddessert that's the one!

Mayo, so much nicer in france

Definitely been enjoying the mayo with a touch of moutarde!

Mostly I buy wine though, nearly everything else is easily purchased in the U.K.

Phyto Shampoo and/ or Klorane in French pharmacies. Nice brands

Yep, just back from France and can confirm my kids lived on these.

Sorry - my above post was in response to the Ghost crisps.

I live in France and always get asked to take salted anchovies (about a quarter of the price here) for Nigella recipes and anything chestnut - jars or purée.

I’ll look out for these, not heard of them before!

Sirops
Salted peanuts (always browner than our pallid versions)
Brets crisps (esp Fromage du Jura)
Mustard
Butter biscuits
Le Petit Marseillais hand wash refills
Wine
Cheese
Tapenade in jars
Pâté in jars

Sparkling wine! If you like sweet wine demi sec, it's so much more expensive/hard to find in the UK!

My go-tos are always:
Grenadine sirop
Long life jus de fraise (don't see it here and my DDs love it)
Dry roasted peanuts (so much drier and less dusty than UK ones)
Gerble barres amandes (basically marzipan in snack form)
Grilled almonds (or if you are in Super U their amandes et fruits rouges mix is nice)

I remember the most amazing soft/cream cheese with walnuts, in little packs in cheese aisle, can't remember the brand (not boursin) omg delish on fresh baguette. Do try it if you can find it.

Oh and my DDs were very excited to find La Roche Posay products in Auchan much cheaper than in the UK.

Canned Ratatouille from the cassegrain mark (don't bother with any other brand)

The same brand do all sorts of other vegetables which are all great but the ratatouille is exceptional (we go through 2 tins a week - great for getting veg into teenagers)

If you like cream cheese try the Madame Loïc brand. Delicious.

Fleur de sel is much nicer on chips or tomatoes than ordinary salt (but not for cooking).

Soupe de poisson in jars.
Fruit liqueurs for interesting Kir style aperos, or to drizzle over ice cream.

A packet or two of Apericubes from the cheese section, for typical French aperos. 🍸 🍸 🍸

The super market bags - they are generally decorated with local landmarks, so visit supermarkets in every town you visit!

Potato dauphioise in BIG tins.

If you drink alcohol and like anise spirits, buy 51, not Pernod or Ricard.

Sirop du peche for bellinis
Any bars of chocolate (I picked up a white choc hazelnut last trip that was divine!!)
Mont Blanc pudding
Herbs de Provence, big bags for €1.50
Macarons, even supermarket ones are so much better than anything you would get here!
So jealous. The best part of a holiday for me is the supermarket 😂

Eau Ecarlate Detacheur Universelle - THE most amazing laundry stain remover - takes anything out of anything!

all of the above plus chocolate coated walnuts if you get as far down as the Perigord.

Oh and also the vast array of types of Vermouth!