What do you bring back from France?

[Belmondo]

I usually bring nice soap, cheap wine and cider, and little cheese apéro biscuits. What else would you recommend?

Champagne.
Decent wine.
Crisps.
Cordial.
Lidl serum and face cream.

Chicken noodle soup and crunchy Cheetos.

Creme de marrons

I buy olive oil soap very cheaply here. It's really good.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Oliva-Olive-soap-125g-Bundle/dp/B00V6HOU70/ref=mpssa117?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.k64yIvtRc-ERpbGFreikF17ApT0qtbD9-KH96JThPsKEDBZXef8V2xiRRe4MLh9ICQGztdAYdFGsCObB-QBLgGCWfdWG6Z9382RagQm0Qw2rGkmVLWKpNYoBg8aKOFY2VrxohbGrzgK75LSVQz3s12hagGIGtZHWGwdO9MRJzMCyk0aN61D8yAJrOYRyD0I6YStxbPgG1Xivvea-oK1-A.d6cCRpjdYsHOUd8Z8xSurbjC8S7yO8hPVjfSPrwtjbI&dibtag=se&keywords=olive+oil+soap&qid=1756357180&sr=8-7

Boxes of washing powder. Love the French soap fragrance.

What’s the name of this salad dressing everyone is talking about? I’m intrigued.

Regarding the meat and cheese ban, are the Eurostar officials checking you on the way back in to London?

This is the one I get. Last time we went on the tunnel there were no checks.

Petit Couer biscuits.

I got the Eurostar to Lille at the weekend. I had an email from Eurostar when I was on the train there telling me about the meat and dairy ban. No notices at the station and no checks on the way back. I played safe and just bought biscuits, jam (better flavours) and of course soap.

Oooh thanks. I’ll look out for it on my September trip.

@singswithitsfingers thanks. We’ll be using Paris as our Eurostar entry into and departure from France. I wonder if the folks in the Paris security may be more alert and holding to the rules than those in Lille.

Raison D'etre. Cologne water.

The version I get looks like that but is ‘nature’ rather than lemony.

In contrast, we came back from St Malo recently and no-one seemed bothered about the dairy and cheese ban. I saw only one vehicle (a camper van) being checked and that search was so quick that it couldn't possibly have found any stashes of forbidden foodstuffs. I didn't notice any bags on the ferry being checked.

Me too! Love the mustardy yellow one.

It's the first time I've seen them be so thorough at Dieppe. I think they're checking for people being smuggled over the border rather than cheese to be honest.

We came home through the Channel Tunnel last week and they were doing random checks for meat and diary - we did see some people have things taken off them unfortuately.

We usually bring back LU biscuits and Galettes, sirops and jams, wine, soaps and those massive jars of wholegrain mustard.

I was there last month and bought a couple of bottles of rose Cremant .... 4 euros a bottle and I expected it to be a bit rank. It was gorgeous. Wish I'd bought a couple of boxes now.

A French supermarket is a highlight of the trip for us too, love it.

We did Portsmouth/St Malo in May. Didn't see a single reference to the ban in ferry company correspondence, at the ports or on the ferry, and didn't see anyone being searched.

To be honest, I fail to understand how buying pasteurised French cheese and butter from a supermarket can be any riskier than buying the same stuff in the UK really.

We may or may not have been compliant ...

The ban doesn't apply to tourists bringing cheese and meat back to the Republic of Ireland. Just mentioning, as lots of mumsnetters are Irish.

No checks on the Eurostar from Paris to London when I did it a couple of weeks ago. There was an announcement on the London- Brussels Eurostar on the way in, inviting us to turn any meat and dairy in to Belgian customs. Meaning that our refusal to give up DS's M&S all day breakfast sandwich (he eventually ate it somewhere in the vicinity of Liege) has turned us into international pork smugglers 😳.

Mustard
Saucisson
Apericubes
Sirop, especially the peche and cerise
cremant
calvados
Pineau des charente
Creme de mure
Chestnut puree
Poulain hot chocolate
Salad topping
Interesting jam
Salted caramel sauce from Noirmoutier
Carambars (lots, and especially the nougat ones)
The squashy strawberry haribos
Armagnac
Jars of haricot
Lots of things...

Bin liners! In addition to all the lovely foods and ingredients, my new kitchen came with 35l Euro-sized bin cans and nothing else fits accurately. They are also much sturdier.

We brought back a load of orangina, fruit syrups, fish soups, croutons, biscuits and orangina flavour Haribo. The French supermarket prices are pretty expensive compared to England now although quality is still better. French petrol prices were the biggest difference. Have never known petrol to be so much more than home, it’s always been cheaper before.

Always allow at least half a day in the return port (if driving obv!) to wander around Auchan or whatever Hypermarche is nearest. I just love doing that and fill my trolley with whatever looks nice that I can't get at home (apart from the banned stuff of course).

I make a beeline for the cosmetics and toiletry section. Whatever takes my fancy usually the expensive (at home) L'Oreal age perfect serum half the price, and so many offers on this or that, I just scoop them up. Savon de Marseilles of course by the half ton, then on to the tinned foods, cordials, snacks. At this time of year I found so many fabulous Summer clothes bargains, a fiver (euro) for great sundresses in lovely fabric, shorts, t shirts and so on. Neither of us drink alcohol so it's just a few bottles of wine and maybe a nice cognac to have in for visitors and around Christmas. Saves tons of room lol.

And yes, there is always room in the car for an Auchan shopping haul! It's the best part of the holiday.