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French MNers. What would you want ...

48 replies

ChangeAgainAgainAgain · 28/03/2026 19:01

As a gift from the UK?

I'm meeting up with my French language partner over Easter. He's French, living in France. We've chatted online a few times (safety issues all fine, I'm with DH, meeting in public in a French town I know well etc). He's a male mid 30s, married with a young child.

I want to take a little token gift, ideally something English. I want to avoid alcohol gifts.

Ideally I'd take a potted Stilton, or some lovely British cheese, but I don't think I can take cheese into the EU any more.

So what do you suggest? I did wonder about some Tracklements condiments. Maybe Horseradish, Picilili, ploughman's chutney, English mustard. Plus perhaps an Easter Egg for his son. What do you think?

OP posts:
Needtosoundoffandbreathe · 28/03/2026 19:06

Gin, shortbread and other biscuits, tea, marmalade, marmite. I'm not French, but have French friends and family living in France. Things from M&S.

Leeds2 · 28/03/2026 19:12

Definitely an Easter Egg for the child!

I would usually suggest shortbread, but that is often Scottish rather than English.Maybe have a look on the National Trust website, as they do have edible gifts which might fit the bill. Or jars of traditional English sweets (look in local garden centre!).
Maybe English jam/marmalade/lemon curd.

Parisienne123 · 28/03/2026 19:15

scones, shortbread, those boxes of double chocolate biscuits from marks always go down well , tubs of sweetshop favorites sweets, cadbury’s choc orange, HP sauce.

MissAmbrosia · 28/03/2026 19:16

I live in Belgium not france - But shortbread biscuits always go down well. I'd go go for a nice tin of those. Easter eggs can be subjective as a lot people find Cadbury etc choc to be an abomination.

Parisienne123 · 28/03/2026 19:17

Leeds2 · 28/03/2026 19:12

Definitely an Easter Egg for the child!

I would usually suggest shortbread, but that is often Scottish rather than English.Maybe have a look on the National Trust website, as they do have edible gifts which might fit the bill. Or jars of traditional English sweets (look in local garden centre!).
Maybe English jam/marmalade/lemon curd.

Defo shortbread ! They love it 😊 Maybe jelly for the fun factor as that is often what the French are most aghast about 😂

Needtosoundoffandbreathe · 28/03/2026 19:20

Cadbury's chocolate orange? A tin of shortbread from M&S would kill two birds with one stone. They also have some souvenir type stuff in tins.

Helpboat · 28/03/2026 19:20

M&S biscuits

Needtosoundoffandbreathe · 28/03/2026 19:21

Maybe a Mary Berry book of puddings. A lot of the French people I've met have been very interested in British puddings.

AlicePottery · 28/03/2026 19:22

A bag of mini eggs

Redheadedstepchild · 28/03/2026 19:49

You kind of have to take Marmite as a kind of grown up parlour game item - explaining that you really don't expect them to like it.

Otherwise, pehaps a selection box or a couple of packets of classic, "Biscuits for cheese" like Carr's or Jacob's because you could try to incorperate them into, "l'apero" ritual. The best they have in that area are Belin crackers and other boringness.

It's such a shame that we can't take dairy products or meat into the EU anymore, as otherwise I'd have gone to town on Lancashire, Cheshire, Wenslydale, Caerphilly and so on.

The nearest crumbly cheese to all these would probably be Cantal but it's not the same.

They might like pickles or they might not. For reference, the greatest of British culinary horrors that I ever heard of was, "Green vinegar sauce, not pistou, not pesto...Green! vinegar!" Turned out to be mint sauce that my friend was confronted with on a school trip to, "Fucky Stone." (Folkstone)

Tradionally, the French were very averse to anything spicy. "Trop épicé!" but that's changing.

You can't go wrong with sweet stuff although seeing as you said that you wanted to avoid alcohol, if your hosts have any Muslim heritage, watch out for gelatine.

Rhubarb and ginger jam caused quite a sensation once upon a time, Hobnobs, flapjacks and similar might be an instant hit because there's not much of an oat and golden syrup eating culture over here.

Sticky Toffee Pudding might set them raving or might be, "Trop lourd."

Anyway, have a lovely time. It's the thought and gesture that counts. I'll never be convinced that Russian, "Herring in a fur coat" salad is wonderful but it was nice to try.

PS. Whilst you're there, try the full range of Brets Crisps. Chèvre et piment d'espellete is my favourite but obviously you have to try every flavour to find out.

Redheadedstepchild · 28/03/2026 19:55

Parisienne123 · 28/03/2026 19:17

Defo shortbread ! They love it 😊 Maybe jelly for the fun factor as that is often what the French are most aghast about 😂

Edited

Oh, yeah! That was the other trauma my friend endured in Fucky Stone. Mint Sauce and Jelly.

The jelly aversion is odd because they love Haribo and there's quite a bit of pâte en croûte with gelatin. "En gelée" was quite a thing back in the day there as well but I suppose it went out in the 1970's.

Redheadedstepchild · 28/03/2026 20:07

Needtosoundoffandbreathe · 28/03/2026 19:20

Cadbury's chocolate orange? A tin of shortbread from M&S would kill two birds with one stone. They also have some souvenir type stuff in tins.

Oh yes! Chocolate orange for the theatrical element! Bash it and unwrap!

Eggyleggy · 28/03/2026 20:08

Hot cross buns

ChangeAgainAgainAgain · 28/03/2026 20:34

Eggyleggy · 28/03/2026 20:08

Hot cross buns

Oooh, I really like the idea of this! Are they not available in France?

OP posts:
Redheadedstepchild · 28/03/2026 20:47

ChangeAgainAgainAgain · 28/03/2026 20:34

Oooh, I really like the idea of this! Are they not available in France?

Nope! They don't have hot cross buns, or crumpets for that matter. Occasionally, you might be able to find the, "Park Lane" brand of baked goods in Monoprix or Auchan that do scones, muffins, crumpets and suchlike but they are all AWFUL. They overdo it on the baking soda or yeast or goodness knows what but they taste like fizzy paracetamol.

Choice may be better in big cities but I live in the sticks in disputed Italian territory. Shortbread is usually available but you have to look for it.

Parisienne123 · 28/03/2026 22:15

Redheadedstepchild · 28/03/2026 19:55

Oh, yeah! That was the other trauma my friend endured in Fucky Stone. Mint Sauce and Jelly.

The jelly aversion is odd because they love Haribo and there's quite a bit of pâte en croûte with gelatin. "En gelée" was quite a thing back in the day there as well but I suppose it went out in the 1970's.

From what I gather it’s the bright colours and it being served cold in a pudding bowl with possibly custard . I once served up xmas pudding 😂 the grimaces 😂 but I did warn before . Having said that my French DH and one half french adult child love xmas pudding and a trifle with jelly

Parisienne123 · 28/03/2026 22:17

Redheadedstepchild · 28/03/2026 20:47

Nope! They don't have hot cross buns, or crumpets for that matter. Occasionally, you might be able to find the, "Park Lane" brand of baked goods in Monoprix or Auchan that do scones, muffins, crumpets and suchlike but they are all AWFUL. They overdo it on the baking soda or yeast or goodness knows what but they taste like fizzy paracetamol.

Choice may be better in big cities but I live in the sticks in disputed Italian territory. Shortbread is usually available but you have to look for it.

Yeah sadly agree on the park lane. Before blooming B we had Marks food shops… grrr .

OnlyFrench · 28/03/2026 22:19

I always come back laden with M&S shortbread or cookies. Marmalade and lemon curd are weirdly popular too.

Squirrelandhedgehog · 28/03/2026 22:23

Lemon drizzle cake. F&M Lemon curd biscuits.

HoppityBun · 28/03/2026 22:27

It’s probably too late but I’d always suggest Fortnums over Marks. Tea, chocolate biscuits, anything in the turquoise really. Duchy condiments. Something a little but special

didgeridid · 28/03/2026 22:27

I can not help but ....
I work in gifting and sending things to the EU after Brexit is a fucking nightmare so double check you can take it! Obviously you can risk it regardless but just be aware. Might be different if you are personally taking the items but ends in no end of stress shipping 😅

CarrotParsnipOnion · 28/03/2026 22:28

Welsh cakes?

categorychaos · 28/03/2026 22:35

There’s nothing that we can’t get in France- so I’d say save yourself the trouble tbh and if you feel that you must take something then an English branded Easter egg maybe or hot cross buns or special Easter cake (simnel ?) as a novelty but honestly there isn’t much that is desired that would be warrant the effort

blythet · 28/03/2026 22:40

categorychaos · 28/03/2026 22:35

There’s nothing that we can’t get in France- so I’d say save yourself the trouble tbh and if you feel that you must take something then an English branded Easter egg maybe or hot cross buns or special Easter cake (simnel ?) as a novelty but honestly there isn’t much that is desired that would be warrant the effort

What a generous and happy person you are 😂

Needtosoundoffandbreathe · 28/03/2026 22:50

Redheadedstepchild · 28/03/2026 20:07

Oh yes! Chocolate orange for the theatrical element! Bash it and unwrap!

It's Terry's!