European holiday food shopping

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I'm doing the first few days of cooking at a villa myself, my boyfriend and several of his friends are staying at in France next week. They're all major foodies (nice way of saying they are very snobby ) and so I'm wondering if I can ask what would you look for at French supermarkets, local markets etc. It's very hot there at the moment so I want to do fresh and delicious and local and ideally a bit sophisticated (and lots of wine obvs). I'm thinking fresh salads, charcuterie, local fresh breads, cheeses, will do a couple of BBQ's, make some sorbets...

What do you buy when abroad for delicious home cooked meals?

tbh I would do a one pot coq au vin, salad, bread.
always impressive and tasty

Who'll be cooking for the rest of the time?

I'd get together with them and plan the meals for the rest of the holiday.

If you're near the sea, vats of fresh moules mariniere in white wine, cream and garlic... Yummy. If not, sounds like you've got some good ideas already, salami a plenty, lovely crusty bread, cheeses etc.

DP does something called petit sal (? spelling) which is slow cooked pork with lentils and haricot beans... Mmmm.

Have a lovely time!

Depends where you are. Farmers markets/produits du terroir often have local fresh cheese (often unpasteurised) etc. It's top season for globe artichokes so if you can do a hollandaise (and have a humongous saucepan for cooking the artichokes in) I'd suggest that. Otherwise just what you said - lovely salads, bread, charcuterie, cheeses - what's not to like.

Sounds lovely!
I would buy rather than make the sorbet though.
Giant prawns sauted in garlic and olive oil with ratatouille and lots of crusty bread tends to go down well and is easy enough.

Oh, so many lovely ideas already thank you all so much!

bluerunningshoes coq au vin is a genius idea thank you!

worraliberty other girlfriends are cooking for the rest of the holiday, we've been allocated certain days but will all pitch in generally with cooking.

MissusGeneHunt moules mariniere would be brill, will look up some recipes as am a bit intimidated with cooking shellfish . Your slow cooked pork sounds amazing!

Coq au vin is a winter dish.

Langoustines, oysters, moules etc

Melons are plentyful and should be eaten at every mealtime.

Salads with lovely fresh tomatoes (try and get them from a market rather than the supermarket. Ratatouille and mergez sausages is the food of the gods.

Is the cooking schedule per couple or is it just the women doing it?

Sounds like my idea of a nightmare holiday OP but I hope you and the other girlfriends enjoy it as much as the boyfriends do.

Make your own French dressing with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard and a bit of salt.

Quiche is so simple if you buy pre-made pastry and you can fill it with whatever you fancy.

If there's a Grand Frais near you, go there - it's a supermarket mostly given over to fresh fruit and veg, with lots of gorgeous cheese etc.

Buy local and buy fresh

And get the men to pull their weight

Girlfriend's doing all the cooking 🙄

Couples or just the women?

It must be absolutely boiling, I would not be able to eat coq au vin!

I would just do lovely salads with strips of meat or fish, watermelon, grilled peach etc. Serve with baguette, cheese, olives, charcuterie.

Not French, but Gazpacho is lovely when it’s hot.

OP : "I'm doing the first few days of cooking at a villa myself, my boyfriend and several of his friends are staying at in France next week."

WorraLiberty : "Who'll be cooking for the rest of the time?"

OP: "other girlfriends are cooking for the rest of the holiday, we've been allocated certain days but will all pitch in generally with cooking. "

Am I reading you right? The women are doing all the cooking on their holiday and the men are just sitting back and being food snobs?

Garlic sausage as part of a picky-bits lunch with bread, cheese, salad, etc. is a go-to for me! Which part of France will you be staying in? As a PP said, look out for local specialities.

That's my take on it WhereYouLeftIt.

crosstalk artichokes and hollandaise sounds amazing thank you for the idea!

mrsdarcyisish ah giant prawns in garlic with ratatouille sounds divine!

frenchfancy melons, mergez sausages and tomatoes added to the list thank you! Quiche - yes, love making them and completely forgot about them. Will check if there is a Grand Frais.

reddogsbeg per couple!

littleloaf amazing tips thank you

acopyofacopy grilled peaches - yes!

I'm concerned the girls have all been allocated cooking days. What are these foodie boys doing?

Oh god, sounds like hell

The women cooking, the men pontificating.

Id do beans on toast (aware I would have to export the beans from home) and a can of lager.

Probably why i don’t get invited to this kind of thing mind you...

Am I reading you right? The women are doing all the cooking on their holiday and the men are just sitting back and being food snobs?
in that case I would just get tinned lentil stew with sausages...

Btw only reason I'm saying the girlfriends are doing the cooking is because they and I have been messaging about it a bit as I know them better than their partners, it will be couples cooking and we will all (male and female) pitching in, so please don't worry about us, we will be having a lovely and non sexist time. Chill your boots ladies!

Ah okay, per couple, I'll climb down off my outrage podium!.

Proper French Tarte au Citron for pudding from a patisserie.

Make whatever you like to eat. If it isn't post enough for them they're welcome to make their own or go out somewhere. Food snobs who only eat expensive stuff just have a lack of knowledge about how to make inexpensive food tasty.

Posh*