Please help! Formula and nappies in France

[FranciscanTrip]

We're off to France on holiday later this month. Does anyone know whether you can get Aptamil (Stage 1) easily in supermarkets there or do we need to take with us? Also, nappies... obviously you can buy them in France (!!) but are the sizes the same as in the UK? I have 2 in nappies so don't want to have to carry many with me if I can help it but don't want to end up buying a load of the wrong size like I do at home all the time

TIA!

I suppose Paris is more expensive but when I went last year they had Pampers nappies (so the same sizing) at about 13 euros a pack and formula for about 17 euros a pack. Didn't look to see if they had Aptamil, I'm sure someone more helpful will be along soon though!

Bump

When I went to France with baby DS 3 years ago, my sister (who lives there) took a photo of the formula shelves ar her supermarket, and there was nothing familiar. We ended up taking our own. Nappies, no prob. Same sizes.

Thanks BRS. My gut feel was take formula and don't worry about nappies. And let's face it, nappies for a week (for 2 DCs) take up a LOT more room in the car than formula (for 1 DC). Oh how I remember well the days when I could go on holiday for a week with a teeny tiny back-pack....................

oh, take the nappies!

once used they leave loads of space for wine etc on the way back

Haha. The friends we are going with seem to have resolved to take their entire life's possessions with them (we both have two young DCs). We are, however, looking to take as little as we can get away with so that we can bring back a LOT of wine.

I was like your friends when our kids were small It was v embarrassing on a Eurocamp site meeting a family with similar aged kids (8, 5, 2) where they fitted themselves & all their stuff, including a large buggy, inside a Ford Escort when we had a roofrack as well as a bootful in a much larger Ford Sierra (automotive history lesson )

you could always look to buy your nappies (& wine, probably) at Aldi/Lidl in France

I believe Aptimel is the same as the French brand Milupa, though there may be slight differences in the exact formula so I would take some with you if you can.

Nappies are easily available in the supermarkets, but local shops almost never sell them. (they do sell nappies for adults though )

Hi, we have been going to France for the past 6 yrs with little ones and always buy everything there. Nappies have the weight on so if you know your childs weight in kg you will be fine. We have used lots of different french formulas, my children never seem to mind what it is. But they always seem much more expensive there. I remember always being shocked by the price, could have been nearly twice the price. so if on a budget you might what to take some from home. Enjoy.

Nappies are the same size as here. Formula is usually different. Milupa is the same as Aptimil but will probably taste a little different due to slight ingredient differences.

Formula in France is expensive!!! Last summer the best known brands were 20euro a tub, cheapest supermarket own make was about 13/14euro!!

How old is the baby? DD was 1 when we were there and we just bought the cheap stuff for her - she was eating good food and we just used the formula as her milk drink. She took it fine, even though it must have tasted different.

If you are worried re formula, take it with you - at least you know baby will drink it - although bear in mind that the water wil taste slightly different, so the formula will too.

Swim nappies are crazily expensive in Europe. Get a reusable one or chuck a pack of Little Swimmers in.

We ended up on cows milk after DD1 refused Canadian formula despite having had lots of different ones at home and in Portugal before. She was 10m tho so I wasn't too concerned.

If you are driving, I would take all your baby stuff with you. All the normal kit is available in French supermarkets, but often at 2 or 3 times the price. That includes nappies and wipes.

Formula is widely available from various supermarkets aptimal in France is called Milupa but you will notice slight variations in ingredients and therefore you may notice your child may not be as keen. There are many other brands available click Here for more info.

Wipes and all nappies, not just swim nappies, are hideously expensive. I think partly because AFAIK French supermarkets can't do the special offers our do? When I was there in Feb a pack of 32 size 4 pampers was 15 Euros - that was in a small supermarket in a village rather than the town hypermarket but even so...

I live in France and I can confirm that wipes, nappies and formula are expensive here compared to the UK. I buy wipes and day time nappies in Lidl because it's cheaper. A pack of ~30 pampers babydry for nights is around 15euros in my local Leclerc hypermarket. 50 Lidl nappies are just over 7 euros!

Formula is 15-20 euros for 900g, depending on the shop and brand. Formula is a totally different thing here compared to the UK. AFAIK there is no recommendation to use water above 70deg to make the milk. Instead the instructions are generally to use mineral water (Evian or another brand suitable for babies) straight from the bottle or water not hotter than 40degC. In fact I have heard that the formula does not necessarily make up well with hot water because it is not designed to do so. And because it is so easy to make up a bottle with Evian and no messing about with hot water, they don't sell the handy 200ml cartons of ready to drink formula (well I've never seen them, only 1 litre ones).

I use Gailla which is made by Danone. Aptimil and Cow & Gate seem to be made by Nutricia which is also a Danone brand. I don't recall seeing Milupa formula in the French supermarket. I will look next time I go. Milupa is another Danone brand...

I can confirm that Lidl nappies are ace.

Coped just fine with a slightly explosive tummy bug by-product at the weekend.