Treats for self catering

[wasgoingmadinthecountry]

So I've booked a house for a week in August for dh/me and our mostly adult children plus other halves. Slightly nervous as I never book anything more than 10 minutes in advance!!

Anyway, I saw on here people making up a holiday box to take. What little luxuries (food or entertainment) would you take to France with adult children? LINKEE is a given.

Thanks!

The only food item I take on holiday, esp. France, is a pack of decent tea bags. French supermarkts are so much better, I normally come back with the boot full of stuff instead of taking any with me.

We normally get a new board game if we can get it in a travel size. If the holiday let has a DVD player maybe 2-3 new releases or old favourites. I have a holiday reading list but on kindle, so not in a box.

Nice shower gel, we share so I need to find a scent all of us like.

My parents collected crossword puzzles for weeks in advance and bought nice new pens.

I get us a beach bag/shopping bag. I normally go through my existing ones and throw out the most oldest/starting to break ones and the new will then move to be used at home.

We love board games! I saw a lady on the plane a while ago with a big envelope of saved crosswords - never seen it before! It's the sort of thing I can imagine my dad doing.

I may have to find my Kindle - went away at Easter with 2 books, one of which I'd read and the other one was dreadful!

Tea, tea and more tea.....and if none of you drink tea then bring it round to mine please

Tea bags and decent coffee! Playing cards, scrabble and monopoly.

When you get there drive to the supermarket and get wine, beer, champagne, orange juice, butter, jam, bread and pastries )for the first day), milk, cheese, crackers, fruit and some sweets/crisps/nuts. Ideal holiday snacks around meals out.

Apart from cheese and cheaper wine than the UK, I don't think French supermarkets are better than the UK, just different. Much less choice than the UK and quite a few things are more pricey. The markets (outdoors and in halls) can be much better than the UK ones though and are great for fruit and veg, olives, rotisserie chicken, meat, fish and cheese.

However there is nothing I would bring from the UK (I don't drink tea) except perhaps for washing powder if staying more than a week. Find a decent boulangerie for bread, pastries etc, bread from Carrefour, etc nowhere near as nice...use Google maps reviews or just pick one with a big queue!

I’ve turned into my mother & take herbs in freezer bags & coffee. Yes you can get these locally but why pay out and my language skills are crap & I’m never entirely sure whats what in foreign supermarkets! I even have a travel sandwich toaster I pack. My DH thinks it’s very funny & jokes about sniffer dogs & dodgy looking packages being confiscated- still uses them though!

SJane - we had serious thoughts about taking teething power with us through airport security, let's face it that stuff in a small paper envelope is looking dodgy.

Nothing dodgy then! May take herbs - bored with buying them so may as well chuck them in the boot. And tea bags! Coffee drinker personally - tea always tastes funny in France! Dd1 and partner are veggie and I know France isn't the best for that! Will get her onto it nearer thetime.