France - so long since I've been - what are the good buys?

[MrsBadger]

wine obv
Hit biscuits

but are there other hypermarché secrets?

Wine obviously but you have to sort through.

When I went to the L'Occitane museum somewhere in France I discovered that the cheaper Le Petit Marseillais brand is made by the same company so I stock up on their hand soap and shower gel. The lavender one is lovely and suits my sons sensitive skin.

Kids clothes they do some nice ones but you do have to sort through. They sell Petit Bateau but no idea if it's cheaper.

My kids like those little glasses the mustard comes in so some of those.

Black peppercorns in a big bag,always used to be cheaper, Fleur de Sel(because I like the boxes),nutmeg in a little jar that comes with it's own mini grater.

That is it for me nowadays as I don't find it all that much cheaper anymore and with the 3 dc can't fit much in anyhow.Lucky if we have any Euros left too now

Obviously I go for the essentials

Go the pharmacies. Nuxe, Caudalie and Aderma brands are current bestsellers, LaRochePosay also good. Inava toothbrushes and Elgydium toothpaste (the standard and the whitening one).

nothing at the moment with the state of GBP vs EUR!

Go to Monoprix and buy food products from their Monoprix Gourmet range (white and purple packaging) - excellent value for money.

I love the Auchan range of kids clothes-In Extenso if you sort through you can find some lovely gems. Good price and last well.

Nothing seems to be much cheaper these days because of the strength of the euro.
We tend to buy delicious food which we can't get over here like: mergues sausages, andouillette (sp?), those nice jars of coq au vin, and depending on which part of France you;re going to: rillete, garlic (the most delicious garlic we've ever bought was from a guy on the side of the road in Brittany/Normandy.
Loads more, my mouth is now watering.

Oh, one thing that's perhaps still cheaper are spirits (of the alcoholic kind).